Easton appeared at her side, slipping her coat gently around her shoulders while Maggie adjusted the crutches under her arms. His eyes met mine for one brief, charged second. Something unspoken passed there, heavy and hot, before he looked away.
As they left into the drizzle, Mia fanned herself dramatically. “Well, I’ll be damned if dinosaurs don’t bring people together.”
“Go mop the back,” I said, tossing a towel at her head.
But even as I laughed with the ladies on their way out, my stomach twisted in that unsettled, restless way.
16
Easton
The call came just as I was rinsing dishes from dinner. Maggie had picked at her plate, insisted she wasn’t hungry, then polished off half a cinnamon roll once I’d stopped looking. Now she was dozing in the recliner, the sound of the rain tapping against the porch roof steady enough to lull anyone to sleep.
My phone buzzed across the counter. “You on Maggie duty tonight?” Wade asked after I picked up.
“No. Kipp traded me. He said he wanted to be in town tonight because of some errand.”
“Good. Because I just got word from Chloe that the girls are headed to the Public House for their so-called ‘girls’ night.’ She said Sage practically dragged Lila out of the house. Mia’s with them, too.” Wade paused. “Want to grab a beer?”
I hesitated. It had been years since I’d set foot in the Public House. It was the kind of place that was a local hangout, where music bled out the open doors in the summer, and the peanut shells crunched under boots. The idea of slipping into that scene made me itch. But going into Lila’s shop had been unexpected. The teasing had made me feel included. There were a few moments where I damned near enjoyed myself. There was nothing that would make me admit it to anyone, but I was looking forward to the next book club.
But then Wade repeated it, like he knew exactly what card to play. “Lila’s with them.”
I shouldn’t have cared. But I did. She was a bit addictive. It had been ages since I was interested in a woman. She hadn’t called, but that was a bit of a cop out on my part. If I wanted to ask her out, I would have to step up. I’d told her I wouldn’t push, but I also knew she was attracted to me. Every time we were in the same room, I could tell that we were on the same page.
“Fine,” I muttered. “I’ll meet you there.”
The bar Wade wanted to meet at was a staple in Wildwood Meadows, well-known among locals and tourists. The Main Street Public House (its official name) looked the same as it always had. Siding weathered by the Oregon rain, a tin sign swinging over the door, and windows glowing against the dark. Inside, the place pulsed with energy. Line dancing had started up, boots thuddingagainst the wooden floor as both couples and singles spun and clapped along with the country song blasting from the speakers.
Neon signs buzzed against the far wall, advertising cheap drafts and whiskey brands that had been here since before I was born. The crowd was mostly locals, with a few weekenders from Portland or Eugene trying to look like they belonged.
I spotted the women right away.
They had claimed a high-top table near the dance floor, pitchers of cider and margaritas already sweating on the wood. Chloe had her hair down, laughing at something Mia had just said, while Sage leaned back in her chair like she was queen of the place, auburn hair catching the lights.
And then there was Lila.
She wasn’t in her apron and flour-dusted clothes tonight. Instead, she wore a dark green shirt that fit perfectly, leaving her shoulders partly bare. Her curls were loose, brushing her collarbone as she leaned in to hear Sage better. She wasn’t even trying, and she still had every man in the place stealing glances. She was beautiful. Heart-stopping. I’d known that the day she’d stripped off that dinosaur costume, and it had been confirmed with every meeting since then.
Something hot twisted low in my chest.
“Beer?” Wade’s voice cut through, and I realized he had joined me at a table by the bar. He slid a bottle across to me after ordering for us both, his eyes already tracking the girls. “Chloe said I’m not allowed to bother them, but since you’re here, I figure we can at least watch from asafe distance. Then maybe we can give them a ride home if they’re too sloshed on tequila. You know how much Sage loves that stuff.”
I snorted. “You mean one of the main reasons you lured me here was to watch me squirm, then to play Uber driver.”
Wade shrugged, but his grin said he didn’t disagree.
From across the room, I watched as a pair of ranch hands approached the table where the women sat, hats in hand, grins wide. Nothing aggressive—just the usual Wildwood Meadows charm. Lila smiled politely, shook her head, and pointed toward Sage, who immediately shooed them away with a laugh. Still, my grip tightened on my bottle. The thought of her dancing with someone else made my temples pound.
“You notice,” Wade said casually, “how happy Sage and Chloe are here together. Lila too. I love that they’ve started to rope her into their circle. Maybe it’s a sign she belongs there.” He tipped his beer towards me.
“Don’t start,” I warned.
“Not starting anything,” he said mildly, taking a drink. “Just making an observation.”
I grunted, eyes flicking back to the table. The women were toasting with their glasses, laughter spilling out loud enough to carry over the music. Lila tilted her head back and laughed, her eyes shining, and for one stupid second, I forgot to breathe. One minute, I thought she was a crazy person in an inflatable, and the next, she laughed like that, and I was losing more than my mind.
Wade must have noticed, because his mouth twitched. “You know, if you want to go say hello?—”
