Grant grows intensely serious, staring me down, and any moment now, I’m prepared to have my ass kicked.
“You’re right.” That frown of his melts into something just this side of a grin. “This is a good step for me.” He takes a look around. It’s clear he’s still unsure of his footing. “I’ll get there. I’m stretching myself. Steph would definitely want me to pull myself out of this funk I’ve been in.”
“How long has it been?”
“Too long.”
“Get back in the game, man.” I offer a quick pat to his back. “You know where to find me if you need an ear. I’ll see you around.” I head over to Rex and Owen who are both laughing at Cade while he shows off on the dance floor—grinding up against Cassidy as if things were about to get pornographic.
“You hear the news?” Owen slides his phone over to me.
Daisy’s picture stares back at me in a split screen with a despondent looking Senator Danberry. “What’s this?”Senator admits to wrongdoing.Morano slaps Danberry with sexual harassment suit on victim’s behalf.
“It’s good news, dude.” Owen takes his phone back. “That speech Daisy gave last week took down a congressional Goliath.”
Rex leans in. “Scarlett says that the Legal Eagles have actually been fielding requests all day from other clubs to book her—they want topayher.”
“She can be a life coach,” Owen muses. He knows a thing or two about coaching. He still runs his hookup business on the side, although he much prefers the wordmatchmaker. I settle my gaze over my old friend. A part of me wants to tell him that Grant Jones is in this very bar, just a few feet away. I know Owen. I know he’d want to go over and plead forgiveness for what his sister did. I know that Bryson, the dude who owns this place, would want to know, too. I’ve met Bryson a time or two. He’s a pretty good guy. Grant doesn’t need to hide. I just hope he’s not harboring resentment toward Owen, or Bryson either for that matter. I should know more than anyone else that resentment can kill. That’s exactly why I plan on watching out for the guy—like now, by not telling Owen.
“Life coach.” I nod into this. “She changed my life for the better. That’s for sure.”
Daisy falls onto my lap as the girls appear all at once.
“Scarlett just told me the best news!” She bounces hard up and down over my lap, and my boxers twitch because Daisy always brings the boys the best news. Daisy is free to bounce on me with or without her clothes on anytime she likes.
Daisy rambles it all out so quickly the sentences string together in one long word.
“I knew it’d all work out for you.” My hands warm her back as I draw her close. “I had faith.”
“Thank you.” Her mood grows serious as she pulls me into a smooth, heated kiss. “Thank you for being the rock I needed you to be.”
Piper smashes Owen’s glass over the table until she has the attention of just about everyone in the bar. Something about Piper reminds me a lot of Lucky, and not necessarily in a good way.
“It looks like our little circle is complete.” She falls onto Owen’s lap.
Cassidy gives an impromptu applause. “Sure is. I always knew Jet and my girl here belonged together.” She rocks back on Cade’s lap and taps her foot over Daisy’s knee. “It looks like your darkest hour is about to turn into your shining spotlight. I always knew you would set the world on fire. I’m still so sorry my sister had anything to do with this.”
Daisy takes a quivering breath. “Don’t be. In a strange way, it feels as if I was just propelled that much closer to my destiny. And if this nightmare had never transpired, I would have still been spinning my wheels—or my stilettos.” She wags her pink heel in the air. “I’m a big believer that the people you need in your life get put there right on time—and, no, I’m not talking about Senator Dingleberry.” She burrows in against me. “I’m talking about Jet Madden, the love of my life.”
Rex lifts his beer to me. “I don’t know what took you two so long. Once Jet was hanging at Stilettos every single night, I knew he was a goner. And don’t think for a minute that he noticed another girl there. It was all you, Daisy.”
“It was Daisy.” I bounce her over my lap a moment.
“I’m so glad you came to your senses.” She offers me a quick peck as the rest of the table explodes with a laugh. Daisy lifts a finger to Piper. “But you were wrong. I don’t think our circle is complete quite yet. I’ve got two little besties that are just feeling their way around campus. I’d love to have Ava and Lucky feel free to join us—towantto sit with us at some point in time.”
“Door’s always open.” Piper shakes her head. I know that Ava and Piper don’t have the best relationship—sort of like Lucky and Daisy. But it warms my heart that Daisy feels just the opposite toward her.
Scarlett clips Daisy with a look. “My brother, Lawson, is here, too. And, I don’t know, we’re pretty content keeping to our own social circles.”
Rex shakes his head. “Lawson’s not hanging around you because you’re hanging around me. He’s not my biggest fan.”
Cade huffs at Rex. “He’s her brother—and he’syourstepbrother. I can see how he’s a little uptight about it. It weirds him out. He’ll get over it—maybe.”
I glance over at the dance floor and spot Lucky and Ava talking to a couple of preppy looking dudes, and my blood boils in an instant.
Daisy follows my gaze. “Down, boy.”
Owen groans from across the table. “I’m not built for this. If that asshole touches my sister, he’s going to lose an arm.”
