Page 81 of Lyrical

Get your pink ass here, Jills.

“Get your pink ass here, Jills,” Perry recited as she typed out the text.

“Just leave her be, Perry,” Stephen said, leaning back in his chair. “She’ll get here when she gets here.”

Perry sighed and looked at me. “Maybe you should text her. She might listen to you better. I think she’s pissed off at me for making her wear a certain dress tonight.”

I took a long draw from my bottle, giving the room another look. I hadn’t been there in years, but not much had changed. The place had a perpetual purple haze vibe that never dissipated.

“I’d give it a little more time,” I said, setting my beer on top of my knee. “She might still be getting ready, or maybe she’s with Daniel. And you know Jillian—you’re not making her do anything. If she does something, it’s because she chooses to.”

“Yeah, she’s a stubborn ass, all right. Good thing she loves me so much.” Perry smiled wide, then batted around the straw sticking out of whatever drink was in front of her. The shape of the glass reminded me of a cello, and the color matched Jillian’s eyes.

Stu gave me a quick wave from the stage as he was setting up. Jillian still had time; they hadn’t even started the first set yet. My hand went to my pocket, as it tended to do many times a day now that I carried the ring along with me. I didn’t keep it in the box but a small cloth bag. I was nervous as hell always keeping it on me, but I wanted to be ready when that right moment struck. Planning out the proposal beforehand wasn’t foolproof, as evidenced by our night on the rock.Our rock.Fucking ex-husband.

Perry slapped my arm, gaining my attention. “I heard you had a little run-in with Mike the other night. Any bloodshed?”

Jillian swore that Perry could read minds sometimes, and I tended to believe her. “Nah, it was cool.”

I’d almost wanted him to start something on the drive home, but he’d been exceptionally quiet. I hadn’t known the full story about Candace at the time, so I’d let it be. Yeah, I was royally pissed; if it weren’t for the interruption, I’d be officially calling my girlfriend my fiancée by now, but he hadn’t known what I’d planned. I tried to keep that in the back of my mind while my fist was begging for a workout.

“Knowing her ex, that surprises me.”

Stephen pushed away from the table. “Going up to the bar. Need anything?”

“I’m good, thanks.” I’d get the next one when Jillian arrived.

“Ooh… surprise me,” Perry said, and Stephen leaned over and kissed her before taking off. “So, what were you thinking offering him a ride home? I can’t imagine you’d want to be stuck in the car alone with that douchebag.”

“Better me than Jillian.”

“Yeah, I get it.” She winked. “Jealousy can make us do some crazy shit.”

“Not so much jealousy as protectiveness.”

She leaned forward, her arms splaying over the table. Her glass was sucked dry, and she was entering tipsy mode. “Jills told me all about your night before the dickwad got involved. You make her happy, Chase.”

“Just returning the favor.” I laughed then. “You really do tell each other everything, don’t you?” I was still coming to terms with that, but I knew if something was truly private I could trust Jillian to keep it between us if I asked her to.

“Yep, pretty much. Although….” She raised an eyebrow. “She never told mewhyyou asked to meet her there.”

“For dinner.”

“Uh-huh. And then?”

“And then we were going to enjoy each other’s company under the stars.”

“Uh-huh.”

I was finishing off my beer when she pounded the table so hard it banged against my legs, almost making me choke.

“Holy fuck! Does Jillian know?”

“Does Jillian know what?”

“Don’t you dare mess with me, Chase.” She pointed a finger at me. “Under the stars? Holy fuck!”

“What’re you yelling about?” Stephen returned, placing something oblong and orange in front of her. “Oh hey, I think Jillian might be here.”

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