“Girls’ night?” He quirks a brow.
“Um, yeah.” I clear my voice. “It’s been a while since it was just me and the girls, so we’re going out. Nothing too crazy. I have somewhere to be in the morning. Kash just wants a shot at one of the twins, really.”
“I can tell.” His dark eyes flick behind me.
“So, yeah, if you’re okay with it, we’re going to head out. It’s almost closing, and I have everything together.”
“No.”
My back goes ramrod straight. “No, what?”
“I’m not ready for you to leave yet. Give us ten to close up the shop and we’ll go with you.” Arching a brow, he stares at me silently, daring me to object. I can’t believe Atlas actually wants to go with us.
When I don’t say anything, Kash hollers, “Whoop! Hear that, Rhett? You and Seth better have brought your dancing shoes because we’re heading out!”
Mila and Mara groan, while I laugh. There really is no stopping him.
Rhett, Kash, and Atlas look satisfied, while Seth is still standing quietly to the side. “I may sit this one out, guys. You go ahead.”
“Bullshit,” Rhett argues. “You’re going, or I’ll tell Emma you abandoned us.”
“That’s bullshit,” Seth spits. “She wouldn’t blame me, though.”
“Who’s Emma?” I ask.
“Long story,” Kash says. “Let’s get this old girl closed up, boys. It’s Friday night and we’ve got places to be, and ladies to take out.” He wiggles his eyebrows, gaining eyerolls from all of us.
Atlas is smiling, so it looks like we’re all going out. Even with the black eye that’s healing, he seems genuinely happy.
Nothing could go wrong, right?
Chapter Sixteen
Atlas
Cora rides with the girls, while the boys and I pile into Kash’s SUV. He has the most space since he’s the biggest of all of us, and it’s fun to mess with things in his car. Rhett is currently adjusting his seat and the side mirrors.
“Leave them alone, or I swear you’re walking.” Kash glares at him.
Seth and I opted for the backseat.
The girls decided to go to theGravel Pit. It’s a local bar with a small dancing area, which no doubt will be packed by the time we get there. I tell myself it’s fine because I’m getting to spend time with Cora outside of the shop.
We’ve been getting along better, and since I apologized, my feelings have only grown. She’s still the happy, friendly girl she’s always been, but there’s something different. When she thinks no one’s watching, I see the smile slip. She looks tired and like she wants to be anywhere but where she is. She likes us enough to bring us in treats occasionally, but she’s always working on something. Whether it’s for the shop or her other job as a librarian, I don’t know when she stops. I want to take care of her.
Pulling up to theGravel Pit, Kash parks in the furthest part of the parking lot. “If anyone dents my baby, I swear I’ll kill someone,” he grumbles. I think he’s mostly kidding. Kash loves his car, though, so maybe not.
As we enter the bar, I scan the area for Cora. She said they had to stop and grab something, but we left about twenty minutes after they did. Not seeing them yet, I grab a newly vacated booth in the back. Settling in, I suddenly wish I were anywhere but here.
Clubs and bars in general aren’t really my thing; all the alcohol and bad decisions places like this represent put me on edge. Old habits die hard.
Kash heads for the bar, ordering a round for everyone, knowing only to get me a soda. I promised myself a long time ago that I’d never touch the hard stuff. I’ve seen what it does to people, what it can turn them into, and I want no part of it. There’s enough poison in me without adding alcohol, so I stick with dark sodas instead.
Stealing a glance at my phone, I notice we’ve been here thirty minutes already, and I don’t see Cora or her friends. Did they decide to ditch us and go somewhere else? I’m getting ready to text her when Rhett spits his drink onto me.
“Dude, what the fuck?” I yell at him while trying to wipe the remnants of his beer off me. “What is your issue?” Following his line of vision, the breath I was about to take is ripped from my lungs. Gone. Stolen. Never needed in the first place. There are no words to describe how beautiful she looks.
Cora and the twins are walking toward us, but she looks different. Usually she wears a hoodie, or some type of sweater at the shop because it’s cold as shit out, but not tonight.
