Page 28 of Mud, Love, and Chemistry

“I think that maybe when you met Sam, your heart took over and told your brain to take a break. You let yourself believe there was this grand connection because your heart was starved for it.”

As much as I don’t want it to, what Lisa says makes sense. I really did shut down after Connor abandoned me. I wouldn’t let anyone in.

Until Sam came along. He was the first guy in a year to dissolve the barricade around my heart, and I let him. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good, though.

I tilt my head back to look at the ceiling. “It all seemed so perfect.”

“I know, sweetie,” Lisa says, scooting so she’s sitting next to me. “But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it was what you needed to break you out of your funk. I mean, it was fun, right?”

I rub my thighs together as my cheeks heat. “It was incredible.”

Lisa nudges me with her shoulder. “See? Just because Sam turned out to be a manipulative asshole, doesn’t mean something good can’t come from it. You had fun, got laid, and now you can move on and find someone worthy of you.”

My breath comes a little easier as I mull over Lisa’s words, but it gushes from my lips in a heavy sigh when I picture Sam’s face. “Why did he have to be so hot, though?”

“They always are, Brynn.” She pats my knee. “Hey, let’s go out tonight.”

“Seriously?” I ask, giving her a sideways glance.

Lisa grins at me. “Yeah, seriously. It’s ladies’ night at Coyote Canyon, and school’s back in session so you know what that means?”

“Cheap drinks and dozens of guys willing to pay for them?”

“Bingo. You don’t have classes tomorrow, right?”

I shake my head. “No, and since it’s the first week of school, I also don’t have any tutoring sessions yet. I have the whole day off.”

“Perfect.” Lisa’s grin widens somehow. “Let’s go out, get drunk, and maybe find you a guy to make you forget about Sam.”

“He’ll have to be a doozy.”

“Then consider us on doozy patrol.”

I laugh, feeling lighter with each chuckle. “You’re a dork.”

Chapter 9

The thump of the bass in the hip-hop song fades into the twang of a steel guitar as people pair up to two-step. Coyote Canyon is by all means a country bar, but the DJ certainly knows how to mix it up.

Lisa and I scoot off the dance floor to stand under the air conditioner vent. After sweating my ass off dancing, I’ll gladly accept the blasting chill. But only for a minute. I nudge Lisa to let her know I’ve had my fill, and we head to the bar, dismissing invites from cowboys to two-step along the way. Settling onto our stools, we order two vodka-cranberries. These will make our fifth ones of the night, but the first we’ve paid for ourselves.

“Here’s to ladies’ night!” Lisa shouts as she clinks her glass against mine.

I have to laugh. Not because of Lisa’s enthusiasm, but also because I’m quite drunk. I’m feeling loose, like all the emotional weight from this afternoon has evaporated, and I can finally breathe.

I spent a lot of time thinking over what Lisa said about me and Sam. The idea that we had an insta-love connection was certainly romantic and exciting, but it was ridiculous of me to believe it. I see now that it was an insta-lust connection, and I’ve come to terms with that. I can forgive myself for sleeping with an extremely hot guy. It was fun, after all.

I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time pining for him, though.

Picking up my glass, I swivel on my stool to give Lisa and the guy she’s now chatting with some privacy. Maybe she’ll get another couple of drinks out of him. Not that I need any more.

The room is already wobbling a bit as I move, but it slams to the ground when I see Sam walk through the front door. He hands the bouncer his ID, his curls flopping around his handsome face as he scans the room. He’s got on an untucked, button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up his forearms, and jeans. Even from across the bar, I can see his eyes sparkling behind his glasses.

I spin back around in my seat and latch my hand onto Lisa’s arm.

She whips around, the wind from her movement brushing over me. “Brynn, what’s up?”

“He’s here. Sam’s here,” I say between breaths.

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