Page 63 of Riding the Line
But before I can muster up a lie to tell Montana, the bar door flies open and Rory runs in, screaming, ‘We’re engaged!’
Wyatt bustles in quickly after, eyes flashing at the sudden attention when everyone in the bar stands from their seats and cheers, raising glasses and bottles. Rory throws her left hand up in the air, letting the sparkling engagement ring glint under the red neon and twinkling fairy lights.
With a squeal, I drop my tray and run over, wrapping my arms around them both and pulling them into a three-way hug. Rory ends up getting sandwiched between me and Wyatt, her giggles bouncing between our chests. Joy radiates from them in waves.
‘Congratulations!’ I shriek, squeezing them both tighter.
Two of my favourite people in the whole world, getting married.
The first Hensley sibling wedding!
‘Thank you,’ Wyatt replies, kissing my cheek, which only makes my eyes well more as I try to fight back the tears.
Rory shimmies out from between us and slaps a massive, sloppy kiss on my other cheek. Then, she’s reaching behind me, puckered lips ready for her nextvictim. I turn to find Duke already there, the bright joy in his eyes for his best friend and Rory makes my heart melt. Damn, I wish I could hug him too.
‘Don’t even think about it, Rory,’ Duke cautions her, holding a finger up. Rory rolls her eyes but throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around his middle tightly as they laugh together in their embrace.
When they finally let go, Duke moves over to hug Wyatt, patting him on the back. ‘About time,’ Duke jokes. ‘Congratulations, though, man. I kept the usual booth free for you.’
Wyatt just shakes his head, unable to rid the huge smile plastered across his face.
‘Come on.’ Rory grabs my hand and practically skips the entire way to the booth, dragging me with her, as if deciding my shift has ended. ‘Fliss will be here soon, and I need to celebrate with my bridesmaids!’
‘And I just want to say—’ Rory interrupts her fourth speech of the night to hiccup, because I’m pretty certain she’s had more glasses of champagne than anyone else here who’s now gathered at the bar to celebrate.
Fliss, Wolfman, Sawyer – with a girl he managed to pick up at the bar within five minutes of being here – as well as my parents, and some other close friends and family made it over as the evening stretched on. The bar is electrified with life and laughter, achingly sweet smiles stuck on everyone’s faces, and more hugs than I can count have been shared in the past couple of hours.
‘Oops – sorry! I just want to say a massive thank you to Duke and this bar.’ Standing in one of the booths, with Wyatt blinking lovestruck eyes up at her, Rory raises her glass towards Duke, who’s leaning against a table beside me, a noticeable gap between us. ‘Because it was here that a great friend of ours made me realise how much I loved Wyatt. He stopped me from listening to the voices in my head, and not only showed me how loyal a friend he is, but how much Wyatt cared for me. And for that, I’ll forever be grateful. So, to Duke!’
‘To Duke,’ everyone cheers in unison – Wolfman obviously decides to howl instead – and we raise our glasses, taking long gulps afterwards, before breaking back into conversations laced with laughter and warmth. Duke lingers beside me with an unexpected silence.
Rory goes to pour herself another glass of champagne once she’s flopped back into the booth, snuggling into Wyatt. Only a few drips come out, which makes her pout.
Duke chuckles, rubbing a hand over his head. ‘Guess I better go find some more champagne. Gotta keep our bride-to-be happy.’
‘Such aloyalfriend,’ I joke, reusing Rory’s words, only for Duke to stiffen. His eyes cut to mine, then quickly away, a muscle in his jaw feathering.
‘Right,’ is all he says before he walks off.
Coldness sweeps over me as Duke disappears between the crowded tables of the bar, and I try to pretend it’s because someone’s left the door open, not because I’m worried I’ve just upset Duke …
But when I do finally glance over to the door, which is actually partially open as a group of people filtersthrough, I’m illuminated to a whole new reason why my skin has prickled –Levi.
My heart lurches into my throat, blood rushing in my ears suddenly, as Levi strides into the bar, completely unbothered, talking to the friends surrounding him. I’m like a deer caught in the headlights, unsure what to do, my head yelling at me torun.I can’t believe I was naïve enough to think I could avoid him now he isn’t working at the bar. But instead of runningaway, my legs decide to kick into action and I find myself rushing towards him.
Before I can reach him, Duke’s broad frame slides in front of Levi, blocking both my view and Levi’s path. Levi’s friends have all grabbed a table – most of them I remember from high school – and they all whisper and watch as Duke’s voice rumbles, saying something I’m not close enough to make out yet. My steps falter when their voices become audible, and I lean back against the nearest empty table, clutching the edge for support.
‘Dude, come on,’ Levi begs, exasperation widening his eyes. He throws his hands in the air. ‘What am I supposed to do? All my friends are here. It’s theonlybar in town.’
Duke just crosses his arms, unyielding. ‘Yeah, well you should’ve thought about that before you hurt her.’
It’s at that moment that Levi’s eyes catch me around Duke’s shoulder. They narrow at me while he shakes his head, a sourness taking over his expression. Duke follows his stare to find me, darkness swarming his eyes as they flare, moments before he turns back to Levi and steps closer, crowding Levi towards the wall.
‘Don’t you dare even look at her,’ Duke practically growls.
Levi’s eyes flick between the two of us, and then he laughs – a smug, snarky grin appearing. ‘Oh, I get it now … Well, I just hope she’s not as frigid with you.’
I don’t get a second to let that cruel blow land because Duke suddenly crowds Levi, forcing him back up against the wall. Duke’s thick, tattooed forearms slam to the wall either side of Levi, caging him in. Much like how Levi had me back at the club. He brings his face intimidatingly close.
