Page 11 of Where the Stars Heal

Sunlit Cove comes alive at night. The energy down Main Street is contagious, and I can’t help but smile as I walk by the busy restaurants lit with fairy lights. The sun set acouple of hours ago, and the night air is warm. The smell of garlic hits my nose, and the live music from the center of town drifts down the street. People are mingling about, and kids are running around with glowsticks. It’s funny how when I first arrived here, I couldn’t see the appeal in a town like this. Everyone is so trusting, always there to help one another when needed, and they all know each other’s business. Keeping a secret here is impossible no matter how hard you try. Now, years later, I can’t see myself ever leaving.

Heading to work on your night off isn’t the ideal way to let go and have a wild time, but when you help run the only bar in town, it’s inevitable. It’s Friday night, and with summer upon us, Whiskey Cove is busier than ever, leaving little time to unwind. The ache that’s settling into my muscles and my patience wearing thin are constant reminders of how stressed I’ve been lately. And yeah, we’re closed on Mondays with everyone too hungover and exhausted from the weekend, but we often find ourselves at the bar restocking and resetting for the week ahead. Which is why Hunter and I agreed to take one Friday night off a month in the summer.

It’s still a little early, so I know the bar will be quiet. The guys will be getting prepared for the night ahead and placing bets on who will take who home with them tonight. Grinning to myself, I wonder if I’ll be on their bets.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I stop to check it

Piper: Hey Ash, you out tonight?

This chick. I stare down at the text and chuckle to myself. Piper and I are friends that sometimes sleep together. She’s always there and willing, which makes life ahell of a lot easier when you just want a quick fuck. I tap out a reply.

Me: Meet me at ten, Whiskey Cove.

I’m most likely going to regret this. The last time we slept together, she got a little too clingy, hoping for more, and I had to hit the breaks. It’s been months now, so hopefully she’s remembered that I’m still a no-relationship kind of guy. Images of Halle’s long legs and curves assault my mind, and a fire spreads down my legs. Rolling my neck to the side, I curse myself for thinking about her again. Yeah, Piper seems like a great idea.

I walk into Whiskey Cove and see Madison first. She’s behind the bar that sits in the center of the room. Behind her, the shelves are lined with all the liquor bottles that reflect in the golden glow of the lights. There’s a neon bar sign that sits above the booths on the far left wall and a jukebox in the corner, which makes for some great nights of old-school dancing. Two pool tables sit to the right of the bar, and a dartboard hangs on the wall. Making my way through the few tables and chairs scattered between the floor to the bar, I look around to see where Hunter and Connor are.

I love this place and how it offers everyone the escape they need from a long week or a long day. The atmosphere is always charged with excitement and tension. Even on our quiet nights during the week, people come here for the relaxed vibes, to catch up, have a beer, and a quick bite to eat. The lights are dimmed, and it smells fresh, but that won’t last when the alcohol starts flowing and the people start sweating.

I take a seat at one of the bar stools that our regularpatrons favor when they want to keep the drinks coming all night. Leaning forward, I rest my arms on the sticky countertop and smile at Madison. “Hey, Madi, where’re Hunter and Connor?”

Madison looks up from the lime she’s cutting and purses her lips. She’s wearing the Whiskey Cove black fitted tee and her favorite skinny jeans.

“I thought you were taking the night off, Ash. What are you doing here?” she says, pointing the knife at my face.

Laughing, I lean back. “Iamtaking the night off. Gonna have a few drinks with the boys, play some pool, and throw some darts.”

I hold my phone up and waggle my brows at her. “Also, Piper is meeting me here.”

Her nose scrunches. “Ew, Ash! I thought we all agreed that you need to find someone a little less clingy and bitchy.” Setting the knife down, she gives me that disapproving look.

“I know, but Madi, baby, a man has needs.” I shrug and give her a smirk.

Jumping off the stool, I head toward the back door that leads to our office and the storerooms, but not before I’m hit with a lime, followed by Madison yelling out, “You’re gross, dude, but don’t tell anyone else, my bet’s going on you tonight.”

I pick the lime up and throw it back to her, winking as the door closes behind me.

“YO, Hunter, you back here?” I yell down the hallway.

Connor walks out of the store room with a case of beer on his shoulders. “In the office, man.” He nods to the room down the hallway.

“Thanks, Con.” I slap him on the shoulder as we pass each other and go check on Hunter.

Laughing… I’m laughing and having fun. Fuck, this feels good. Whiskey Cove is packed tonight. The music is loud, the energy is high, people are playing pool, and the booths are full of people eating chicken wings and drinking. It’s stuffy in here; that fresh scent from earlier long gone.

I throw the dart at the dartboard, swaying to the side, and laugh again when I see that it’s landed way off the mark. One of the guys—I think it’s Jace, but I’m not so sure because he’s a little hazy—claps his hands in front of me to grab my attention, then takes the darts off me. I shake my head, trying to make him more solid, but I end up laughing again.

“You’re tanked, Ash. When was the last time you drank so much you couldn’t even stand?” The amusement in his tone tells me I’ll be paying for this tomorrow, but right now, I couldn’t care.

“Man, I’m good.” I throw my hands up in the air and lean into him like I’m making the biggest gesture of my life. “And, I haven’t even thought about her once.”

My smile drops for a moment, and I frown. “Well, besides just then, but that doesn’t count.”

It’s been hours, and that’s the first time she’s crossed my mind. I’ll take that as a win. I smile back at him so big my cheeks hurt. It feels unnatural.

“I don’t know who it is you are trying to forget, but if it’s Piper, I wouldn’t be so happy about it.” He glances over my shoulder, and I follow his line of sight.

“Because she’s walking this way and you look like hertarget, big boy.” He shoves me forward and walks off to the rest of the guys at the bar.

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