Page 133 of On The Rocks

I blew out a breath. “That obvious?”

“Pretty much.”

“Don’t listen to him. You were just as bad, Kain.”

“I was not.” But he smiled behind the bottle, took one long drink then set it down, and got up to help Bells.

I glanced over to find him crowding her at the sink, both of them whispering about something that would probably make my ears red. I couldn’t fault them. I was just as bad as Kain had been with Bells.

And just as fucked up when things had gone sideways. It had been my fault. Lennon wasn’t the kind of woman who could be rushed, especially when she had her own personal goals that had fuck all to do with me.

I think the worst part of that had been that I didn’t have a plan. When I’d been focused on Kain, I didn’t have to worry about the fact that I was drifting. The orchard kept me busy enough, and the people were welcoming, but since the band had crashed and burned, I’d been in a holding pattern.

Day to day.

No goals, just existing.

Seeing Lennon in her element drove that home and the idea of losing her cut deep.

Bells squeezed my shoulder. “You might have to learn a little patience. Lennon has been on her own for a long time.”

“I know. I’m trying to remember that.”

“What were you down there for? Just to get away?”

“She was looking at a property for a club.”

Bells paused with plates in her hand. “Really?”

“Yeah. It was a cool place. Right on the water. It needed a lot of cosmetic renovations, but it would be a really cool place.”

Bells sat down in her chair. “I didn’t know she was looking to do that.”

My chest tightened. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it. “It didn’t pan out.”

“Sorry to hear that. She didn’t mention it at all.”

“Are you surprised,kaimoni?” Kain took the plates from her. “She’s a vault, unlike the rest of us.”

“You were just as secretive, once upon a time, big guy.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Until a feisty redhead schooled me.”

She grinned up at him. “I did, didn’t I?”

“Okay, gross.” I stood and cleared the rest of the table, Elmer following me into the kitchen.

Kain laughed. “We say the same when you’re mooning over Len.”

“I don’t moon over her.”

“Oh, you do.” Bells crouched down to give Elmer all the lovings, but he kept his eyes on me, even with all the attention. “But I think it’s cute.” She stood and came over to me to kiss my cheek. “And great. I like you two together.”

“If I can get her to stick around.”

“You have to make her want to. And if she doesn’t, you have to let her go. If she’s smart, she’ll come back.”

Annoyed that she was right, I took my anger out on the griddle that Kain had burned the shit out of with the onions and mushrooms on the grill.

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