I was about to apologize until a woman with sandy-blond hair and wearing glasses came up to us.
“Jace,” she said, “I hope you’ve been nursing that shoulder. And I see no sling.”
He clenched his jaw as if she was scolding him.
“Dana, surprised to see you at the Rusty Spur.” He kissed her on the cheek.
“Is this how you’re relaxing?” she asked, flashing her attention to me. “By the way, I caught the last few seconds of your song. Awesome voice.”
“Thank you.” I regarded Jace. “I need to return to my friends. Have a good night.”
I scurried off as jealousy hit me squarely between the eyes. I hadn’t felt like this since high school.
I slid into the booth, huffing and puffing. It took me a second to realize Lila wasn’t sitting beside Evelyn.
Evelyn set her phone on the table. “You were fantastic up on stage. I’m so proud of you. And Lila tells me that’s Jace.” She peeked around the booth. “Who’s the lady?”
I shrugged. “Dana. My luck, they’re together.”
I searched the bar for Lila and spotted her talking to Dax. The way she was flirting with him, I wouldn’t be surprised if she hooked up with him.
I stole a look at Jace and Dana. The two appeared to be arguing like a couple who’d been together for a while.
Lila returned, bubbly and excited. “Dax wants us to join them. He’s celebrating a friend’s birthday.” She sat beside me.
“I’m ready to leave,” I announced, not in the mood for any more surprises or partying.
Lila nudged me. “Didn’t you say you’re starting a new chapter? And after your stunning performance, we need to celebrate another milestone.”
“I’m in,” Evelyn said happily, prodding me with her eyes.
Sighing, I shrugged. I didn’t have much of a choice since Lila was my ride.
“What’s with the pouting?” Lila sounded like my mom.
“It’s the woman,” Evelyn answered.
Lila flipped her auburn hair over her shoulder. “Jace isn’t with her. According to Dax, she and Jace are good friends. She’s the military doctor who treated his shoulder injury. She runs the medical clinic on base.”
I still wanted to get out of there. The adrenaline was slowly dissipating, and I was ready to curl up on my couch by the fireplace. It was the first night I had to myself in a while, with Ethan staying with his dad this weekend.
“Look, Pine Valley won the football game tonight,” Evelyn said. “You’ve made a major life decision, you got up on stage,and the man you want is here, and I would bet he’s waiting for you to make the first move. After all, you left him hanging.”
“I do owe him an apology,” I said, more to convince myself as I inwardly berated myself for being jealous.
“Good. Then it’s settled.” Lila stood. “Maybe when you apologize, you can show him how sorry you are at your house.”
Suddenly, my moodiness was taking a turn as excitement sped through my veins at Lila’s idea.
I followed behind my friends, every step feeling as though I was walking into an alternate universe.
Dax’s table was rowdy as I stood next to Lila.
Immediately, Jace sidled up to me. “You were about to say something earlier before Dana interrupted us?”
Before I could answer him, Dax was introducing everyone. I wasn’t exactly listening because Jace’s heat and how close he was to me were frying my brain cells. Though one name stood out. Dax’s friend Crewe Hawthorne. It was hard to forget a name like Crewe, which was all kinds of cool. Not to mention, the dude was tall and broad with dark hair and dark eyes. I was certain he could stop a train full of women with the flick of his fierce gaze.
Jace bowed his head, his lips near my ear. “Are you okay? You seem like you want to scream.”
