“I’m not a trial lawyer, but I think we could set something up.” Savannah sits down on the bench next to me and props her feet up on my lap.
“Ugh, gag me,” Shelby says. “You two are starting to get as bad as those two.” She motions to Ryder and Cassie, who’s seated in his lap. Cassie and Ryder don’t have time to respond because they’re too caught up in each other.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I say. Savannah and I are most certainly not like that. We’re still individuals. “We haven’t morphed into a four armed, four legged face mauling animal yet.”
“Screw you,” Ryder says, getting in on the action. “Besides, you gonna hide the fact that you two came together?”
“Ain’t fun unless someone’s coming,” I say. Savannah laughs, but the group is a little stunned by the commentary
“Let’s just eat.”
I lean in to Savannah. “As long as you’re on the menu.” She smiles.
“Depends who’s serving.”
Dinner is just as loud and chaotic as a night at Altitude. There’s plenty of food, and now that we got rid of those freezer bags drinks, everybody is having a good time. This is what it’s all about.
Ryder and I get stuck with cleaning up after dinner, taking plates back into the kitchen, scrubbing down utensils—doing the grunt work that Parker and Jackson hate. It’s never been a problem for Ryder or me, we’re always the pickup guys at the bar and Jackson and Parker are the set up. It’s how we work best.
Mostly.
Right now, we're barely talking. And it’s mostly my fault. I’ve been a dick these last weeks as Emmett and Martha try one last time to reel me back in, and it’s time to swallow my pride and get this over with.
“You good?” I ask Ryder.
Ryder straightens up and crosses his arms over his massive chest. He could still pound me flat if he wanted to, though I would give him a good fight. “Didn’t think you ever needed help getting started.”
“You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?”
“Not a bit. I have your back. You should know that, but lately you’ve been latched tighter than a lightweight trapped against the ropes. What is going on?”
“I promise, it’s over. Can we just forget it? It was a thing with my family, my Dad—he did some bad shit.” I expect to have to explain more, but Ryder cuts me off.
“Cash, we’re like brothers. You don’t need to tell me anything you don’t want to say. Just tell me this: do you need anything?”
“I’m good.”
“If you do…”
“You’ll be the first person I call.”
He offers me his hand and I take it.
“So about The Library cocktails,” Ryder starts.
“Did I hear the word Library?” Cassie asks, coming out of nowhere. She must have a sixth sense when it comes to detecting business discussions.
“No,” Ryder gives me the death stare. The one men share that says ‘you agree with what I’m saying because otherwise I am fucked.’ I smile. This I can play along with. It’s like we’ve fallen back into friendlier times.
“Absolutely not,” I agree with him. “We’d never do that on a day like today.”
“Good, because I would hate for someone to break a certain rule and miss out on certain privileges.”
Yeah, man, I am going to be no help to you on that front.
“We were actually just talking about…” Ryder says looking at me for help.
“Knox,” I say the first thing that comes to mind.
Cassie narrows her eyes and points her finger at both of us. The girl’s too smart; she’s going to see right through us both.
“This one time,” she says, grabbing dessert from the counter. “But if I hear the name of that bar again.” She draws her finger across her throat. Ryder follows her out of the kitchen and I trail behind them. Cassie and Ryder break off, heading for a more secluded spot of their own. I stay close to the door watching Savannah chat with the girls. In the evening air, their voices carry.
Shelby’s on a lounge chair, her feet propped up in Ruby’s lap. Avery’s sitting on the ground next to them, and Savannah is on her stomach on the next lounge chair. Propped up on her elbows. From this angle, I have a whole new appreciation for her ass. It’s perfectly framed in her swimsuit.
“You can’t keep holding out on us,” Shelby whines.
“Don’t tell me none of you have ever tried Cash,” Savannah says.
“Honestly, it’d be like dating a sibling,” Ruby says, wrinkling her nose. “He’s one of the dime a dozen guys, right? I mean, every bar has a manwhore.”
“Maybe that should be their next bar name,” Avery pipes in.
“Details,” Shelby says. “We’re living vicariously through you and your orgasms with the sex maestro.”
“Sorry ladies, I don’t kiss and tell.”
They’re laughing. If she was nervous at the beginning of this party, Savannah finally seems to have relaxed. She looks over her shoulder and meets my eye with a smile. It may have taken a bit, but she’s finally realizing she belongs here, too. This is home.