Page 69 of Cross My Heart

“Tequila, por favor?” my friend Gus says with a grin, and I narrow my eyes.

“Ah, got it. You want to talk. But if you look around, dear friend, it’s kinda busy. So, for now, I’ll pass.”

“Yeah, no.” He chuckles. “You’re not getting out of this one that easy.”

I get the shot of tequila for him and slide it toward him, along with some lime and salt. Instead of paying attention to that, he takes it straight and grimaces.

“How’s it going with your littlelove?” he asks, and I snort.

“Is there a point to this conversation?” I ask him, annoyed. “Just spit it out.”

“How are you holding up, Ty?” he asks me, his face serious. “I’m worried about you.”

“Well, I could be better,” I admit. “Things are tense at home with Scarlett and Noah. You know how they feel about each other.”

“That can’t be easy.” He nods slowly, and I sigh.

I clear my throat. “He also hates me.” Hate is the understatement of the year, but it hurts to talk about so I keep it simple. “And with good reason.”

“And what’s the reason?”

“I made him a promise to leave Scarlett,” I sigh. “And I didn’t do it?—”

“Fuck, Ty.” Gus grimaces. “What the hell.”

“I know.” I nod, then tuck my chin to my chest. “I was going to leave her before he got home, but then he got hurt and came home way earlier than expected. I had already lined up a lawyer, but I had to get the rest of my affairs in order. I need to sell the bar. I had to get it ready for that. I don’t know, man. But he won’t hear me out. And now he’s?—”

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear,” Gus says, and I look toward the door just to see him coming in—not alone.

My heart squeezes in my chest and goosebumps break out over my skin as I watch Noah and Thomas make their way to the darts. Neither one of them has a drink in their hand, but my man is wearing someone else’s jacket. Again. It’s as if he wants to piss me off and make me jealous. He knows it’s my night at work, and he comes here on his date? What the fuck for?

“He’s on a date,” I tell him. “With one of my friends.”

“Ouch.” He flinches for me. “That’s gotta hurt.”

“Yeah,” I say slowly. “Can’t say it feels good.”

“So what are you gonna do about it?”

“Nothing.” I shrug. “Let him go on his stupid date. I’m over it,” I lie.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Tyler,” he groans. “You’re giving up?”

“I’m not giving up,” I growl, leaning over the bar top again, getting closer to him so people don’t hear what we’re talking about. I look past him, and Noah’s eyes are flitting from Gus to me. “I’m just tying up loose ends.”

“Like what?”

My eyes connect with his once more, ignoring Noah. “I need to show him he’s the only one for me. And to do that, I need to keep all my promises.”

Just as Gus is about to reply, Noah makes his way over to us and leans into me. I get a whiff of his cologne, and my nostrils flare. He smiles at me sweetly, but I can tell he’s going to do something to irritate me. I can feel it in my bones.

“Can I get two shots of Jameson?” he asks me, and I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s his favorite. “Please?”

“Did you take your pain meds?” I ask through gritted teeth.

“No.” He shakes his head with narrowed eyes. “I’m taking Ibuprofen now.”

“Since when?” My nose wrinkles, and I try to think about why he hasn’t told me this.

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