“I’m not surprised.”
Casper was just about to climb into the back of a blue Corolla when he saw them. He frowned, clearly taking in the way Jace held Elle close. A stupid half grin spread on his face, and even though he was still a distance away, Jace didn’t miss his eye roll.
What the fuck was his deal?
Jace was tempted to go over and ask him just that, but the guys climbed into the car and drove away.
They reached the doors of the bakery, and the women went inside with Avery first. Jace was about to step in when Eastern touched his shoulder. “What was that?”
Ofcoursehis older brother noticed. Not only was he a former Navy SEAL, he was the town sheriff; he saw everything. “Just some asshole from high school who never grew up. It’s nothing.”
And it had better stay nothing.
CHAPTER 21
Elle threw back her head and laughed at Jace’s impersonation of Jimmy Fallon. They stood at a table in Meridian, with Tilly and Kayden. Cody and Harper were working the bar, but they came over whenever they got a chance.
Jace, of course, was the life of the party.
She playfully thumped his shoulder. “Stop, I’m laughing so much my stomach hurts.”
His arm slid around her waist. “Well, my darling, I’ll just have to kiss it better.”
She shook her head. It was nice to see him so relaxed after the Boyd stuff. He’d been on edge for the last week. When he lowered his head and kissed her cheek, she all but melted into him.
“You two are so good together,” Tilly said softly.
Kayden lifted his beer to his lips. “Yeah, just lay off the PDA.”
This time, it was Tilly who shoved Kayden’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to him. Kiss. Cuddle. Do everything.” She sipped her own cocktail. “Kayden said you were friends growing up?”
“Best friends,” Jace confirmed, his thumb grazing her side. “And we still are.”
Elle’s belly did a little somersault. She’d been fighting against those words for so long, but she didn’t need to fight anymore.
As the guys started talking about the things that needed fixing at Jace’s house, Elle’s gaze roamed the bar. It was busy, but that wasn’t a surprise, it was Saturday night.
She had been the one who’d pushed to go out. Jace hadn’t wanted her to go anywhere until they found Boyd or had confirmation he’d left town. Hell, he didn’t even want her going to work, but she’d started going stir-crazy staying home every night. There was only so much of the walls of her apartment she could take.
He’d agreed to go out on the condition that it was at Cody’s bar and they invited another of his brothers. It felt like overkill to her, having two former special operations brothers here, in addition to Jace, but at the same time, she loved that he got to spend more time with his family. He’d missed them. He hadn’t said it out loud, but she could tell by the way his energy changed when he was around them. It became lighter, and he smiled more, and God, she loved that smile.
“Hey.” She glanced up at Tilly’s voice. “Do you want to go get another drink with me?”
“I wouldn’t say no to another strawberry daiquiri.” Apparently, they were a new addition to the menu, and she hoped they remained. She was a sucker for a good daiquiri.
She went to step away, but Jace grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”
“To get another drink. Do you want one?”
He shook his head. Not a surprise; he’d been nursing his one beer all night. His gaze moved around the bar like he was searching for danger.
She touched his chest. “It’s fine. We’re just going to the bar, and Cody’s there.”
He tugged her toward him and hovered his lips over hers. “Come straight back.” Then he pressed another kiss to her lips, and even though it was probably the tenth kiss since stepping into the bar, she wasn’t sick of them. She didn’t think shecouldget sick of them.
The second his hand dropped, she wanted to snatch it back. To pull him to her again. Instead, she exerted a little thing called self-control and headed toward the bar with Tilly.
Tilly leaned her head into Elle’s. “You two are so perfect for each other.”
