Adley’s eyes landed on us.Then dropped to our hands.Then back up.“I like it,” she said simply.
Heat crept up my neck.
Before I could respond, Mason walked out from the back, wiping his hands on a rag.“We need more Southern Comfort,” he said.
Adley wrinkled her nose.“How are we out already?”
“Because this is Wisconsin,” Thorn called over his shoulder.“It’s like water.”
A few people nearby laughed.
I slid onto a barstool, Jude staying close, too close to be anything but intentional.His hand rested lightly on my back, fingers brushing against me just enough to keep me aware of him.
“What can I get you?”Thorn asked.
“Vodka lemonade,” I said.
“Water,” Jude added.
Thorn lifted a brow at that but didn’t comment, already moving to grab glasses.
Adley leaned in slightly, her eyes dancing with curiosity.
“So,” she said.“Fun night?”
My stomach tightened.I opened my mouth to answer, but a girl sauntered over and trailed her fingers down Jude’s chest.“Hey there, handsome.Maybe we can pick up where we left off.”
The world tilted.
Jude stepped away from her instantly, but it focused all of the doubts that I had in my head.Every single one of them.
“I need to go home,” I said, sliding off the stool so fast it scraped loudly against the floor.
“What?”Jude said, clearly caught off guard.
I turned away from him, my chest tightening, my thoughts spinning out of control.
I was a complete fool thinking that out in the real world, Jude and I would ever make sense.
“Ever,” he called.
His hand caught my arm before I could take more than two steps.
And suddenly I was back against him, wrapped up in him.
Like I couldn’t get away even if I wanted to.
And right then, I didn’t know if I wanted to or not.
“This is too much, Jude,” I said, my voice breaking as I tried to breathe through the rush hitting me all at once.
“You need to breathe, Ever,” he said quietly, his voice grounding in a way that made it worse because I wanted to listen to him, and I wanted to stay.
And I didn’t know why.
“There can’t be a you and me,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.
“Why not?”he asked.
