We fall into it easier than I expected — voices overlapping, catching up in fragments. Shae's halfway through her vet tech program and has opinions about everything she's learning. But it's different being here instead of Denver. Here, we can't avoid the elephant in the room: everyone I left. Everything I ran from. The life I walked away from.
Shae squeezes my hand once. She knows.
"You look good," she says, then grins. "Exhausted, but good."
"Gee, thanks."
"What? I'm being honest." She nudges my shoulder. "How's Mae really doing?"
"Not great. She's been downplaying it."
"Sounds about right." Shae rolls her eyes. "Stubborn runs in your family."
Before I can think about it too hard, I hear it—a laugh near the door. Loud, easy, unmistakable.
I look up and shake my head, but I'm smiling.
"Of course," I mutter.
Chace Walker.
He stands just inside the doorway like he owns the place, one hand already reaching for a beer, the other lifted in greeting. His grin is pure trouble—crooked and confident.
His eyes land on me and light up.
"Well I'll be damned," he says, already heading our way. "City girl actually came back."
I barely set my glass down before he's there, wrapping me up in a hug that lifts me clean off the floor.
"Put me down, Chace Walker," I say, swatting his shoulder as he spins me once.
"Nope. This is happening."
When he finally sets me down, he ruffles my hair like I'm twelve.
I swat him away. "Don't."
"You love it."
He steps back, looking me over with exaggerated appreciation. "Well damn. Look at you, all sexy and sophisticated. I could eat you up!"
"You say that to every woman who walks through that door."
"Most of them," he admits, grinning. "But you're the only one I've known since braces and bad bangs."
I laugh despite myself. "Shut up."
It's easy with Chace. Always has been. All charm, no spark—exactly how I like it with him.
Shae elbows him. "Leave her alone for five seconds."
"Can't. Missed her too much." He takes a pull from his beer, then gestures around the bar. "Besides, someone's gotta show you around. Place has changed. New jukebox and everything."
"Wow. Revolutionary."
"Hey, don't mock small-town progress." He grins. "We also got a strip club last year."
Shae throws a napkin at him. "We did not!"
