“No, Maggie! Gods, you know I wouldn’t. You know…”
My words stopped coming out because I didn’t even know what I was trying to say. She knew what, exactly? How I felt afraid to let Laken back into my life? She knew I’d locked myheart into a cage for the last three years, bearing its beating and plea for escape? She knew I’d never let myself love again? That I was having to show myself against him as the owner of the sanctuary because the town adored him all the while he’d become an assassin?
“Laken? What about you and Laken?” Goldie popped up from under the bar.
I parted my mouth to speak but got interrupted.
“Oh, I bet you know everything. Tell us every detail you’ve heard lately about or even from Laken. Who is he hanging around? Who does he talk about? Does he drink often? What kind of a drunk is he?” It became too obvious Maggie remained a lightweight drinker. It wasn’t her fault; she’d always been one.
Goldie smirked. “You’re my type of girl, talking my language now.” She carefully glanced around to check who sat in hearing distance. “Laken’s been back for a few months now, but I’ve yet to hear him talk about anyone, much less see him with another partner. I think most of the time he comes in here, he’s moping about—” She cocked her head twice at me. “If you ask me, he’s hung up on—”
“I don’t care what Laken is hung up on. Or what he does. Or who he is with!” My voice rose the more I lied. But I didn’t need Goldie telling the entire town I came to her tavern asking about Laken and his hobbies. A part of me did want to know, but a bigger part panicked—obviously.
Goldie sealed her lips and stopped cleaning the glass sheheld. She hummed. “Yeah. Sure. I get defensive when I don’t care, too.”
I felt my friend’s attention burning my skin, and despite all the noise around us, it felt quiet.
“Hear me out,” Maggie started, and I knew we were in for it. “Sleep with him to get it out of your system.” This was worse than I’d expected. “Try it out! Love it. Hate it. Never think about it again. There’s no way it could go wrong.” There were so many ways it could go wrong. “And if it turns out you do feel something for that cute little pining farmer, you know what they say, second time’s a charm.” She raised her glass.
I gawked at her. Itreallyseemed like a terrible idea, but… what if it made sense? What if it worked? I mean, no logic was the best logic. Wasn’t that how it went?
Get with Laken. Get with Laken? The thought of it opened closed—not healed—wounds, bringing flashes of memories to my mind. His skin on mine, his lips trailing over my body, discovering its curves and edges. I wished those memories would’ve burned with the town center.
“I’m with her.” Goldie tilted her head toward Maggie. “Ain’t no man worth the trouble. Besides”—she scanned the tavern from one wall to another—“not many to choose from here.”
Maggie and I joined her, observing the other single men of Honey Brooke. Half of them were twice my age and the other half I wouldn’t want to be within a mile of.
The three of us locked eyes in conclusion and surrendered to our laughter. It was a nice moment of peace while it lasted.
Maggie set her cup downhardand grabbed my arm, squeezing it for dear life. “I know you said you didn’t care about Laken, but would you if he walked in with another brunette?”
My gut wrenched. Whipping over my shoulder, I forgot about the death grip Maggie had on my arm. When I saw Laken with none other than Eliza Hamilton, I forgot about everything. The music. The beer stench. My drink. Goldie… I even forgot my composure. The two sat across from each other at a table in the back. I couldn’t hear her laughter from here, but I could see it in her smile, her eyes, the way her chest rattled. Laken’s charming smile plastered across his face.
Snapping back before I got spotted, I sank lower in my chair. “What the fuck is he doing here with Eliza fucking Hamilton?” I looked to Maggie for answers and perhaps a calming smile.
Neither came.
“You know her?”
“Yes, I know her. I know everyone in this damned place.”
Maggie’s eyes moved behind me, undoubtedly watching the traitorous asshole.
What was he doing with her? At Rabbit’s Foot of all places. Nobody came for a casual meetup. Everyone either came sad, lonely, or horny. Those were the only options! Had I been so bad? Did I push him that far?
Maggie kicked me under the table.
“Hey, Goldie. Can I get some…” whatever Laken’s next words were, I didn’t hear them. All I heard was my heartbeat raging in my ears. Trying to keep conscious, I focused on Maggie, who turned around in her seat to also hide from being seen—as a good friend should. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
“Reece?”
Shit. Could I melt my body and flood away?
“Laken,” I replied, gathered and put back together. “What are you doing here?”
His blue eyes glanced around as if the question were pointless. “Getting drinks, what about you?”
“Getting drinks,” my sharp tone gave away my anger.
