back for Emerson, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
“The future.” I say, turning my back reaching for the next shot.
“Fuck yeah!” Lacey whoops. “The future!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Night falls, and the party kicks up a notch. A country rock-style band sets up by the bar, and soon the open space is packed, a makeshift dance-floor under lanterns and the lights from the buildings nearby. Lacey gets into the party spirit: chatting, flirting, dancing with the steady stream of guys who always seem to buzz about her. There’s something about her energy, infectious and playful, that always attracts a crowd. Whether she cares enough to keep any of them around for long… Well, that’s another thing.
I play along too: downing shots, smiling on cue to Lacey’s funny stories, and even dancing along on the edge of the group, trying to lose myself in the rhythm and laughter. But I only half-way relax. No matter what I do, I can’t stop myself from checking on Emerson, glancing to see if he’s around. There’s no sign of him anywhere, but I know he’s here somewhere, he has to be.
I feel it.
And who the hell was that girl I saw him with? I feel a stab of jealousy, even though I know it’s ridiculous. She was cute, but why wouldn’t she be? I’m surprised girls aren’t lining up to try it on with Emerson, and hell, maybe they are. Maybe there’s been a parade of them since I left, one after the other, after the other…
I gulp down the rest of my drink – some fruity punch cocktail thing this time – and try not to think about it. He can date whoever he wants. I have Daniel. It doesn’t mean a thing to me.
“Perfect timing!” Lacey announces.
I look up. She’s back from the bar with another round of drinks. I grimace,
“I think I’m done,” I tell her, waving away the fresh cup. My head is spinning now, and the lights are starting to blur in front of my tired eyes.
“Lightweight,” Lacey teases. “Oh well, more for me! Hey, Garrett!” she calls, waving someone over.
I turn. It’s the blonde bartender from Jimmy’s Tavern, grinning in a stubbly beard and plaid shirt. He’s balancing a plate full of funnel cake like a pro, weaving through the crowd.
“I said how hungry I was, and he offered to get something. Isn’t that sweet?” Lacey coos.
“You’re a piece of work, Lacey Sullivan,” I laugh.
“Cute, huh?” Lacey whispers to me, as he approaches. “You’re good if I crash somewhere else tonight?”
“Sure,” I laugh. “One of us should get some.”
And it definitely won’t be me.
“This is my friend, Juliet,” Lacey introduces us when Garrett arrives.
“It’s good to meet you.” I shake his hand. “Again.”
Lacey raises an eyebrow. “You guys know each other?”
“We met the other night,” Garrett explains good-naturedly. “She owes me for all those broken glasses I had to clear up.”
“Wait, what?” Lacey looks confused.
I bite my lip apologetically. “I’m so sorry about that! Garrett was working the night of the fight,” I explain quickly to Lacey.
Her eyes widen. “Awesome! I mean, not that you had to clean up,” she adds, running her hand over Garrett’s bicep flirtatiously. “But you got to see the whole thing. Was Jules exaggerating, or did Emerson really pound that guy?”
“Oh, he destroyed him alright.” Garrett laughs, taking a sip from his bottle of beer. “Kenny needed a couple of stitches.”
I wince. “I really am sorry,” I say again. Then I think of something else, and gasp. “Shit, did Emerson get in trouble?” I ask anxiously. “I don’t want him to wind up barred for life, or anything.”
“Nah, he’s good,” Garrett replies, looking amused. “Dude can’t bar himself.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
He looks at me. “You know, Jimmy’s is his place. He owns it. Isn’t that right, boss?” Garrett looks past me.
My heart skips a beat, and then I hear Emerson’s voice, the low drawl that sends shivers skittering
“The future.” I say, turning my back reaching for the next shot.
“Fuck yeah!” Lacey whoops. “The future!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Night falls, and the party kicks up a notch. A country rock-style band sets up by the bar, and soon the open space is packed, a makeshift dance-floor under lanterns and the lights from the buildings nearby. Lacey gets into the party spirit: chatting, flirting, dancing with the steady stream of guys who always seem to buzz about her. There’s something about her energy, infectious and playful, that always attracts a crowd. Whether she cares enough to keep any of them around for long… Well, that’s another thing.
I play along too: downing shots, smiling on cue to Lacey’s funny stories, and even dancing along on the edge of the group, trying to lose myself in the rhythm and laughter. But I only half-way relax. No matter what I do, I can’t stop myself from checking on Emerson, glancing to see if he’s around. There’s no sign of him anywhere, but I know he’s here somewhere, he has to be.
I feel it.
And who the hell was that girl I saw him with? I feel a stab of jealousy, even though I know it’s ridiculous. She was cute, but why wouldn’t she be? I’m surprised girls aren’t lining up to try it on with Emerson, and hell, maybe they are. Maybe there’s been a parade of them since I left, one after the other, after the other…
I gulp down the rest of my drink – some fruity punch cocktail thing this time – and try not to think about it. He can date whoever he wants. I have Daniel. It doesn’t mean a thing to me.
“Perfect timing!” Lacey announces.
I look up. She’s back from the bar with another round of drinks. I grimace,
“I think I’m done,” I tell her, waving away the fresh cup. My head is spinning now, and the lights are starting to blur in front of my tired eyes.
“Lightweight,” Lacey teases. “Oh well, more for me! Hey, Garrett!” she calls, waving someone over.
I turn. It’s the blonde bartender from Jimmy’s Tavern, grinning in a stubbly beard and plaid shirt. He’s balancing a plate full of funnel cake like a pro, weaving through the crowd.
“I said how hungry I was, and he offered to get something. Isn’t that sweet?” Lacey coos.
“You’re a piece of work, Lacey Sullivan,” I laugh.
“Cute, huh?” Lacey whispers to me, as he approaches. “You’re good if I crash somewhere else tonight?”
“Sure,” I laugh. “One of us should get some.”
And it definitely won’t be me.
“This is my friend, Juliet,” Lacey introduces us when Garrett arrives.
“It’s good to meet you.” I shake his hand. “Again.”
Lacey raises an eyebrow. “You guys know each other?”
“We met the other night,” Garrett explains good-naturedly. “She owes me for all those broken glasses I had to clear up.”
“Wait, what?” Lacey looks confused.
I bite my lip apologetically. “I’m so sorry about that! Garrett was working the night of the fight,” I explain quickly to Lacey.
Her eyes widen. “Awesome! I mean, not that you had to clean up,” she adds, running her hand over Garrett’s bicep flirtatiously. “But you got to see the whole thing. Was Jules exaggerating, or did Emerson really pound that guy?”
“Oh, he destroyed him alright.” Garrett laughs, taking a sip from his bottle of beer. “Kenny needed a couple of stitches.”
I wince. “I really am sorry,” I say again. Then I think of something else, and gasp. “Shit, did Emerson get in trouble?” I ask anxiously. “I don’t want him to wind up barred for life, or anything.”
“Nah, he’s good,” Garrett replies, looking amused. “Dude can’t bar himself.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
He looks at me. “You know, Jimmy’s is his place. He owns it. Isn’t that right, boss?” Garrett looks past me.
My heart skips a beat, and then I hear Emerson’s voice, the low drawl that sends shivers skittering
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