Page 20 of Chance
You’re too stupid, Evelyn.Too gullible.The real world will gobble you up and spit you out, and then you’ll be nothing.Less than nothing.I was merely trying to help you, protect you from yourself.Why won’t you listen?Why do you constantly make me the villain in your story when you are only proving how right I was all along?
Even in death, William was such a fucking asshole.
But…
Unfortunately, the bastard was also right.
Whatever Sammy said had those girls shutting their mouths with audible snaps.They all stood a little straighter, turning so they weren’t giving her their backs, scared of not seeing her coming.
“Don’t worry about those skanks,” Sammy advised, loud enough that everyone in line could hear her.“They know he found his one and are pissed because now they know they were never good enough.”
You’re not good enough either, Evelyn.
Crushing that thought down, I kept my face blank as we made our way back toward the front of the bar.Avoiding looking toward the pool tables, I turned to where I’d last seen Abi, but she wasn’t there.I wasn’t confident I could return to the pool tables without crying.Matt had been sweet, and then he’d warned me as a kindness.
If I had to sit with him again, though, I was going to fall into the dark void within myself.There was no way I could fight the maelstrom inside me, not when my heart was already in shreds and my body still ached for Chance’s touch.
“I need another beer.Do you want one, or are you going to stick with the Bellinis that Chance has been shoving at you for the last hour?”Sammy asked, steering me toward the bar as if she didn’t realize I was studiously avoiding the pool tables and the men waiting for us.It was sweet of her to pretend and let me hold on to a little dignity.
“I gagged on the one and only beer I’ve ever tried.It was disgusting.”We stepped up to a random clear spot at the bar, and although we weren’t the next that should have been served, the bartender stopped in front of us.
“Sammy, you locking that bathroom door is fine until my pregnant daughter-in-law has to use it.We gonna have problems, kid?”
“I apologized to Demi,” Sammy told him, batting her lashes.“If I’d known she was the one in need, I would have opened the door for her, Raider.I swear.”
His green eyes drilled into her for a long moment before he grunted and reached down to extract a cold beer from a fridge.Only then did he look at me, his grumpy face easing into a charming smile.“You’re the Bellini girl.”
“Evie,” I corrected, and his lips ticked up.
“Tonight, you are the Bellini girl.Because of you, every woman in the county not currently locked down has been ordering Bellinis for the last hour or so.I just mixed up five of them myself.We’re about to run out of peach puree.Haven’t used this much prosecco since River’s wedding more than a decade ago.”
“Um, sorry?”I offered.
Raider laughed.“Are you going to be a regular around here, Evie?If so, I’ll make sure to keep the peach puree well stocked.”
It was impossible not to return his smile.Something in his eyes made me feel safe.“I do enjoy anything peach, but sorry, I’m not sure if I’ll be making this a regular occurrence.And just between us, I didn’t know what a Bellini was until tonight.”
“Don’t think Chance knew what it was either, honey, but he told Jack he needed something girlie and peach-flavored.Now it’s gonna be a Friday night special.”He rested his forearms on the bar top and leaned forward.“Never seen that guy order anything but beer, and never for anyone but himself.We all thought his brain got cooked at work until we saw you.”
While I was digesting that, picking it apart in hopes there was something good in there, Raider tipped his head to someone behind us.“Here he comes now, Miss Bellini.Got your fresh drink in hand too.Unless you’re ready for something else.I have some peach schnappss back here.Or a peachy frozen margarita.Hell, kid, you tell me what ya wanna drink, and I’ll whip it up.”
“Maybe some water for now, so I don’t have a headache tomorrow.”
“Smart girl.”He filled a glass with ice then sprayed water into it.“Stay hydrated, Miss Bellini.And you let me know if you need anything.”He glanced at Sammy.“You got her?”
“Abi’s attached to this one, so yes,” Sammy assured him.Raider gave another nod and returned to serving the other customers waiting nearby.
Wrapping both hands around the cold glass, I took a gulp just as a firm hand slid around my waist.Whimpering at the sheer rightness of his touch, I didn’t fight the urge to melt back into Chance’s body.William’s voice shouted in my head, calling me a worthless fool.I took another drink of water, slamming up a wall to block the noise, along with the continued burning of jealousy in my chest.
Touching his lips to the side of my head, he placed my fresh drink in my hands.“You okay, peaches?Dad said you and Sammy disappeared into the bathroom.”
“There was a line,” Sammy answered for me before I could flounder for an excuse.“Did you get me a beer earlier?I’m almost done with this one.”
Chance stroked his fingers up and down my ribs, tipping his head toward her for a moment.“I got you one, but Tanner drank it.You two were gone so long, they’re ready for another round.Figured I’d grab the beers and my girl while I was over here so you couldn’t hide her away from me.”
“If I wanted to hide her, you sure as fuck wouldn’t ever find her,” Sammy told him, taking my arm.“Come on, Evie.You should learn to play pool.Tanner is the best teacher.He and Elias taught me.”
Chance tightened his hold on me.“If anyone is going to teach her, it will be me.Stop hogging all her time.I’ve barely gotten five minutes with her.”
