Page 43 of Master of My Life

table in a corner of the sports bar down the street from Chase’s condo.

They hadn’t been there in over a month and though he’d loved spending time with Sabrina, Chase

missed his weekly “guy’s night out.” He’d called Jayson earlier in the day, determined to get out

together before Nutcracker started. Ethan normally came out with them, but he was home with

Sabrina.

Chase took a sip of his beer. “Yeah. She still wants to be with me, even after last night’s

Gathering.”

“Figured she would.”

“Really?”

Jayson rolled his eyes. “She’s head over heels in love with you.”

“Yeah, but she’s also . . . you know.”

“She’s awfully human for not being human.”

“True.”

The bar erupted into cheers and the Boston College football game distracted them for several

minutes.

“Is Joel playing tonight?” Jayson asked.

“Should be. Mom and Casey went to see him play.” Chase squinted at the television, searching for

his little brother’s number. “Yeah. There he is.”

Chase and Jayson watched the game for a while and cheered along with the bar as the team scored

against Syracuse.

Their waitress smiled brightly as she sauntered up to their table a few minutes later carrying two

baskets of hot wings. Jayson sat up a little straighter and grinned at her. “Thanks, Lia.”

She smiled, her eyes bright, shaking her head to move her blonde ponytail behind her shoulder.

“You’re very welcome.”

Chase grinned. She and Jayson had been eying each other since he and Jay arrived. She didn’t

seem interested in any other guy in the bar. He hadn’t seen Jayson so taken by a girl in a long time.

Except for Sabrina. “Lia, this is Jayson.”

Jayson glared at Chase, then he gave Lia a nervous smile.

Her cheeks turned pink. She was pretty, with dark blue eyes and an endearing smile, though older

than most of the waitresses here, which didn’t mean much, considering most of them were college

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