Page 7 of When The Rain Falls

The attention I’ve gathered from around the room shifts away from me. And thank goodness. Because now I’m just blinking back hard, unwanted tears. I’m not a crier. But I’ve been crying a lot lately. This tequila is really doing a number on me tonight.What kind of tequila did they give me?Truth-serum tequila?Face-all-your-demons-at-once tequila?

I kick at the air in front of me and try to figure out where I go from here. My life is officially a train wreck. My job sucks. My best friend is slipping away. And my current residence is accessible by key card. I’m twenty-seven and I don’t even own a spatula.

Typically, this is where I’d find a guy to go home with. But that’s not what I want anymore.

“Where’s Mr. Backwards hat?”

Great.The troll. I forgot about him. I cross my arm and shoot him a dagger or two. If he would have just moved in the first place. I’d probably be dancing my heart out with Tate right now.

He’s focused on the drink in his hand, but his eyes keep flicking to me.

“Have you been keeping tabs on me?” I accuse.

“You kept dancing into my fucking line of sight,” he grumbles. “The grotesque image of your arms flailing in the air is burned into my retinas.”

I can’t help but smile at that.

“Mr. Backwards cap had to go. Have you ever had rug burn from someone dry humping your leg?”

The man’s lips quiver, but then they press together tightly.

He looks less imposing now. It crosses my mind that he might be having a hard night, too. Maybe I should try to be nicer to him.

“Dan says you're brooding,” I say quietly. Maybe talking about his problems will help me forget mine. “He warned me not to talk to you. What are you brooding about?”

He snorts. “Don’tyoulisten well,” he says dryly. I roll my eyes. So much for trying to be nice. When he doesn’t answer my question, I don’t push.

“Speaking of Dan, where is he? I could use a drink.” The man who started it all has suspiciously disappeared.

“Don’t you think six is plenty?”

“Excuse me? Have you been counting my drinks, sir?” I lean back on my hands and wait for his answer.

“You’ve been screamingshotsall night. Hard not to,” he mumbles. I shoot a huff out my nose and ignore the way the muscles in his forearms dance as he tenses his hands around his glass. His muscles. They’re obnoxious.

“Screw off,” I tell him. Who am I kidding? Another drink isn’t going to salvage tonight. I hop off the bar, but I stumble. As my body pitches towards the ground, I put out my hands to catch my fall. But I don’t fall. Something stops me. It happens so quickly. My body wobbles, but then I’m finding my footing.

One glance down explains everything. I yank Finn’s hand from my arm and tip my chin stubbornly in the air. When heat begins to rise to my cheeks, I march towards the exit at the other end of the room.

“Hey, wait.” The deep voice of the stranger grumbles behind me. What does he wantnow? Probably to describe to me what a real ass looks like and tell me more about what’s wrong with mine.

I turn just in time to watch Finn rise from his barstool. And when he stands, hestands. He oozes confidence. With his broad shoulders and large chest. His jeans fitting snugly around his thighs. His stormy grey eyes prominent on his hard, handsome face. He stands like a man who’s lived so much life that he’s worn a comfortable groove in it.

Too bad he’s such a dick.

“What?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“You planning to drive like that?” The condescension in his voice is what gets me the most. Like I’m a child and I need someone to look after me.

“It’s none of your business.” I spin again and continue walking.

“Goddammit,” I hear Finn grumble behind me.

I push open the door and find myself standing outside on a dimly lit sidewalk. The faint smell of saltwater hangs in the air. I rub my arms against the cold air and walk towards the large sign marking the entrance of my hotel.

“You’re in no position to drive.”

“Oh my God.” I spin to him once more. “I’m a big girl. Leave me alone.”

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