“Better be talking about us together and not her. I’m not above busting your ass, Mach,” I say, half-kidding.
He stands straight and holds out his calm, even hand. “I’m shaking.”
“Fucker.” I laugh.
“How are you tonight, Machlan?” Kallie asks, looking at him sweetly.
“Can’t complain. Actually,” he says, leaning against the bar, “I’m probably a little better than usual now that you’ve taken that asshole off my hands.” He looks at me and grins.
“Can you get me something to drink?” Kallie asks Machlan.
“Sure. What do you want?”
“I don’t know. I don’t drink much.”
Machlan chuckles. “What level we looking at? Buzzed? Karaoke? One-night stand?”
That last part was for my benefit. I try not to react.
Kallie’s hand hits my thigh just a half an inch from my groin. I cup mine over hers and hold it in place.
“Probably buzzed. I don’t sing and your buddy here might have something to say if I went with one-night stand.”
“Damn right,” I say, stroking her hand with my thumb.
“I vote for the one-night stand,” Peck chimes in.
“Peck? Today’s not the day,” I warn.
He peers at me around Kallie. “And why is that?”
“I told you to behave,” Kallie says, swatting at me. “I’m going to use the ladies’ room. Is Nora around?”
“She’s in the back talking to Kip.” Machlan rolls his eyes.
“What did she do?” Kallie asks, mouth hanging open. “Kip is the sheriff now, right?”
“I’d guess she did him.” Machlan snorts. “I just stay away from the store room when he needs to debrief her.”
Kallie makes a face as she gets off the stool. “Ew. Okay. I’ll avoid that area. Be right back.”
I watch her walk away, ignoring Peck’s comments. She stops a few times and says hello to random people and it’s all I can do not to follow her.
“You got it bad,” Machlan says, pulling my attention away from the bathroom door.
“Nah,” I say, taking the beer bottle from him.
Machlan taps the top of the bar and ventures to the far side to take an order.
Once he’s gone, Peck leans toward me, twisting his cap around backward. The typical goofball look on his face is gone. It’s replaced with one that has me biting my lip.
“She’s a good girl. I know you know that,” he says.
“Then why are you telling me?”
He grins. “You know she left before because you were a shithead, right?”
“Again, not sure why you’re telling me this,” I say, taking a swig of beer in hopes the alcohol kicks in quick.
“Look,” he says, leaning on the bar. “You didn’t ask for advice—”
“Exactly.”
His grin digs deeper. “But I’m gonna give it to ya anyway. Just don’t fuck up and everything will be fine.”
His words slice through the worry I’ve tried to keep stuffed. My gaze snaps to the bathroom to see her standing, arms over her chest, talking to Megan McCarter. I gulp. “I hope so, Peck. Damn it, I hope so.”
“It’s all in your hands, man. She’s your girl. She knows it. You know it. I know it. Hell, Megan knows it and that’s why she’s over there trying to plant some seed of doubt in her brain.”
“Megan wouldn’t do that,” I scoff. “There’d be no point. I’ve never fucked her or given her any idea that I even like her.”
Peck’s shoulders rise and fall. “I know y’all write off most of what I say, but I see a lot. You should listen to me.”
“You see a lot and then you still have the hots for Molly McCarter?” I laugh. “We’ve all seen her ass, Peck.”
His nose wrinkles as he grabs his beer. “Fuck you, Cross.” He chuckles. “That’s not the same.”
I look back at Kallie again. She’s heading our way with a furrowed brow. I toss her a smile and she returns it with enough reluctance it has me springing to my feet.
“Gonna check out the bulletin board,” Peck says, clamping my shoulder as he walks by just as Kallie arrives.
“Hey,” I say, holding out a hand. She takes it and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah.” Lifting her glass filled with a pale yellow concoction, she downs a good three gulps. “And that’s better.”
“What’s going on?”
“Not a thing. You ready to go?”
“Sure,” I say, confused. “But is everything okay? I saw you talking to Megan and …”
She squares up to me, her chin lifted. “You and Megan just work out together. Right?”
“Twice,” I insist. “Once more and it’s over. Why?”
“You’ve never had a thing for her?”
“Good, God, no.” I laugh, pulling her into my chest. She’s stiff for a moment before giving in and sinking into me. My face buries in her hair and I breathe her in, hoping it calms her as much as it does me to have her so close. “You’re the only girl I’ve ever had a thing for.” I pull away and kiss her forehead. “Ever.”
“Forever ever?”
“Forever ever.” I peer in her eyes. “I don’t want to rush this thing between us, but I want you to know I have no desire, interest, or plans on being with anyone but you. Period.”
“Forever ever?” She grins.
“Forever ever.”
She takes our fingers, lacing them together, and pulls me toward the door.
“Is that going on your tab?” Machlan chuckles as we go by.
“That’s my payment for all those things you could’ve moved by yourself the other day.”
“I thought that was a favor?” He lifts a brow and looks to Kallie and smiles.
Laughing, I pop open the door and watch Kallie walk out. “It was. Thank you.”
He winks.
Eleven
Kallie
“That glow says everything I need to know.” Nora laughs, sitting down across from me at Carlson’s.
“You don’t know anything.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me you haven’t slept with Cross.”
I grab a menu and hold it vertically between us in hopes of covering my blushed cheeks. It’s not that there’s anything to be embarrassed about, but it seems like it was so expected and I just caved.
How could I not?
I set myself up for this by going home from the golf course with him. It’s absolutely what I wanted. But now the soreness between my legs is faded, a hint of concern is becoming evident.
Nora laughs from the other side. “So I was right. Go on, say it.”
The menu drops to the table. “Of course you’re right, but that squeal”—I point a finger in her direction—“is not necessary.”
“Oh, yes it is! This is almost as good as Justin and Britney getting back together. It’s the natural progression of things, the way they’re supposed to be. How can I not celebrate this?”
“You realize you’re essentially celebrating my orgasms, right?”
“Plural?” She throws her head back. “Of course plural. Fucking asshole.” While I laugh at her reaction, she takes moment to recover. “So, I’m assuming he’s better than before.”
“He was always my best. No matter what, he was the bar I measured everyone else up to, you know? But now…it’s like that’s not the same person.”
Nora’s eyes grow wide as she gulps for effect.
“He’s patient now, almost…tender? He kisses me and—”
“No more.” Nora’s hands are an inch away from her ears, mock trying to block out my recant of last night.
“What?” I giggle.
“I have to see him every Friday night at Crave. I don’t want to be looking at him thinking of the way he kisses you in private time and all that. It would be weird.”
Veronica comes out of nowhere and leans against the table. She pretends not to have overheard us for a minute and then, like the small-town business owner she is, she gives in. “You and Cross are together now, huh?”
“No,” I say as Nora says, “Yes.”
Veronica laughs. “I remember the two of you dating. You were always so cute, this big tough guy and a sweet little girl.”
“Yeah, well, we aren’t together,” I say, looking at Nora pointedly. “We’re feeling things out, I guess.”
“I’d say you felt it out.” Nora tosses me a wink. “You’re fighting the universe here, Kal. You and Cross are supposed to be together, having beautiful little babies. You can’t fight it forever.”
“I’d say she’s right. I saw how he was looking at you yesterday,” Veronica chimes in. “But I’m glad to hear you aren’t together right now, not officially, anyway.” She looks down at her notepad and takes an ink pen out of her pocket like she just didn’t say that.
Avoiding Nora’s eyes and swallowing past the lump in my throat, I try to look unaffected. There’s zero doubt she’s toying with me, seeing if I’ll take the bait she just dropped. I wish I could ignore it and continue on with my order and my day, but I’m not strong enough for that. “Why do you say that?”
“No big deal,” she says, giving me a fake laugh. “He was just through the drive-through a few minutes ago with Megan, and we all know that girl’s reputation.”
“Cross was with Megan McCarter?” Nora asks. “Today?”
“Yeah. I mean, if he’s not taken, how can you blame him? Men have needs,” Veronica says.
“That’s the biggest load of horse shit I’ve ever heard.” Nora takes her menu and slams it into the condiments tray.