Page 63 of All Our Ghosts

I called Fisher two days into my ride and gave him a heads-up that I was coming. Fisher laughed and said he’ll have a bottle waiting for me and hung up. I’ve been standing outside his house for twenty minutes debating whether this will be even worth it. Deep down, I know it is. I can’t sleep without seeing her face; she’s tormenting me from halfway across the country.

The front door swings open as Fisher takes a step out onto his porch, holding his glock in one hand. I raise a brow as I trail over the old man. His beard is thicker than the last time I saw him, though he’s still suspicious as ever.

“Nash.” He regards me before glancing up and down the street. “Almost didn’t recognize ya with that mop on your head.”

I chuckle and run my fingers through the long hair, tucking it back behind my ear. I really need to cut it. “That homeless look suits you well, Hank.”

Fisher shifts on his feet, eyebrows raising as he relaxes the arm holding the gun. I make my way to the porch taking the steps slowly as I glance up at my friend. “You got mirrors in California?”

He chortles. “Get in here, you’re letting the cool air out.”

I shake my head as I follow Hank inside. He sets the gun down on the table before turning to me as I make sure the door clicks shut behind me. “You didn’t drive this far to talk about my looks, Nash. What do you want to know?”

“I need all of the information you found on Kadence.”

KADENCE

Istare at myself in the full-length mirror in Blake’s room. The lilac dress hangs off my body like a dream. I’ve never worn anything like this before. The straps dig into my shoulders but not enough that it’s uncomfortable and the slit that allows me to walk ends just high enough on my thigh that nothing will be exposed. I can’t help but think of what Jeremy would say if he saw me like this, the slew of insults that would have spewed from his lips as he looked upon me in disgust. I run my fingers through my hair, combing out the dark curls that after fussing with for so long, I decide to keep down.

It’s hard. Seeing myself like this. Dolled up. There’s a ball of guilt that sits in my stomach for how I look. I actually think I look good, gorgeous even, and Blake reminds me every two seconds that I lookout of this worldas she puts it. But still, I can’t help feeling like I don’t deserve this. Don’t deserve the happiness that tonight is meant to bring when Holden is still out there without the truth.

“You look beautiful.”

I spin around, almost toppling over before catching myself on Blake’s dresser. Cole stands in the doorway of the room, leaning against the frame with his arms folded over his chest. His eyes are glued to mine as I look up at him. I’d finally stopped giving him the cold shoulder after my session with Dex and things between us have been a little less tense.

“Thank you,” I sigh, turning back to the mirror. “I’m not used to feeling like this…” I laugh softly. Cole moves behind me in the mirror.

“Like what?”

I pause, my eyes rake over my body in the mirror. The black combat boots I insist on wearing because heels are completely out of the question make me taller, but he still towers over me. “Beautiful.”

Cole rests his hands on my shoulders, turning me to him. “You are though, Kadence.” His brows furrow for a moment as our eyes meet again. He tilts his head. “Did he tell you that you weren’t?”

I suck in a breath, dropping my gaze from his knowing that ‘he’ means Jeremy. I feel his finger under my chin, lifting my eyes back to his.

“He lied.” Cole’s eyes search mine. The words come out firm and hardened as if he’s etching them into stone.

I study him, looking for any deception in his eyes. Anything that would tell me he’s just saying this to make me feel better, but I find nothing. A smile grows on his lips, it’s not his usual Cole grin but it’s something and there’s still this weird wall standing between us. He taps my chin with his knuckle before taking a step back.

“C’mon, Blake and Dex are waiting and I can’t leave those two alone for long periods of time.”

I laugh and pick my leather jacket up from the bed. “Something tells me it’s not because of Dex.”

He slings his arm over my shoulder as he leads me back to the center of the clubhouse. “No, it definitely isn’t.”

We make our way into the common room. Blake’s already badgering Dex, who’s doing his best to ignore her. His head turns in our direction and his eyes rake down my body and back up to my eyes. A smile spreads across his lips as Blake follows his eyeline.

“See!” Blake grins running up to me. “Told you that you clean up good, Andrews.” She playfully nudges my side as Dex approaches us.

“That she does,” Dex drawls.

Cole stands up a little straighter, clapping his hand over Dex’s shoulder. “You’ll keep an eye on them tonight?”

“I thought this was a girl’s night?” I ask with a raised brow.

Dex grins down at me, his tongue flicking over his bottom lip. “It is.”

Blake wraps her arm around my waist, leading me towards the door. “Marlowe won’t be there tonight, and judging how your last encounter with Layla went…it’s probably a good thing.” I look over my shoulder to the men as they speak in hushed tones.

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