Page 99 of My Mistake To Make

I glare at him and shake my head.

‘Cara will be there.’

‘Ding ding, there it is. You don’t want dudes hitting on the girl you like but are too chicken shit to do anything about.’

The half-smile, the raise of one eyebrow lets him know the truth… or some of it.

‘Holy shit, you fucked her,’ he lowers his voice as the nose-piercing guy comes out to pay, one eye watering a little. ‘Wow, brother, you did it. I bet it didn’t last long after the break you’ve had, but good for you, man, so, what now?’

The Elvis guy suppresses a laugh, and I smirk as he winces when the tattoo machine starts up again.

‘It wasn’t a one-time thing,’ I admit, and Leo flicks his gaze to me. ‘It’s um,’ I swallow and release a deep exhale, ‘it’s athe one, kind of thing.’

The buzz of the machine cuts out, and Leo looks up at me, his eyes wide and his mouth open a little.

‘Are you serious?’ I nod, yes, and he puts down the machine, standing and opening his arms to me. I stand to meet him in a hug and can’t fight the joy I feel. My mom knows I’m seeing Cara, but my best friend knows I never want to stop.

‘Fuck me.’ I groanas we walk into the club. It’s packed out. The music is loud and not in the way I like.

‘Beer first.’ Leo says, throwing his thumb back toward the bar. ‘You stay here and look for your girl.’

Man, I love hearing someone else call her that.

I scan the club, but not knowing what any of them are wearing tonight, it’s hard to know what I’m looking for. I can’t see them, and my heart is beating a little faster than I would like. What if Bree played me, and they’re not even here?

‘Is that Zoe?’ Leo says beside me, handing me a bottle and pointing the neck of his up to the back wall.

I turn to look and, yes, that is my sister dancing on the table. Fuck me.

‘Holy shit, is thather?’ He nudges my shoulder, and I look where he’s looking.

‘No, that must be Missy. I haven’t met her.’

Where is she? I can’t see Bree either, so maybe they went to the bar or the bathroom. I start to head in their direction when Leo grabs my arm.

‘Well fuck me, brother.’ I turn to him and then follow his line of sight to see Bree, and, oh, my god. ‘That’syour woman?Thatis the Reynolds girl?’

Yes. Yes, it fucking is.

She steals the breath from my lungs. She’s wearing the red dress, and it hugs every goddamn curve on her body. Her long legs are on display, and she has on heels. I’ve never seen her in heels. Her hair is styled into loose curls, and she has on makeup—dark eyes and red lips, and if I don’t get my hands on her soon, I’m going to burst.

I start to head in their direction when he stops me again, and I turn to glare at him, making him laugh.

‘Okay, calm down. I just wanted to check if they know we’re comin’. Girls are protective of their girl time.’

‘I don’t give a fuck,’ I snap, then walk away.

Knowing I’m a liability, Leo steps in front of me to charm them into submission before I open my big mouth.

‘Evening, ladies. Can I get y’all a drink?’

‘Leo?’ I hear the surprise in Zoe’s voice, but my eyes are drinking in my girl, and when I meet hers, the joy in them fills me up. ‘Doug, what the fuck…’

‘You look beautiful,’ I say to Cara, silencing the group as she smiles, and I step forward into her space. I reach out and use my hand on her back to pull her close, pressing our bodies together, not caring about the questions my sisters and Missy must have. Cara gazes up at me.

‘They can see us, you know that, right?’

I smile and nod, then press my mouth to hers.

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