"And that's why you torment him?"
"Fucking A," she grumbles, sighing again. "Sometimes, I wonder if maybe it's not the hat humping thing that turned him off. Maybe there's something about me that he finds unappealing. What if he finds me unattractive? Before my self-esteem takes a complete dump, I usually walk in front of a mirror or see Bodie. That's when I know it can't be a looks thing. He's just a fucking loser who must be punished for his bad taste."
"Sounds about right," I say. "Except maybe, and I'm just throwing this out, but maybe he likes you tormenting him. In fact, maybe he'd chase you if you stopped chasing him with your annoying howling."
Colbie's face twists into an expression that would scare the shit out of me if I hadn't grown up with Bailey.
"Did he pay you tell me that?" she asks suspicious. "Well, you can tell your little buddy that I will never stop tormenting him. In fucking fact, I plan to disrupt his funeral. Never forgive," she growls at me. "Never forget."
"It's not healthy to be so bitchy."
Colbie smirks. "That means a lot coming from you."
Tapping her beer against my glass, Colbie glances around the bar before returning her gaze to me.
"I'm gonna miss you," she says.
I open my mouth to ask what the fuck she's talking about, but we both know I'm only prolonging the inevitable.
"Part of me wants to stay here."
"Of course you do. Last Dollar is awesome. I have the money to move anywhere I want. The beach, the city, the mountains, anywhere in the world. This is where I want to be. I know the people. The stupid, ugly, brilliant, and beautiful. I know the shortcuts. I know the town history. Which houses are supposed to be haunted and which ones really are. I like traveling the world and seeing other people's homes, but this is mine. It's where I belong. Just like Ellsberg is where you belong."
"Between Jace leaving me and Pop dying, I couldn't be anywhere in Ellsberg without the past cutting at me."
"Running was the right decision a few weeks ago, but your mom is coming home. You can't run anymore."
"I know, but I'm afraid to go back," I admit.
Colbie pats my hand. "Kirk would want you to face your fears. Don't you think he faced danger a million times in his life and never flinched? Didn't mean he wasn't scared. It only meant he wasn't going to let fear beat him. You're his kid, so it's time to prove you inherited more than his last name."
Studying Colbie, I smile. "That was a really great pep talk."
"Bodie's idea. She's giving a similar one to your stallion."
"The twin thing is creepy. You know that, right?"
"It's not about knowing," she says, standing up. "It's about caring."
I finish my drink before following her outside. We stand in the painfully hot day.
"How soon does your mom get back?"
"Four days."
Shading her face with a chocolate brown cowboy hat, Colbie nods. " I guess you'll need to get packing."
"You seem a little too happy to get rid of me."
"Let me be honest with you, Sawyer," she says, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "I'd love to have you stay. I need more friends who won't cry when I give helpful hints. Oh, and you don't flinch when I casually throw punches at people standing near your face. You have the right DNA to be my buddy, but you don't belong here. Just as I bleed Last Dollar, you bleed Ellsberg. No fighting it. We're bleeders."
"It's true that nowhere makes me feel like Ellsberg."
"So you had a nice vacation, and you'll visit again one day with your curly haired babies. Oh, but before you leave, we need to have a party. This is Last Dollar after all. We celebrate every fucking thing."
"Nothing makes me happier than a party in my honor."
"Like I said, you have the perfect DNA to be my friend. Too bad you have places to be. Let's hope Bodie brings your man back in one piece."
Frowning at this comment, I follow Colbie to the SUV, but she refuses to explain. I dial Jace's phone. When he doesn't answer, I freak out a little. Colbie only laughs and goes speed demon on the way back to the house. She wants to talk farewell parties while I only want to know why my stallion isn't answering his phone.
Chapter 36
Jace
As Good As I Once Was
I'm not shocked to learn Bodie has a lead foot. She races down long roads into what feels like the middle of nowhere. Texas is a big damn state, and I find myself feeling small here. The urge to hide is strong during moments like these, so I imagine Sawyer. Blonde curls, bright blue eyes, and a smile that makes the world so much better.
"Stop your daydreaming," Bodie says.
"Why?"
"I was talking to my dog."
Rolling my eyes, I stare out at the nothingness whipping by.
"Your club needs you." Bodie says, making a hard right down a small road leading further into nowhere.
"How do you figure?"
"You're young, big, and loyal. Every organization needs fresh blood they can trust. You're that guy for Cooper."