Page 14 of The Red-Hot Stakes

Avery cringed. “Not me. You know how much I ‘love’ singing in front of people.” As extroverted as she was, it never failed to surprise me how much she hated performing karaoke.

Derek laughed. “And how well you sing. Good thing I love you for other reasons.”

She elbowed him. I glanced at Liam who narrowed his eyes and ever so slightly shook his head, which I took to mean he would not be singing tonight either. So I let the topic drop. For now.

Turning back to Avery and Derek, I asked, “Your usual, I presume?”

They both nodded as I jotted down their favorite top shelf whiskey. Liam tapped his glass, wanting another as well. We chatted for a few more before I left, returning with their drinks in time to hear a snippet of their conversation.

Liam asked, “How’s she doing with the whole Josh thing?”

I paused, wanting to hear the answer.

Avery shrugged. “She’s doing what Gina does whenever someone hurts her. He’s dead to her now. She’ll shove him and everything associated with him into some little box in her mind.”

And while I knew they were just worried about me, I felt called out, because that’s exactly what I’d been doing. I strode over and set the drinks on the table. “Here you go.”

A flash of alarm crossed Avery’s face but dissipated when I kept my happy expression in place. I didn’t mind too much what she’d said. It was true, after all. I just didn’t want her to start in on my past. No one needed to go down that road ever again, and I didn’t want the pity that came with hearing about the string of foster homes I’d been through. Especially from Liam.

I kept my voice cheery though the ice was already creeping back in. “Need anything else?”

They all shook their heads, so I went about my rounds, filling drinks, taking orders. The next time I checked on my friends, they were all deep in a conversation that halted again when I showed up.

All three wore awkward expressions, like kids with their hands caught in the cookie jar. With Liam so tight-lipped earlier, I knew better than to ask, though I couldn’t help my hurt at being left out so blatantly. I briefly wondered if they were still talking about me but I knew better.

Avery wouldn’t let that happen.

Still, I was kept in the dark, and I watched their table each time I walked by, jealousy eating at me. Even worse, Derek and Avery were their normal selves with Liam, all snuggled up and holding hands. Liam was animated, talking in excited tones with big gestures. He even laughed, a far cry from his discomfort with me earlier.

It seemed like they were all better off without me, and my mood only darkened as the night went on. It was a fight to keep my lips turned up, easier just to sink back into the numbness that beckoned.

At least there, nothing hurt.

* * * *

I desperately needed to stay busy, if only to avoid staring at the gaping nothingness that had swallowed me whole. If I kept moving, my friends couldn’t question me about my day or how I was doing. They just left me alone. But my fresh injury meant short shifts, even over the weekend, and I was left with the one thing I didn’t want.

Time.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a Saturday night off. I trudged down the hallway, Avery’s distinct laughter reaching me through the door, telling me they were home. A sigh escaped me as I braced myself for the barrage of questions, forced cheerfulness and badly hidden whispers of concern. I took a deep breath then pushed open the door.

Three heads swiveled toward me, Avery responding first. “Gina! You’re home early.” She grabbed the remote, pausing Russell Crowe just before he said his line about weevils in Master and Commander.

Liam stretched. “Good. I’ve tried to watch this movie five times, and I give up. Let’s do something else. Anything else.”

They all stared at me expectantly, as if I would pull an idea out of my ass. I shrugged. I wanted nothing more than to hole up in my room, but I knew that was a surefire way to bring Avery rushing in for a heart to heart. It was easier to sit out here and grunt once in a while.

“Did you eat?” Avery asked.

I nodded, taking off my shoes and tossing them toward my room.

“How was work?” Derek tried. “Decent crowd?”

“Fine.”

They exchanged a look. I felt something nudge me, glancing down to see Liam’s knee jutting into my thigh as he leaned forward to stretch. He didn’t seem to notice the contact. I tried to shift away, but he ate up the distance between us like it was nothing. Even his scent wouldn’t leave me alone, and I tilted my head to get a fresh breath of air.

Avery started babbling about the successful day they’d had wedding planning, the many details they’d worked out. But all I could focus on was Liam slowly and surely taking over my space. He has two thirds of the couch, why does he need my section, too?

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