Jace Miller. The one I tried to forget when I left here… and the one who still has a way of creeping into the corners of my mind.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I apply a layer of mascara to my lashes on both eyes, the last step in my routine. My brain needs to shut up and I think going out with my brothers might just be the ticket. A little bit of alcohol can chase the stupid thoughts of him away.
He still feels like the same Jace, but I can’t help but wonder what all I don’t know about him anymore. He hasn’t spoken of anyone else, but what if there’s someone waiting for him out there?
Shaking my head, I shove the thoughts of him away.
What he does is none of my business… just like it never has been.
“Dear god, Willow,” Finn laughs, shaking his head as the side of his body knocks into the bar. “You just spilled bourbon all down your shirt.”
Everything blurs and distorts as I look down at the wet spot on the front of my sweater. “Oh, shit.” It’s not a big spot, but in the center of my chest is a mark, followed by a small stream down the front, stopping above my navel.
Noah shakes his head at the two of us. “You guys know that none of us are okay to drive home, right?”
“Well, obviously.”
“I can give you guys a ride,” George, who sits to my left, speaks, half slurring his words. George went to school with my brothers. He grew up in the Hollow and never left.
Noah lifts an eyebrow. “You’re just as drunk. There’s no way we’re getting in a car with you.”
“I don’t even have my car,” he laughs, shaking his head. “I drove my ATV.”
Finn gives him a look. “So, how the hell would we all get home on that anyway?”
My head spins momentarily, pulling me out of the moment with the three of them. I have to close my eyes and grip the barstool, attempting to get myself under control. But my palms have started to sweat.Uh oh, this isn’t good.
We are three hours into our excursion to the bar and my one drink turned into three, plus two shots. My brothers are definitely bad influences when it comes to things like this. At this point though, I’m not even mad about it. I can’t even remember what I was trying to forget, so that means this plan is working.
“Is that Jace?” Finn asks as he turns more in his seat, looking past me at the door. “Hey, Jace!” He says louder than necessary as he starts waving his arm like Jace can’t see us. It’s a weekday night and there’s only a handful of people here.
My body sways as I glance over my shoulder and my breath catches in my chest as he walks over. I slowly close one eye. Is he sauntering? I quickly shake my head to myself, turning back around in my seat to grab my glass of water.
After my last drink, I asked for something other than alcohol, then Noah insisted that we get shots anyways. I don’t know how long ago that was now, but as I stare at my glass, there aren’t any visible ice cubes floating in the liquid.
“You both look like you’re going to regret whatever you’ve been drinking tomorrow morning,” Jace chuckles, his deep voice scratching an itch inside my brain. A shiver trails down my spineand I slowly spin around on my bar stool, the room slightly spinning as I turn to face him. As my surroundings fall still and I get my bearings, my eyes drift to his and I find him staring at me intently.
His eyes are hooded, the muscle working in his jaw and his nostrils widen subtly as his gaze shifts to George and back to me.
Now I remember what I wanted to forget.
“Are we still on for tomorrow?”
Lifting my glass of water, I take a large gulp, forcing it down. “Yep.”
“What are you guys doing tomorrow?” George asks, his words slurring together again.
Jace doesn’t take his eyes off me, and he doesn’t bother to answer George. “You sure you’re going to be up to working?”
“Oh, yeah, I’ll be fine,” I tell him, my eyelids staying closed longer than what would be considered a blink. Lifting my other hand, I wave it dismissively and my body sways to the side. “I don’t get hangovers and I’m just drinking water now.”
Jace’s mouth twitches as he finally directs his attention to George. “How are you, George? It’s been awhile.”
“I’m good, man. How about you? I heard you were back in town.”
Glancing to my right, I see my brothers have fallen into some conversation between the two of them, and I’m now stuck in the middle of this catch up moment between Jace and George. I’m drunk, but not too drunk to notice the weird shift in the air. There’s a tension that I can’t quite put my finger on.
“Yeah, an injury that didn’t heal properly has a way of doing that.”
