“Why?”
“Because I”—Don’t say it—“miss you.”
I let out a breath. There it was. “Look, this isn’t really a good–”
“Come on, Hales,” he interrupted, staring at me with that familiar gleam in his eyes, like he was rewatching an old film and knew exactly how it would all play out. “Let me at least buy you a drink, and we can have a chat.”
Before I could respond, one of the bar staff approached, and Brett took it upon himself to ordertwodrinks. I could feel Marie’s eyes on me from the bar, but I didn’t look at her because I already knewexactlywhat she was thinking...because I was thinking the same thing. My approach to the situation was probably a little more subtle than she’d suggest, however.
Brett went to my place, then showed up here looking for me. I told myself it would be just one drink—a conversation he wanted, but it wouldn’t go as he expected.
I hadzerointention of falling back into old patterns. To accept less than what I deserved.
When the bell above the door rang again, my gaze slid toward it, and the man who made me make that very promise walked inside.
Chapter 21
The Rusty Anchorwas packed when I stepped inside.
I’d gone home after my shift, debating whether or not to come out. A part of me wanted to stay home, not feeling in the mood to be around a large crowd. But the house was unusually quiet because, instead of hanging out with him there, Gabe had taken Maverick to his place for the night because I’d been unsure of my plans.
With the silence pressing in, the pull to feel the grounding calm of acertain someone’spresence became overwhelming. It didn’t take long for the need to see her to win out.
My eyes scanned the area, and I spotted Haley in the back at one of the pub tables. I paused mid-step.
Something was wrong.
I felt it in the sharp, wary look she shot me, her posture coiled like a wire about to snap. Then I noticed the unfamiliar man beside her. Unfamiliar tome. He was leaning in, his voice pitched low as he spoke to her, as if they shared...something. Noticing he’d lost her attention, he abruptly waved a hand near her face, snapping her focus back to him, and my jaw clenched with instinctive protectiveness.
I looked away from Haley and the man, spotted Marie at the bar, and walked over to her. When I approached, I gently touched her shoulder. She spun around, grinning up at me. “Dr. Dimples! You made it!”
I huffed out a laugh. “I did. Happy birthday.”
Her grin grew. “Thank you!”
“I’ll get your next drink,” I offered, signaling the bartender. Then I leaned against the bar, looking at her. “Who’s the guy sitting with Haley?”
Marie let out a scoff of disdain as she rolled her eyes. “Brett.”
I stiffened. As in the grade-A prick ex-boyfriendBrett? “What’shedoing here?”
“No idea.” She glanced over her shoulder in their direction.
As the bartender brought Marie her drink and nodded to confirm it was on my tab, I watched Haley excuse herself fromBrettand cross the bar toward us.
“Hey, you made it,” she said as she approached.
I nodded, studying her for a moment. She was clearly tense—her posture tight, lips pressed together. I lifted my chin and nodded toward the back of the room. “Brett?”
Haley sighed, shaking her head. “He just showed up, taking a stab in the dark that I might be here.”
That burning sensation behind my ribs exploded, a wildfire in my chest. “What does he want?”
“To talk,” she replied.
“Oh, fuck him,” Marie interjected, and I couldn’t help the way my lips twitched. “Tell him to eat shit and leave.”
“I’m trying to do that, just in a morecivilmanner.”
