“What?” I panic. “Seriously?”
He smooths his thumb over my hip. “Blakely . . . I’ve got you,” Halsey says as if this is no big deal. He lifts his beer to his lips and takes a larger gulp than what he’s been nursing. When I asked him if he was going to drink tonight, he said since it wasn’t a game night, he thought that he would . . . despite possibly having a game tomorrow. He’s not sure if he’ll play, but we’ll see. I don’t blame him for the liquid encouragement. I need it too.
“Hey, Blakely,” that familiar voice says from behind.
Here we go.
I plaster on a smile and turn toward Perry.
In the month or so I haven’t seen him, his hair is longer, his beard is shaved, and he’s tanner. Probably that Australian sun he’s been soaking up. Whereas Halsey has sharper, more precise features with his carved jaw and sinful eyes, Perry is the boy next door with a rounder nose and youthful cheeks. Comparing the two side by side, I can see Perry’s appeal—he’s a good-lookingman—but Halsey has the face and body of a man you’d find on a magazine cover.
“Hey, Perry,” I say. Just as he goes to lean in for a hug, Halsey steps in and holds his hand out for a shake.
“Halsey, nice to meet you.” Perry abruptly steps back and looks Halsey up and down. Perry’s six foot wilts under Halsey’s six foot four.
He stumbles for a second, but Perry takes Halsey’s hand and shakes it.
“You must be Perry,” Halsey says as I watch his grip grow tighter on Perry’s hand.
Perry’s jaw firms up as he nods. “And you’re . . . you’re . . .”
“Her boyfriend,” Halsey says, the title sending a chill up my spine.
Perry’s brows rise as he looks at me, and I know what he must be thinking.
Wow, that was fast.
That or . . .was she cheating on me, and that’s why she didn’t move with me?
I’m about to set the record straight when Halsey says, “New boyfriend. Still fresh.”
“Oh, I see.” Perry releases Halsey’s hand. “Well, I guess congrats. You’ve got a good one.” Perry gestures toward me as Halsey moves to my side and wraps his arm around my waist again. And then he does something unexpected, he leans into me and presses a kiss to the top of my head as he squeezes me tight.
“A really good one.”
Perry clears his throat, obviously caught off guard by this new development. Well, I was caught off guard too. Looks like we’re both feeling the same way. “Hey, boss, think I can talk to Blakely for a second by myself?”
Halsey shakes his head. “Nah, we’re good.”
The shock on Perry’s face almost makes me burst out in laughter. There’s no way he expected that response.
“We’re actually going to dance, so if you’ll excuse us . . .” Halsey helps me off the stool and connects our palms, hand in hand, but Perry steps in front of us.
“Only for a minute.”
“I’m sorry, but what did you not understand when I said we’re good?” Halsey asks, his voice turning menacing.
Perry’s eyes narrow. “I’m not trying to start a scene. I just want to fucking talk to her.”
Keeping his expression neutral, Halsey replies, “And I said we’re good. Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me.”
“Blakely, surely you won’t let this asshole stop you from talking for yourself? When have you ever accepted that?”
He’s got a point, but I can’t help but love the freedom of not having to deal with this, of leaning on someone else to protect me, to keep me safe from whatever Perry has to say. Because I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to know what’s on his mind because, whatever it is, it can’t be good for me mentally.And Halsey seems to get this without me saying a thing.Strange as it seems, I feel like I’ve already mourned losing Perry. Seeing him feels uncomfortable, but I’m certainly not pining for him.Which I’m glad to know about myself. I’m okay without him, after all.Something he didn’t think I would be. Interesting.Yay for me.
Halsey steps in close to Perry and says in a dark voice, “Calling me an asshole is not going to guarantee you leave this wedding unharmed. She asked me to speak for her tonight because she’s mine, so like I said, whatever you have to say, you can say to us both.”
Mine.
