Page 124 of Stay with Me

“A soda would be good,” Avery said, and that’s when I remembered that Teresa wasn’t old enough to legally be in here, but at this point, what the hell ever. I walked them over to the bar and then I headed behind it to grab two sodas.

“Friends?” Nick asked.

I nodded.

“Take some time. We got the bar.”

“That’s not—”

“Take some time, Calla,” he repeated solemnly. “It’s okay. Roxy and I got the bar.”

Smiling at him, I nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”

I took the drinks out of the bar and around to where the two girls were huddled behind the occupied stools. Roxy was busying serving up drinks, and I reminded myself I needed to introduce her.

After handing over the drinks, I leaned against the wall, near a framed photo of a guy who looked like he belonged to the Hells Angels. Avery was looking at me strangely and when my eyes caught hers, she smiled tentatively.

“You look really good, Calla.”

“Thanks. It’s ... um, it’s the makeup.” My cheeks heated and I felt like a dork for saying that. “Well, I mean, I’m not wearing that much.”

“I like it.” She shook her wrist so the silver cuff slid into place.

“You do look great.” Teresa bit down on her lip and then she cut right to the point. “Who’s the girl?”

I wanted to cry. I wanted to bang my forehead off the barandcry. “She’s this girl who he’d hooked up with a while ago.”

“A while ago?” Teresa was eyeing Jax as he stood with the guys, facing us. Her tone bled doubt, and I wanted to throw myself in front of a moving truck.

“Yeah,” I whispered, taking a deep breath as Jax looked over in my direction. The grin on his face faded. I looked away, focusing on my friends, and I did smile, because I was thrilled that they were here. “Anyway, I’m glad you guys are here. How long are you all staying?”

“We checked into a hotel not too far from here.” Avery tucked her hair back behind one shoulder. She was so damn pretty with her red hair and faint freckles. “And we’re going to tour the city tomorrow.”

“You’re off, right?” Teresa asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I can join you. Should be fun.” At least, I hoped I could join them, all things considered.

“Awesome. Avery’s never been to Philly before,” she explained.

She laughed. “I’ve pretty much never been anywhere before.”

Avery and I ... yeah, we were kind of kindred souls even though I didn’t know her as well as I knew Teresa. I grinned at her. “I’ve never been half of anywhere, so it’s okay.”

Her smile spread, reaching her eyes, and she glanced over toward the guys at the exact same moment Cam looked over. His lips curved up.

Damn, they were as cute as a romance book.

I opened my mouth, but then the door opened and Katie strolled in, glimmering like a fairy. The chick shimmered from the top of her blond head, all the way down to her bubble-gum pink toes that peeked through her golden platforms. Her dress was more like a shirt or like an overlong tank top. It clung to her breasts and hips but was loose around the waist and ended mid-thigh. She worked it.

And she even had wings.

Translucent pink wings—not angel wings—but fairy wings strapped to her back, and she also worked them.

Teresa opened her mouth and then snapped it shut, and a laugh bubbled up my throat at the way her eyes crossed.

Katie looked around the bar, eyes narrowing when she spotted Aimee and her friend, but then she looked our way. A wide smile broke out across her pretty face. She trotted our way.

“Girl, I’m on break. You’re on break. Obviously!” she chirped. “Our breaks were meant to be.”

---