Page 6 of Safe With Me
His voice was hard, flinty, and Tate’s head snapped up, eyes narrowed as he watched his best friend and his best friend’s fiance. I almost felt sorry for him. It was hard to love someone you couldn’t ever have.
Elizabeth’s lips curved, more of a smirk than a smile. “It pays the bills.”
“It paysyourbills.” Jase’s voice hardened further. “John Deere takes care of mine just fine.”
“Pfft.” Elizabeth fiddled with a light setting. “It’s funding the wedding, and it’ll allow us to renovate your grandparents’ house and trade up my car for an SUV–”
“You mean all the stuff you want. What I want doesn’t matter.”
“Jase, buddy.” Tate scuffed a hand over his nape. Sara darted a glance at Trace, the atmosphere heavy with discomfort. My stomach cramped, my heart pounding in my chest. Elizabeth wasdangerouswhen challenged over this . . . this power she’d hadn’t really earned. “She didn’t–”
“Like I told Hannah earlier today–” Elizabeth pinned Jase with a sharp expression. “--you signed a release.”
Jase froze, tension vibrating through his body, setting his face in stone. His blue eyes met mine, something almost like an apology darkening them. Tate’s gaze swiveled between us, his stare prickling along my skin.
Shoving his chair back, Jase stood. “Let’s go.”
Not looking at him, Elizabeth waved toward the phone, the red button glowing and time ticking off on the recording. “I’m not–”
“Now, or you find another way home.”
With a huff, Elizabeth clicked off the recording and took her time putting the equipment away. Silence stretched over the table, thick and suffocating, separating us from the laughter and conversation around us. Finally, the two of them walked away, up the steps and out of sight. For once, Jase didn’t take her bag and carry it for her.
Trace cleared his throat, a tight, uncomfortable sound – boy, did I get that sound – and nudged Sara out of her chair. “Let’s hit the bar and see about getting our drinks.”
“Yes, sure.” Sara jumped to her feet, worried gaze trailing over my face. “What do you want?”
“Water’s fine.” My own throat was tight, although that didn’t make sense. Elizabeth had shown out with Jase, not me, and wasn’t I used to her by now?
A muscle flicked in Tate’s cheek. “A beer.”
“Be right back.” With a nod, Trace ushered Sara toward the doors.
Once they’d disappeared, Tate glanced toward the dark corners of the yard and bit down on the tip of his tongue, shaking his head. After a moment, he turned a cold glare on me. “What is it with you and your sister?”
“Excuse me?” I jerked against the back of my chair. My throat tightened. He’d never looked at me like that.
He flicked a hand between us, a tight, tense movement. Despite myself, I followed the movement of tendons in his forearm. I couldn’t have him, but he still fascinated me. “I saw her last video she put up today. You won’t even talk to her?”
The vitriol in his angry voice stole my breath. I stared at him, pressing my shoulders against my chair.
“Tonight either. She got here, and you blew her off.” His brows drew down into a harsh frown. “Family’s important, and you ignored her.”
Actually, I stopped talking at all when she had that darn camera going, but apparently, even silent I was giving her ammunition. I opened my mouth now, trying to find the words to explain how everything had gone wrong. He wanted Elizabeth, but I knew all too well how you couldn’t help who you craved. And hewasmy friend, like my second best one, so–
“Like really, Hannah.” He threw himself back in his own chair, shoulders and biceps flexing with irritation. “Why are you such a bitch with her? That’s not like you.”
An invisible weight pressed on my chest, suffocating me, pinning me to the chair, when all I wanted to do was throw downmy napkin and leave. But I hadn’t let her run me out of the store, not yet, and I wouldn’t give Tate the satisfaction of being run out on dinner with my best friend.
Not that it was much of a dinner. Sara and Tate returned with our drinks, and eventually Leilani made it over to take our order. I didn’t eat much, and Tate didn’t either. He cried off early, leaving before he’d even finished his burger, and a phone call from Sara’s mom precipitated Sara and Tate leaving to go get Kaydee, who’d thrown up her own supper and was crying inconsolably for her mama and daddy
I got it, Kaydee, I really did. I sorta wanted to throw up and cry, too.
“Listen, I know something’s going on.” She curved warm hands around my shoulders when she hugged me and kissed my cheek. “Let me get Kaydee settled and I’ll call you–”
“It’s fine.” I waved away her concern. If I acted like everything was okay, maybe at some point, I’d believe it, too. I pinned on a carefree smile. “We can talk this weekend.”
She cupped my chin, staring hard into my eyes. “Promise?”
