Page 56 of Wrecked

“Incredibly hot,” Suzanne says as she takes my hand off her mouth. “You say it all the time. He’s hot, but he’s drab. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but you two used to be friends, and then, one day, you decided that no one was allowed to like him, talk to him, or even mention his name. Every time he walks in this bar, you freeze up. When you see him on the street, you start acting all funny. I thought it had something to do with Brad’s death, but it’s deeper, and I can’t believe it took me this long to see it.”

I hold up my finger to her face. “Stop it right there. I don’t like Adam, and that’s final. Besides, I told you, we called a truce. We’re friends now.” I take a beer from the cooler and pop it open. Putting the bottle to my lips, I take a sip and let the ice-cold brew cool down my body.

Suzanne’s brows are raised. “You only drink when he’s around.”

I stop mid gulp. Putting the bottle down, I give her a stern eye, “Sue, I mean it.”

“I won’t say another word. But you’d better get your emotions in check. You and Adam have been spending a lot of time together, and nothing can happen between the two of you. If you start dating your officer and word gets out then everyone will think he made this arrangement because you’re sleeping together. He could lose his job for that and you won’t get your liquor license. Everything you and your family has worked for—every dime you’ve saved, your parents’ house, your grandparent’s bonds—will be lost.”

She’s right. Not that I’ve put any thought into actually pursuing Adam. Maybe we had a moment in his truck, but even if we become the best of friends, nothing will change the one thing that binds us for eternity—Brad. I’m still the girlfriend, and he’ll always be the best friend. There are too many memories and even more regrets to ever allow us to move past that.

“You know what? I think Adam and Jessica make a great pair. We should push it.” My head is bobbing at an excitable rate.

“Glad you feel that way because they’re headed this way now.”

My head stops bobbing.

“Hello, ladies!” Jessica says as she moves through people to get to the bar. Her arm is extended back because it’s holding on to Adam’s as she drags him up to the bar.

Her skin is flushed, but her lipstick is still on her face. I can’t even bring myself to look at him. I turn away and take a few orders, focusing all my attention on making drinks. There is a handsome-looking guy with dark hair who is leaning his elbow on the bar and has a hundred-dollar bill in his hand. There’s a pretty decent-sized crew of guys behind him.

“Six shots of Jameson, a Jack and ginger, two Captain and Cokes, two Stellas, two Chimay drafts, and a Sam Adams,” he shouts his large order.

I start with the beers and then make the drinks. When they’re all on the bar, I give him a total and ask if he needs anything else. His eyes linger on my breasts. I have to clear my throat to get his attention back up to my eyeballs.

“Just your number, sexy,” he says.

Dipping my hand in my back pocket, I grab a Sharpie I stored there from earlier and write down a phone number. As I’m handing the number to the guy, I see Ron’s head bobbing up from the crowd. He sees the exchange and shakes his head with a smirk. Ron knows I like to give his number out. It’s easier than turning someone down and them making a scene. Most of the time, they meet someone else before the night is over and forget about me. On the off chance that they do call, they get Ron, who pretends he’s my boyfriend and goes apeshit on them. It’s a win-win situation.

I walk back toward my friends and Adam, who is looking good in a blue crew-neck T-shirt and jeans. They still don’t have drinks in front of them.

“Fancy seeing you two together,” I say with a wink. “What can I get you crazy kids?”

“Blue Moon for me. Adam, what are you having?”

Jessica looks behind herself to Adam, and so do I.

Instead of answering her, he’s staring at me, penetrating so deep into me that the room goes silent. There’s movement in my periphery, but all I can focus on is him. A chill runs down my spine and my teeth graze my bottom lip because I need something to do with my mouth.

His tall frame is standing strong, but his face looks torn. Not over what drink to have. Torn over something else.

“I’m good. Gonna call it a night,” he says, still looking back at me.

“Already? It’s still early,” Jessica says.

Adam breaks our connection, looks down at her, and says, “Yeah, I have to be up early tomorrow. Leah, I’ll pick you up at nine.”

I salute him. “Yes, sir.”

It’s at this moment he looks beyond my face and down—down my neck and across my chest that is falling out of my bikini top and further down to my exposed stomach that is contracted with nerves. I can feel the heat of his gaze to my navel.

I watch his eyes slide back up my body, and when we’re staring eye-to-eye again, he breathes, “You might want to cover up a bit.”

He nods good-bye to Jessica and Suzanne and leaves the bar as I blink at his departure.

“Oh my God,” Jessica squeals, “you have to put in a word with him for me tomorrow!”

In slow motion, my head moves to Jessica’s.