AllFreeNovel
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Whilst I am alone, I people watch. My eyes scanning the room as they land on familiar faces. It’s as if no time has passed at all.
Everyone looks the same, everything seems the same, everything feels the same. As if the seasons had paused, the years frozen in time.
“Oh my god,” I hear her terse tone before I see her. “Do my eyes deceive me or is it little miss ‘too good for the country so I leave for the city’ sitting here inourstomping ground?” I am glued to my seat. Frozen.
Fuck.
“Nope,” the word passes my gritted teeth, “your eyes are not deceiving you,” I push a fake ass smile on my face, my head tilting as my eyes land on her, narrowing my gaze.
Harlow.
My old best friend.
My old best friend that was going to miss me so much she didn’t make one phone call.
My old best friend that fucked my crush and my brother. Not at the same time, just wanted to throw that in there.
“Well…” she scoffs, disbelief coats her tone and I don’t miss it. Her hips sway from side to side as she struts towards me. Her dark hair bouncing in its loose curls as she leans across the table.
“What brings you back home?” Her tone is vicious, sarcastic and downright fucking rude. “Because it sure as shit isn’t me.” She rolls her eyes in an exaggerated manner. “Is it Riggs?” she continues, her lips pursing and pushing over her teeth, baring her perfect white smile. “Ohhh, Pacey?” she jibes me, waiting for me to bite back.
“Give it a rest,” I hear Austin say, his words sniping at her, lashing against her skin and I see her cheeks turn a pretty pink shade. He walks up behind Harlow, but his eyes are on me. I have never felt as small as I do now.
“She came back home because she wanted to, it’s not a crime, she doesn’t have to ask your permission… jeez Harlow give it a fucking rest. You’re like a dog with a bone.” Austin pushes past her, disregarding her in an instant and I hear the sharp inhale of breath she sucks in before letting out a huff.
Austin slips into the booth and cocoons me in his arms.
“Ignore her, she is just showing off because she has an audience,” he whispers in my ear, then gives me a kiss on my cheek and I am grateful that he is here.
He breaks away and when I look up, my eyes fixate on them.
The Rivera brothers.
Riggs, Pacey and Tripp and my heart flatlines in my chest.
Where the fuck is Conrad with my drink?!
“Anyway, we will leave you to it, feel free to join us if you want to,” Austin half shrugs, his smile lopsided. He throws me a wink as he turns. I watch as he grabs Harlow by the wrist and drags her away.
The three Rivera brothers don’t move.
They just stand as if anchored to the floor, all sets of eyes on me and suddenly, I am finding it hard to breathe.
There is so much I want to say.
But words don’t come.
I just stare back, lips parted as if I am ready to say something, but I stay mute.
My eyes shift between the three of them, willing for one of them to speak, but just as I see Pacey’s mouth open, Conrad walks between the three of them, completely ignoring them and placing a whiskey sour in front of me, my eyes pull from the three men who have consumed me whole and I let them fall to the table.
“Hey,” Conrad says softly, and I watch his brows furrow when my eyes are glued behind him. He follows my gaze, twisting to look behind him to face Riggs, Tripp and Pacey.
“Can I help you Riggs?” Conrad asks.
“Nope,” his tone is clipped, and it slices through me. I miss the old me and Riggs. The old friendship between us. I cared about them all, they were my best friends—along with Harlow—but those bridges are well and truly burned into nothing but ash. Even if we spent time rebuilding, they would never be the same.
“Okay then, can you give us a bit of privacy so I can spend the evening getting to know this beautiful lady?” Conrad gives him a wink and I can’t help but hear how condescending his question sounds.
