Page 26 of (Un)Expected

I hated to voice the question, knowing Devyn was the only sister Calla regularly spoke to. Her older sister Laurel was a clone of their mom and made no secret of her disdain for Calla’s life. From the few times I met Devyn, though, she seemed like a good blend of her two sisters. While she was guarded, she also had a soft spot for her younger sister. Whenever Calla needed her, Devyn was there.

Calla nodded. “She’s been great about the whole thing. She’s busy at work, of course, but she’s been trying to help in her limited free time.”

“That’s great,” I said honestly. “I know I can’t tell a peony from a dahlia, but I’ll help you any way I can.”

She reached across the table to take my hand. “You already are. Being here and listening to me bitch is the best thing right now.” Her lips twitched in a devious way. “But there is one thing you can do for me…”

“If it has something to do with Adam, you’re walking home.”

“That wasn’t what I was thinking, but now that you mention it…”

“Calla!”

“Okay, okay,” she giggled, holding her glass in the air. “Aaron, it’s time for lemon drops! We’re celebrating!”

I shook my head, both excited and terrified for what the next few hours held. As Aaron dropped a large jug of vodka in front of us, I leaned over to ask Calla, “What are we celebrating?”

She shrugged. “You’re taking a risk on Adam, and I’m trying to get my shit together. Seems like as good a reason as any other.”

Now that was logic I could agree with.

TEN

Emerging from the church’s basement, I gave a quick wave over my shoulder, leaving the rest of the group to head further into town. While everyone else liked to gather at the local diner after our meetings, I was the outsider. Worked for me. Another reminder that this was all temporary.

I pulled out my phone, debating whether to take an Uber.Fuck it. It was a nice enough night. The stars were out and welcoming, and there was the slightest hint of a chill in the air—not enough to make me grab a coat, but enough to show that autumn was on its way.

There was something to be said about this town in the middle of the night. Once the lights went down, the main street of Saint Stephen’s Lake felt like a different place. Gone were the tourist traps and the visitors who typically lined the streets. The mini-golf park and various novelty shops turned off their signs hours ago. Instead, under the antique street lamps, you could see the old-world charm this town still held.

There were no pretenses, nothing fake about it. Saint Stephen’s Lake might have its flaws, but they didn’t bother to hide them. It was a trait I rarely saw back in LA.

The thought of my so-called home made my steps stutter a little. What would it be like to go back? Would it be a relief? Or would I still be thinking of quiet evenings here, wishing I was staring out at the glossy black waters instead of the Hollywood hills?

I already knew the answer. Being in Saint Stephen’s Lake, I felt lighter than I had in years. While LA was where I needed to be, it wasn’t home. It never would be. It was like trying to swim upstream. Uncomfortable. Unnatural. Necessary all the same.

As I tried to ignore that thought, a loud bark of laughter pulled at my attention. It came from the top floor of a double-decker bar on the corner of Main and Woodcrest streets. It was a fucking dumb idea, but I moved closer, my curiosity getting the best of me.

A flickering neon sign showcased the name of the bar: Paddy’s Wake. It stuck out among the rest of the town, designed to look like a tacky beach-side attraction. The obnoxious paint colors and surfboards littering the walls would have pissed me off in most circumstances, but here, it was even more irritating.

I stopped, turning to look at the building. While the lower floor was closed off, the top one had all open windows, wooden slats pushed open, held by chains covered in fake vines. Even from across the street, the drunken wails of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” reached me. As much as I tried to fight it, I smirked, imagining what the bar was like on the inside.

A few years ago, I would have grabbed a beer before joining them for a round or two. But now, it was like that bar was covered in bright warning signs urging me to stay the fuck away. No matter how much fun it could be, it would never be worth the self-loathing in the morning.

I’d worked too hard, too fucking long, to throw it away for a single night.

I forced myself to keep walking, hoping that I’d killed enough time for Theo and Adam to talk. My jaw tensed, thinking about their conversation. It was better I wasn’t there. Every time I sat in on one ofAdam’s meetings, I had to toe the line, which often ended with my foot in my mouth instead. While Adam took it all in stride, there had been plenty of times when I’d blown a fuse, sick to damn death of those people telling Adam how to live his life. His team managed everything, from his schedule to his diet. They knew everything about him, never allowing a moment when he could think for himself.

Another reason I’d never wanted Adam’s life. I might had made a lot of mistakes, but they were mine to own, no agents or reps waiting to call me out for any misstep.

As I debated heading back to the hotel, two girls stumbled out the bar’s front door. The first one captured my attention, her red hair glowing under the neon signs, but as soon as her friend came into view, she became a distant afterthought. The shorter brunette was the only person I could see, the broad smile on her face making the air zip right out of my lungs.

I’d only seen Alex with a scowl or a smirk, never this bold happiness. If that smile was aimed at me, I’d drop to my knees.

I didn’t notice the two men following them until they called out their names.

“C’mon, baby, one more drink…” one of the men called out, grabbing Alex by the waist.

She glanced down at his hand with a sneer before pushing it off her. “And we said no. Go back inside, boys. You’re gonna have much better luck in there than out here.”

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