Page 6 of Shadows in Bloom

I roll my eyes to fight off whatever this squirmy feeling is. “Probably fucked it up, though. She was acting weird, and part of me was itching to figure out what was wrong, but the other half was just so fucking nervous, I couldn’t even hold the conversation. And then, she left.”

After a few seconds of nothing, I glance up to find both Rhett and Dom staring at me. My eyes flick between them before dropping to the sea of legs below.

“What the fuck are you staring at me for?”

“You couldn’t even get her number, Jame?” Rhett asks, sounds incredulous. Disappointed.

“Oh, please,” I scoff, defensive. “You shouldn’t even be surprised by that.” But even as I say it, the humiliation makes itself known, feeling painfully hot again.

“Where did you see her?” Dominik asks.

I jerk my head. “The bar. She’s working here.” Dom’s face lights up at that, barring more confusion from me. He leans forward, lips to Everett’s ear. Rhett’s brows furrow as he listens to Dominik, and when he’s finished, he pulls back and brushes past me, disappearing into the crowd.

Rhett’s eyes never leave the general direction Dominik faded into as he says, “He’s going to get her number for you.”

“For fuck’s sake, Rhett. I can get a girl’s fucking number myself, thank you,” I sound pathetic, and I know it. And he just laughs. Right in my fucking face.

“Sure.”

“Fuck off.”

His elbow digs into my side as he nudges me. There’s feedback on a mic that also makes me wince. “You know you love me, Jame.”

I recoil, face twisted into a grimace. “Eugh. Don’t ever say that to me again.”

His short huff makes my lips twitch, but I maintain my glare. “Yeah, I figured I’d try it out, but you’re right. That was fuckin’ weird.”

Our eyes meet for a moment before we straighten and look forward at the stage, now ready for the final band. It’s quiet between us until Dominik shows up, seemingly out of breath—which of course, garners all of Everett’s attention.

“Sorry,” Dominik huffs, hands on his waist. “Didn’t wanna miss the beginning.”

Everett just lifts a silent brow as Dominik pulls off his hat, shakes out his damp curls, and places it back on backward. My foot is tapping restlessly, waiting for him to fucking spill it. Which seems to amuse the both of them to no end.

“Beauty, quit being a brat.”

His returning smirk is devious. “Fine. She left.”

“Excuse me?” I blurt.

He shrugs. “I looked for her, but this other guy working?—”

“Tom?” I interrupt.

Dom nods. “Yeah, him. He said she went home. Sick or something.”

My head drops. “Fuck.” Did seeing me again really fuck her up that bad?

“But…” Dominik drawls.

My head jerks up. “Not all of us like being fucking edged, Dominik,” I sneer, which makes Everett cackle. Dominik has the decency to flush, even in the low lights.

He pouts. “You’re not any fun. Whatever. I ran into Jax, and he happened to mention that she actually works full time at Leo’s Pub and was only filling in here for a few nights until they got someone with more experience.”

My brows furrow. “Am I supposed to know what that means?”

Dominik’s lips part, but then a loud guitar strum cuts through the tumultuous chatter, and voices whoop and holler as the band saunters across the stage, random notes bleeding into the intro of their first song.

He leans in and shouts in my ear, “We’ll show you after.” And his smile should make me feel better, but all I feel is sick to my stomach.

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