Jillian giggled, and I had to grin because I wasn’t sure I’dever heard her giggle.“So?”
Glancing at the clock, I saw it was still early.I’d plannedon cracking open the new manuscript I’d received, but wasn’t I supposed tostart taking more time to myself?And besides, if I stayed home, all I would dois end up staring at my phone, engaging in wishful thinking.
“Okay,” I said, standing up.“Let’s do it.”
It had been about a year since I’d been in Mona’s,and while the bar had a dive feel to it, it wasn’t a creepy place.Jillian andI took our own cars since she lived in the opposite direction, closer to thecity.
The moment I saw Jax, I remembered who he was.How could Ihave forgotten?Even though he was a few years younger than me, he was the kindof man who gave off the vibe that said he knew how to take care of things.
He was behind the bar when I led the way to a table.SinceJillian was underage, she couldn’t sit at the bar.Jax had the greatest smileand laugh, which he handed out freely.Right now, he was laughing at somethingsomeone was saying at the bar.Tipping his head back and letting loose a deep,infectious laugh.
“You just want a Coke?Anything to eat?”I asked.
Jillian was scanning the heads bowed over one of the pooltables.“Nah.Coke is fine.”
There weren’t a lot of people at the bar when I walked overto it, so the girl behind it quickly came to where I stood.I knew who she was.This was Roxy—Reece’s girlfriend.As she drew nearer, I saw that she had astreak of color in her brown hair that matched her purple glasses.Envy filledme.I always wanted to have a wild color in my hair, but I didn’t have the faceor the personality to pull that off.
Her shirt readI’m like a self-cleaning oven, andunder it was a happy little oven, and then below that were the wordsI’mself-sufficient, bitches.
I wanted that shirt.
“What can I get…?”Roxy’s hazel eyes widened behind theglasses.“Hey, how are you?”
Shocked that she recognized me, I floundered for a moment.“Good.I’m good.You?”
“Great.I haven’t seen you in a while.Wow.It’s beenforever.”She leaned against the bar, grinning.“I wasn’t even sure you stilllived around here.”The door opened and a group rolled in, heading toward thebar.“What can I get you?”
“Just two Cokes.”I paused.“And a menu.”
Roxy nodded.“Coming right up.”
I glanced over at the table.Jillian was staring down at herphone, her fingers flying a mile a minute.
“I’m giving them another minute, and if he’s not out, I’mgoing in,” I heard Jax say as he reached around Roxy, grabbing a bottle ofliquor.
“For rescue?”she replied, her brows raising as she scoopedice into two glasses.
“Hmm,” he grunted, screwing off the lid.
“I have no ideawhat’s going on there.I thought they weren’t together,” she said, placing thetwo glasses in front of me.She grabbed a menu as she looked over her shoulderat Jax.“He needs to hurry up anyways.Reece has already texted asking wherehis brother is.”
My heart stopped.They were talking about Colton.Holy crap.Okay, there was a tiny part of me that hoped he’d be here but also wasterrified of the fact if he was, because then that meant he wasn’t at work.Andhe hadn’t gotten in contact with me.
And I hadn’t gotten in contact with him either.
And it didn’t sound like he was alone.
“Here you go.”Roxy smiled as she placed the menu down.
I numbly handed over the cash, and had just picked up theglasses, along with the menu, when I saw him.
He appeared on the other side of the bar, and even fromwhere I stood, I could see that his jaw was a hard line.My heart startedracing.I tightened my hands on the glasses.Roxy said something, but I reallydidn’t hear her.
Then I sawher.
The tall blonde I’d seen him with before.She was asgorgeous as I remembered.Hair shiny and straight, well past her shoulders, andshe was thin.Like I would probably hurt her if I sat on her level of thin.Blood drained from my face as I realized who this woman was.In my heart ofhearts I knew it was her, his ex-fiancée.
Oh my God.
