Page 25 of Between the Stars

Speaking of the devil, Josie approaches us and my heart hammers in my chest, my pulse drowning out the hum in the bar. I know it’s only his sister, but I can feel it in my bones. He’s here, somewhere, but not in my line of sight.

Josie shrugs as she hands me and Lillian shots. “Drink up, bitches.”

Glasses clink together, the bar filling with laughter in the distance as Lillian slaps Josie’s shoulder. “I told you that as a secret.”

“How so?” Josie cocks an eyebrow at her, lifting her own shot to her lips. “Everyone knows.”

“Figures.” Lillian shakes her head in defeat. “Freaking small towns.”

“So?” I ask wanting the details. “How’d that go down?”

Lillian stares at the shot of whiskey. “Tequila.”

“Yikes.” Everyone in town knows about Morgan Grady and his bad decisions when it comes to Tequila. I was there the night he ripped his balls open on a bull. It wasn’t pretty. I was also in the truck with them the night he, and an underage Jace, were drinking and got pulled over and slapped with a DUI. Days after turning eighteen, Jace had a DUI on his record and a mountain of guilt to go along with it. Maybe that’s the reason he let me leave. Because he knew there was no way my dad was going to let me stay around him.

Josie, Lillian, and I sit down at a table in the corner and take about three more shots. You probably don’t care about any of that though, do you?

You want to know where Jace is, don’t you?

Oh, me too.Me too.I’m literally vibrating with anticipation. And everyone around me is starting to notice my behavior. With my legs crossed, I lean to the side and eye the space where the pool tables are. I notice Morgan, Rhett, Granger… even guys I don’t know, but not the one I’m dying to see.

Lillian laughs, leaning in. “Have you talked to him yet?”

“Huh?” I ask, my cheeks flaming red. I’m so hot I feel like I could strip off all my clothes and run outside naked, and that still wouldn’t be enough to cool me down. “No.” My answer is flat and unemotive. At least I think it’s that way. Okay, I pray it is. What the fuck am I doing?

“Abbs!” Morgan walks toward us, a beer in hand, his black cowboy hat shielding his eyes.

“Morgan,” I yell, because I’ve had one too many shots tonight. I stand up when he’s at the table and wrap my arms around his burly shoulders. Morgan has always been like another big brother to me, but I haven’t seen him in two years. Normally I’d ask how Carly is, but after Lil’s conversation, I’m not touching that subject.

“You’re really getting married?” he asks, pulling back and then kissing my cheek.

Strangely enough, up until now, I haven’t given the wedding much thought today. “I guess so,” I mumble, my eyes roaming the bar. I don’t see him anywhere, if that’s what you’re wondering. Maybe Josie did drive his Jeep. I don’t have the guts to ask though.

We end up taking a seat at the table once more only to have Rhett and Granger come over as well. Shots follow. We tease Morgan about tequila and his pending divorce—which he confirms—and Rhett about his internet girlfriend he didn’t tell me about.

But none of that is enough to take my mind off Jace and if he’s here. I find myself searching the bar every few seconds, waiting for him to show up and ask me why I’m sitting in the corner. Okay, I know this isn’tDirty Dancingand he’s not Patrick Swayze, but still, that’s what it feels like. My heart is doing summersaults in my chest with anticipation.

“You need to breathe,” Lillian says, eyeing me as she hands me another shot. “Have you had too many?”

“No, no.” I wave her off. “I’m fine. I’m just… I don’t know.”

“Nervous?” she whispers, her eyes searching mine.

“Yeah, I suppose.” I eye her, and then the one next to her who isn’t touching her, but he might as well be. Morgan’s body is so close to hers you couldn’t slide a piece of paper between them.

“Let’s dance!” Josie yells, dragging Granger toward the dance floor.

“Poor bastard,” Rhett grumbles. “He’s not even prepared for her level of crazy.”

We laugh, but then comes “Nobody is” from behind us, and the voice sends a jolt of electricity through my entire body.

You know exactly who said that, don’t you?

I suck in a breath, completely unprepared for the reaction my body has. It’s as if I’ve been shocked back to life with two words that aren’t even directed at me. Or maybe they are because I know him, and if I’m in the same room as him, his intentions are never pure.

Our eyes connect in the shadows and the neon beer signs. He smirks, a shot glass in his hand brought to his lips. He winks, and the gesture goes unnoticed to everyone around us but me.

“Dance with me,” Lillian says, taking Morgan’s hand and stealing his cowboy hat. She puts it on and smooths out her shirt.

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