Page 133 of Dove
“You okay?” he asked me, despite the man gasping on the ground.
“I’m fine.” Was I? “Just a misunderstanding.” I nudged the sole of Torrence’s shoe to get his attention. “Right, Weller?”
He glared up at me indignantly. “Fuck you.”
“Alright.” Zeke reached for Torrence, hefting him up a little too roughly to be considered a helping hand. “Up and at ‘em.”
When he was standing on his two feet, he jerked himself away from Zeke, stumbling slightly. His eyes bounced between Dove and me, then to Zeke, and his lip curled as he spit, “Do you know they’re fu?—”
I took a step toward him, fists curling, ready to make good on my promise, but Zeke beat me to it.
“See,” Zeke cut him off sharply in what Eddie told me he liked to tease was Zeke’sbouncervoice, “that’s exactly what we’renotgoing to do.” He reached for the collar of Torrence’s shirt, face scrunching up as he guided him past us and out of the alley. “Dios,you smell like a damn distillery. Been sippin’ from Dale’s stash? You know that shit can make you go blind, right?”
Whatever Torrence’s reply was, it was lost as Zeke frog marched him away, disappearing around the corner. A hush settled over the narrow space, despite the rowdy festivities taking place in the distance.
Reverie blew out a breath, breaking the silence. “Testosterone.” She rolled her eyes. “It really doesn’t mix well with alcohol if you ask me.” She fixed a longing gaze toward where Zeke and Torrence had left. “But I do love a man who takes control.” When she turned back to look at us, a devious smirk was spread across her face. “Seems like my bestie does, too.”
“Reverie,”Dove groaned in embarrassment.
Rev threw a playful wink my way, and I quirked a small, grateful smile at her. I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, although that weird, shameful feeling still swirled in the pit of my stomach. Only this time it had nothing to do with my father’s hypothetical disapproval and everything to do with the fact Dove still hadn’t said a word to me. Not only that, but she wouldn’t look at me, either. Her eyes avoided me completely, as if we were two magnets repelled by one another, her attention on anythingbutme. That shameful feeling intensified, bringing with it the sickening realization that she was likely disappointed in me for how I reacted, and that hurt worse than anything.
Reverie nudged Dove, encouraging her to move along and as we exited the alley, the distance between Dove and me grew with each step, a chasm forming between us. The inside of my head was an echo chamber; the only two things I could think of werehow I’d ruined my plans for Dove and me this evening, while all but confirming Torrence’s accusations by letting my jealousy get the best of me.
“Oh,” Reverie exclaimed in excitement, stopping abruptly as we emerged into the crowd. She clapped her hands together. “Harv’s setting up the mechanical bull!” When she turned to us, her brow furrowed slightly, clearly noticing the tension that had formed between us. “Are you guys staying?”
Dove hesitated, finally looking at me, even if only for an answer. I was relieved to find her eyes didn’t hold any anger, although they looked suspiciously glossy. I swear if I made her cry, I’d find a way to beatmyselfup.
I answered the question in her eyes with a soft, “It’s up to you, Dove.”
She glanced out across the gathering crowd, then back to Reverie. “I think we’re gonna head out.” She sounded regretful, and it killed me, knowing I was the reason she wanted to leave right now. All because I’d let Torrence get to me, because I hadn’t been the bigger man and walked away, like she’d silently begged me to.
Reverie pouted, waving a hand toward Harv, who was almost done putting together the bucking machine. “But you’re going to miss the bull riding!” She said this as if it was the worst thing in the world. To Reverie, who used to ride the thing religiously back when she lived here, maybe it was.
Dove chuckled, but I could tell it was forced. “That’s always been more your thing.”
Reverie gave her a considering once-over, before leaning over to whisper in her ear, which wasn’t actually a word in Reverie’s vocabulary and meant it was plenty loud enough for me to hear. “Looks like you already have something to ride anyway.”
Dove gave a tiny gasp of shock, smacking Reverie in the arm. “Rev!”
Her best friend only snickered, not chastised in the slightest.
Before anyone could say anything else, Reverie began backing away.
“I better get going, too.” She grinned, eyes alight with mischief, a look I’d gotten used to over the years with her being Dove’s best friend. “I got a stud to ride!” With that proclamation she flounced off, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she went.
I chuckled, even if I had to force it out of my aching chest. “I don’t think she was talking about the bull.”
Dove watched her go with an incredulous shake of her head. Then, her body stiffened, as if realizing something. “She was just—she meant—” She floundered for words. “You know how Rev is.” She laughed it off, but her hand worried at her hair, winding a stray curl around her finger in a nervous tell.
“I know she knows, Dove,” I soothed her worry. “It’s alright. She’s your best friend, I didn’t expect you to keep that from her.”
She exhaled in relief. Then hesitantly asked, “Does Eddie know?”
Shit. How did I explain to her that telling Eddie hadn’t exactly been at the top of my priority list, not with everything else going on. It wasn’t because I didn’t want him to know, it was just I hadn’t found the right time to talk to him about it, to stress that this was important, not something for him to joke around about or make light of. But I wasn’t going to lie to her.
“No,” I answered, clearing the frog that made its way into my throat. “He doesn’t.”
My hands grew weighted with the desire to reach out and touch her, to feel her skin against mine, but I refrained, because I’d done enough damage already. Instead, I fished the keys out of my back pocket, and declared, “Let’s get out of here.”
