“She’s not?”Mason asked.
Adley slapped his shoulder.“She has a boyfriend, Mason.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said.“Right.”
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend,” I said.
That got everyone’s attention again.
Penny tipped her head.“You don’t know about Jesse?”
“I know about him,” I said.“But she said he isn’t her boyfriend.”
Penny and Adley exchanged a look.
“Ever told you that?”Thorn asked.
I nodded.“Heard it straight from her.”
“Interesting,” Penny said slowly.
“I’m sure it won’t be long until it happens,” Adley added.
Penny nodded.“Yeah.Totally.”
Then she turned back to me, expression sharpening again.
“So you need to back off and let Ever be happy.”
I held up my hands.“I’m not doing anything.”
She rolled her eyes.“Just you existing in Ever’s orbit is doing something.”
Mason shrugged.“Is that really his fault?”
Penny shot him a look.
“And you can’t blame Jude for being slow,” Mason added.
“I’m not slow,” I shot back.
“You’re freaking blind,” Adley muttered.
That earned a snort from Thorn.
Penny leaned forward again, finger pointed like she was laying down the law.
“If you make Ever cry one tear, I will destroy you.”
I laughed.“I don’t plan on making Ever cry,” I said.“And I should be offended that you’re choosing her over me.”
Penny leaned back, a grin spreading across her face.“Good.And I’m just choosing Ever because I like her more than you.”
Mason and Thorn both laughed at that.
Thorn moved down the bar, grabbing bottles, checking stock, getting ready for the night crowd.Mason followed, stepping behind the bar to help him set up.Adley grabbed a stack of menus and started straightening things up near the entrance.
Penny gave me one last look—half warning, half amusement—before turning to help Adley.
