“Damn straight.”
There was a small pause. “You sort things out with Callie yet?”
The same question Jesse had asked. “Things are…complicated.”
Not that it seemed that way to Callie. She seemed perfectly okay with them remaining broken.
“So you want us down there to help you get back on her good side?” Antwan asked.
“You think I need your help?”
“I know you do.”
Lock chuckled. “You’re right. I could use all the help I can get.”
Whatever Antwan said next was missed, because the door to the bar opened and Aspen walked in, closely followed by a woman wearing the sexiest skintight jeans and low-cut top he’d ever seen. Her hair was down and flowing over her shoulders like a waterfall. And those green eyes…fuck, they gutted him.
Callie.
“Tellme again why you’re making me come out tonight?” Callie tugged at the top of her shirt. It was too low and too tight, but maybe it only felt that way because she wanted to be at home, in a baggy, oversized tee and sweats, watchingBridgerton.
“Because…” Aspen said slowly as they neared the bar. “You need to get out of the house. You’ve been hiding since Lock returned to town.”
“I have not.”
“Really?” They stopped in front of the door. “So you didn’t decline my dinner invitation last week because it was one of your favorite places to go with Lock? And you didn’t make me and your dad eat at home on Sunday instead of your favorite Chinese restaurant because you and Lock used to get takeout there and you didn’t want him to pop in while you were there?”
Jeez, she was pathetic. “I’m being cautious.”
Except for tonight…because letting her best friend drag her to Lock’s brother’s bar was as far from cautious as she could get. But when Aspen decided something, it was impossible to say no.
“You need tolive.” Aspen frowned. “You’re not going to run if he’s in there, are you?”
“Run? No. I’ll be way more composed than that. I’ll turn and walk out with my head held high.”
“Callie! You guys live in the same town. You need to learn to coexist.”
She was right. Dammit. Served her right for having such a smart best friend. “Fine. I won’t leave the bar. I’ll stay for one drink.”
One.Thenshe might run.
Aspen let out an exaggerated sigh before stepping into the bar and leading her toward a tall table.
“I’m going to get us a cocktail and a shot,” Aspen said.
Callie lifted a brow. “A cocktailanda shot?”
“We’re celebrating.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“You not living like a hermit tonight.” Aspen winked before heading toward the bar.
She wasn’t living like a hermit. And even if she was, it was only because he waseverywhere. On the street when she’d gone out to get a coffee. In the grocery store when she’d run in to grab some eggs. And maybe there’d been one time that she’d seen him on the street and turned, basically running the other way. At the time, the reaction had felt completely out of her control.
God, she was a lunatic. She just needed to be brave. She could do that. She was brave in most other aspects of her life.
“Hey.”
