Page 13 of For the Cameras

It was a slightly sore subject. Jamie still lived in the tiny beach town where we’d both grown up in California, and as a restaurant line cook, he didn’t usually have much cash on hand.

I’d moved to Colorado on a whim for a guy I was dating four years ago.

And then I’d promptly beendumpedby that guy. He’d encouraged me to use all of my savings to move here after only knowing him for two months.

Soon after, I’d told him I loved him.

Then he’d told me I was “too much,” and kicked me to the curb.

That may as well have been ancient history, now. Even though he had been a prick, I’d landed on my feet as best as I could. I’d fallen in love with the mountains and made friends, and now I was glad that I’d come to Colorado.

But that guy was also the last person I’d ever truly dated. My hopeless romantic days were over. Since I’d been so badly burned, I’d been strictly no-strings-attached for the last four years, and it was a freedom I’d badly needed in my life. I still had fun. I still made connections.

I just didn’t dare let anyone into my heart these days. Giving my all to somebody else was like giving up a part of me, hoping to hell they wouldn’t crush it under their feet.

And I’d rather be unattached and free forever than have that kind of pain again.

My life was fun and simple now here in Colorado, even if I missed Jamie and my mom every day. Mom was sweet as hell and had dealt with medical bills for years after suffering an injury long ago. Jamie helped her out in person, and I sent back money to help whenever I could, but truthfully, before my current job I hadn’t had much cash on hand, either.

“You’re ready for a night out in that long-sleeve. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he joked. “I’m about to head to Mom’s for dinner.”

“I’ve been doing things you wouldn’t do all my life,” I said with a smile. “And that sounds good. I’ll call Sunday night and video chat with both of you for longer, okay?”

“Love you, Chase.”

“Love you.”

I headed downstairs onto the street. The sun was just setting over Spruce Street, the main street in Jade River. When I’d moved here I’d been more than happy to take a small apartment in one of the brick buildings that lined Spruce Street, because every time I left the front door, I was greeted by the slow bustle of people walking from shop to shop, big trees overhead, hanging lights, and plenty of little mom-and-pop restaurants. It was nothing like Stellara Beach, California, mainly because therewasno beach here and instead every street was lined with pine trees.

But as far as the small-town feel went? Jade River almost felt like a little sister-town to my old beach hangout. Both of them were relatively out of the way of a major city. And Jade River had everythingI’dever need, with a bar like Jade Brewery sitting near the end of Spruce Street, just across a little bridge near my apartment building.

I walked over the bridge now, past a mom pushing a stroller, a man running with his Boston Terrier, and a group of teenagers aimlessly beginning their Friday night.

Jade Brewery was like a big, giant wooden cabin of a brewery. Tonight, people were steadily streaming inside up the short wood front steps and in through the front doors. Some sort of world dance music was playing on the speakers, and I moved along to the music as I headed in.

“Chase,” Jax said from behind the bar, waving me over. He was one of my favorite bartenders, a friendly frat guy type who was always in a happy mood. “What can I get you started with tonight?”

“Give me something pink and fruity and delicious,” I said. “Something pretty and tropical to sip while I’m on the hunt for smart-guy dick.”

Jax snorted. “Is that the plan for tonight?”

“I sure hope so. Have you seen any contenders yet? My type is guys who look smart but also like they could pin me against a wall.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jax said as he started making my drink, taking a long spoon and dipping it into a jar full of crushed sugared strawberries. “I only have eyes for one person, and he’s sitting at the other end of this bar.”

I looked over and nodded at Charlie, Jax’s boyfriend. Charlie worked for the Fixer Brothers, and they’d met here at the brewery and fallen head over heels for each other.

“Does Charlie even know how lucky he is, turning a straight frat guy like you into a dick-sucking extraordinaire for him?”

“Not exactly sure I was straight, even before IknewI liked Charlie,” Jax said. “I was just clueless. Ninety percent of my thoughts were about soccer until about… oh, two years ago.”

“And what are your thoughts about now?”

He turned his head to one side. “Still at least fifty percent soccer, but the rest are really, really gay, sickeningly loving thoughts about Charlie.”

“I heard that,” Charlie shouted from the opposite end of the bar, “and I liked what I heard.”

Jax blew him a kiss and then finished my drink, sliding the tall glass across the bar. The drink was ruby-red at the bottom and formed a gradient, getting peach-colored and bubbly near the middle and topped off with some sort of frothed pink cream and a fresh sprig of mint.

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