Unable to breathe, I slipped out from the booth. “Let’s get out of here.” We grabbed our jackets making our way back outside.
Standing on the sidewalk, I felt as though I could finally catch my breath and started walking back to Kix.
“Hey, I’ve got my wheels over here,” Donovan shouted, already on his way to his car.
Donovan kept his car spotless with the most kick-ass stereo system ever invented.
“You know I’ve been thinking.”
I cocked an eyebrow at him in question. Donovan and thinking was dangerous.
“I think you and Mia need to get together and put a stop to all this. Her father obviously cares about her in his own weird way, surely if he knows she’s in love with Liam, he’ll accept that. Once he does, it will leave you to get it on with Thalia, and there is no way your father will do what he threatened. That was all talk, which, if I remember, I told you twelve months ago.”
It only took us a couple of minutes to pull up outside of Kix so climbing from the car I leaned my elbows on the hood when in actual fact I felt like banging my head against it.
“I just want to forget everything for tonight and get lost in our music; anymore I’m going to crack.”
The front door to Kix opened then slammed shut. “What are you two girls doing out here?” Reece asked.
Grinning, I replied, “Waiting for the third to join us.”
“Ha ha – funny; not. While you two *’s have been gossiping like a bunch of women, there’s work to be done.”
We both just stood and watched him retreat back inside.
“What’s up his ass?”
“Fuck if I know. He was fine when I was in here earlier talking to Ryder.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent helping Ryder get all the alcohol, which had been delivered, put away. It went either behind the bar or in the cellar and the work kept my mind busy; only an odd thought crossing my mind about Thalia and what the hell I was going to say to her when we finally had time alone. One thing I did know was that I had to keep my hands to myself when we did get together; touching her wasn’t an option.
Sitting with my back to the bar, I’d been watching everyone arrive for the past hour, maybe longer, and the place was filling up good.
We’d gotten all our equipment set up earlier so all we had to do was entertain the crowd once Reece decided to show his face. Donovan had seen him disappear out back with Dahlia. No doubt to get his rocks off. At least he should be more laid back than what he’d been recently.
“He not back in yet?” Ryder asked, passing me another beer. I’d lost count how many I’d had since returning from town with Donovan. Unfortunately, I still felt sober.
“Nope.”
“She must be a good ride.”
I wasn’t getting involved in that conversation; it’d only piss him off. He’d had a boner for Dahlia when he first arrived, but that had soon disappeared when he realized she was at Reece’s beck and call.
“He’s back...looks like he lost someone along the way,” Ryder bit out, slamming another beer in front of me. I still had half of the other bottle, but I quickly knocked that back and tossed the empty into the bin behind the bar.
“You ready?” Reece asked, but instead of looking relaxed he looked pissed.
After looking at him for a minute, I stood and with my beer in hand followed him to the stage where Donovan was sitting chatting to a group of girls.
Chapter 36
Thalia
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Liam was driving me to a new bar, which had opened a few months ago, on the outskirts of town. That was his idea of cheering me up.
I’d managed to calm down some after Donovan had brought me back to Liam’s house. The soak in the tub probably had something to do with that as well.
Wearing my new ‘Alabama’ style cowgirl boots with a short, fitted denim skirt paired with a black tank, I turned to look at Liam who’d been silent during our drive. “Why are you so quiet? I mean I know you don’t usually chatter away, but you look like you’re brooding.”
He let out a sigh and looked at me. “I’m okay. Just have a lot on my mind.”
“I’ll leave it for now, but you’re not okay and neither is Jack, and, how the fuck did I become a bridesmaid at his wedding. That is just screwed up somewhere.”
“I agree with you there. He should have spoken up and said something. Just go along with it for now.”
I winced at his suggestion. Why did everyone keep telling me to go along with it? “Liam, it’s in three weeks. I can’t just act as though everything is normal when it isn’t.” I felt close to tears. “I’m in love with her fiancée; there is no way I can be part of his wedding... And you’re in love with your brother’s fiancée,” I whispered wiping my eyes.
He braked hard outside the club, which said it was called Kix. “How,” he cleared his throat, “do you know that?”
“I saw you with her today in the boutique.”
He sighed and rested his head against the back of the seat. “God, we’re a sorry pair.”