“It’s Dane,” I coughed out, trying not to let the regret, or the relief—I couldn’t tell—sound too obvious. “I should take this.”?
“Yeah, you should. I’ll see you downstairs.” His voice was low and husky, a tempo I hadn’t heard in years, and it made my heart jackhammer.
He backed away from me slowly, spun on his heel, and let out a sharp, bitter laugh before I heard him storm down the back staircase, cowboy boots clanking angrily with every step.
“Hey, baby,” Dane said, the sound of the city bustling behind him. “I got your picture. You look beautiful. What’s the occasion?”?
“Lee’s playing at the bar tonight with Ryan. We have about 200 people coming, I’m guessing, so I thought I would get a little dolled up.” I was talking a mile a minute, but after that moment with Lee and not hearing his voice for over a week, I was on edge. “What’s going on, Dane? Why haven’t you called?”?
“You didn’t tell me that,” he groaned. I heard him get into a car and shut the door aggressively.?
“Of course I haven’t. I haven’t even talked to you. Is everything okay? Iheard you were sick, too.”?
“Everything’s fine. I’ve just been busy. Did you sign the agreement yet? My father said he hadn’t seen it.”?
“Not yet. I gave my edits back to your brother the other day. So, what is—”?
“Have y’all been spending every waking minute together or what? Jesus Christ, he cannot help himself.” His voice bristled with agitation.
“He’s buying part of the bar, Dane. Or the Wilder Trust is. Whatever. Of course he’s been around.”?
“Wait, who told you that?”?
I remembered my conversation with Eunice and shut my trap. “It was in the paperwork. I can read, you know.” I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my nerves. I had this sneaking, overwhelming feeling I was being played for a fool. “Or was I not supposed to know? Because the way you’re interrogating me makes me feel like you’re trying to leave me in the dark.”
Dane let out a sarcastic laugh. “I just didn’t expect you to read over the whole boring thing. Alright then, I’ll see you next week.”?
He hung up, and I sat down on the edge of my bed, wondering why he didn’t bother to ask me how I was or, more importantly, tell me why he hadn’t called once since he’d been gone.?
The door to my apartment opened again, and I heard a small scuffle involving Pickle, and then a shriek.?
“I’m in my room, Sutton,” I called out.?
She walked into my room holding out a container of food. “Peace offering—leftovers from the bridal shower prep. Please eat something.” She eyed me up and down. “Wow, you look great. Damn, I look like a potato.”?
I laughed as she immediately began rifling through my clothes for something to change into, ripping my closet apart.?
“Dane just called,” I said, digging into my food.?
She whipped around, holding a floral blouse, letting the long bell sleeves slap her in the face. “Shit! Ouch. Oh my God, what did he say?”?
I shrugged. “I sent him a pic of my outfit because I’m feeling myself something fierce tonight, and he had a hissy fit about Lee playing at the bar and then didn’t answer me when I asked why he hadn’t called.”?
“Can we break up with him? Seriously?”?
I shoved a huge bite of lobster mac and cheese into my face, chewing aggressively. With a mouth full of food, I spat out, “I’m not freaking breaking up with him! Besides, you’re the one who’s always going ‘Oh, he’s so great for you, Magnolia.’ ‘He’s so kind, Magnolia.’ ‘Just let him hump your leg a little bit, Magnolia.’”
Sutton’s face fell. “Whoa, Jesus. Okay, fine. But if the guy can’t answer a simple question, what’s the point?”?
“I’m going to see this through. And when he comes back, I’m going to move in with him.”?
Her face went white as a sheet, and she crossed the room slowly, sitting down next to me on the bed. She pulled the container I was devouring out of my hands and put it on my nightstand, taking my hands in hers.?
I kept my eyes on the floor and drew in a long, calming breath. What almost happened between Lee and me earlier would stay between the two of us, and I needed to keep him as just a friend in order for my business to survive. In order for my heart to survive.?
If keeping Lee at arm’s length and getting serious about Dane was what it took to keep my heart—and the bar—intact, that was what I was going to do. It was what I needed to do.?
After all, if Eunice Wilder could thrive in the arms of a Wilder man, couldn’t I?
