“Nice to finally meet ye,” I say, offering my hand and hoping I don’t sound half as nervous as I feel.
April grins, amused and far too observant for my comfort. June’s smile is easy, curious, and within seconds, they’re talking as if we’ve known each other longer than two minutes.
That helps.
We walk toward the entrance together, and I keep the conversation going, asking questions, throwing in jokes, trying to look relaxed while still making a decent impression. The sisters laugh easily, and I feel myself relax.
May walks beside me quieter than the other two, listening more than talking, that calm steadiness of hers pulling my attention every few seconds.
Inside, the casino hits us all at once, lights flashing, music loud, people everywhere. We find the birthday party, and May leads us over.
“Happy birthday,” I tell her. “Sorry for crashing the party.”
Cassie laughs. “Are you kidding? Thanks for being here.”
Easy enough.
People start talking, drinks are ordered, and May and her sisters slide right into introductions and easy conversation. I offer to grab drinks and head toward the bar, weaving through crowds while mentally giving myself credit for surviving the introductions without making a complete fool of myself.
Minutes later, with a tray full of drinks balanced in my hands, I spot the table from across the floor.
And that’s when I see him.
Standing next to May, looking down at her, all soft and pleased with himself, while she looks at him with something that twists in my gut.
Ah, feck.
Chapter 31
Istay at the table with a beer in my hand, watching the rest of them disappear into the lights and noise of the dance floor. The casino hums around me, laughter rising every time someone wins something small, people spilling from one side of the room to the other, but my focus keeps circling back to the same place.
May.
She’s smiling in a way I don’t see often, relaxed and unguarded as Finn twirls her across the dance floor, her hair loose around her shoulders. I see her laugh, the way she does when something genuinely surprises her, and it settles somewhere deep in my chest. Watching her enjoy herself feels good, even with the quiet awareness that I’m not the one beside her.
I take a slow sip of my beer, letting the moment settle instead of fighting it. She looks happy. That should be enough.
“You’re watching her pretty hard.”
June slides into the seat beside me, her smile sharp and knowing. I huff out a quiet laugh without taking my eyes off the dance floor.
“I’m not that obvious.”
She lifts a brow. “You kind of are.”
The music shifts, something louder and faster, and May laughs again as Finn spins her, the two of them moving easily together. I feel June studying me from the side before she leans her elbow on the table.
“You know,” she says, voice lighter now, “you remind me of April’s boyfriend.”
That pulls my attention away from the dance floor. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she says, smiling to herself. “He’s all quiet comfort, worship-the-ground-she-walks-on type too.”
I shake my head, amused, but she keeps going.
“May needs a little push,” she says after a moment, her tone softer. “She doesn’t always know what someone’s feeling unless they’re brave enough to actually show her.”
I glance back toward May as she listens to Finn, her expression open, warm, and something in my chest tightens.
