Page 23 of Wish You Were Mine

Fuck my life.

“Asher.”

I glanced up. Bailey was holding a towel out to me.

I took it and dried my face, then passed the towel back to her. “Thanks.”

“It’s fine,” she said, tossing it aside.

I flinched. Coming from Bailey, the queen of enthusiasm, a simple “fine” was definitely the cold shoulder.

Fair enough. I’d insulted her best friend.

My head down, I returned to our table, beer-less and reeking of wine.

“What was that about?” Liam asked.

Toby looked like he was about to bust himself trying to hold in his laughter.

“Let it out,” I snapped. “Go on.”

He burst out laughing. Nate joined him. To their credit, both Liam and Connor resisted.

“Seriously,” Toby gasped between laughs. “What did you do to her?”

I didn’t reply, but I felt my face turning red as shame heated my insides. I’d been an ass. I looked over at Summer, who was once again spinning in Darcy’s arms. I wanted to stride over there and tear them apart, but after how poorly I’d behaved, I deserved to have to sit here and watch her with someone else.

Karma at its finest.

11

SUMMER

“What did Asher say to end up wearing your drink?” Darcy asked as I rejoined him.

“It wasn’t my drink.” I didn’t know whose it was, but I trusted that Bailey would replace it. “He was acting like an ass, as usual.”

Darcy grimaced. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. He’s being weird.”

I kept quiet because I hadn’t noticed whether he was behaving differently. We were always at odds, so it was difficult to tell.

“Let’s just dance,” I said, taking his hand.

A grin crept across his face. “Sure.”

We danced until my feet ached. Through pop music, country songs, and ballads. I laughed and smiled nearly enough to wipe the sting of Asher’s comment from my mind—but not quite.

Darcy was good company. I wasn’t interested in him romantically—he reminded me too much of a younger version of my brothers for that—but I liked spending time with him. Eventually, he pulled me off the dance floor, dropped my hand, and let his head flop back.

“I need a breather,” he said. “I haven’t done this much cardio in ages.”

I laughed. “You’d never know. You’ve been keeping up well.”

He winked. “Thanks, beautiful. I’d better bow out now though.”

He turned and made his way toward the bar. I lingered for a moment, debating whether to sit down or find another partner. If I stopped dancing, I’d have time to mull over Asher’s cruel words, and I’d rather not do that.

“May I have this dance?” a raspy American-accented voice said from behind me.

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