Page 60 of Bourbon and Lies

Ouch. That didn’t feel playful.

I clear my throat. “I guess today he’s not.”

Maybe all that truth finally sunk in about what I had done—cheated with an engaged man. He didn’t know about the brave thing that brought me here. The ugly thing was enough to push him away.

I’m not going to trash myself about this. If he’s the one having a come-to-Jesus moment about me, then I should be relieved that I didn’t share more. I’ll get over the kiss and the kindness. The sweet gestures and private moments. Eventually. But if there had been more than that? If I woke up next to him. If I had let him romance me right into bed, maybe not. Maybe he’s saving me the heartache in the long run. So, I push my shoulders back, tits out, and shift my attention.

“Is that henna?”

Lark turns her hands over and shows me the prettiest designs that wrap from her fingertips all the way up to her wrists. “Isn’t it so cool? And it’ll last when it peels away too.”

“Do you like my butterfly paint?” Lily asks with a mouthful of cotton candy.

“I do. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Lincoln shoves his hands into his pockets. It’s obvious that he can read the tension. “We were just going to head down to pet some animals. Apparently, they’re also doing pet adoption today.”

Even though it’s Lincoln who asked, my eyes stay trained on Grant. I glance down at his knuckles, remembering what Romey told me just a few minutes ago. “What happened to your hand?”

He clears his throat before he says, “Someone crossed a line.”

My cheeks feel warm as I try my hardest to bite back a smile. I liked that the quiet ex-cop went ahead and decked the slimeball that was coming on to me.

Lincoln interrupts, “Laney, want to join us?”

“I think I’m going to walk around here a bit more. I’ve never been to a fair this big.” I look around at the tables down this section and I feel like aside from spending some money, maybe it’s a good time to talk. I can’t figure out what’s going on and I’d rather just get it out there. Rip off the band-aid. “Do you want?—”

But Grant interrupts as he starts walking away. “Girls, c’mon!” His nieces use that as their cue to take off running ahead of him.

Lincoln lingers behind. “They’re going to eat their way through the day.”

I hold up my drink and bag of popcorn. “Same.”

“You going to be here later for the band?”

“Maybe.”

“Good.” He smiles. “I know there’s something going on between you and Grant. You’d have to be blind not to have seen it.” Shaking his head, he sighs. “He likes you, Laney.”

“He sure does know how to confuse a girl,” I say with a side-eye. Lincoln’s tight-lipped smile tells me he knows. I let out a breath and admit, “But I like him too.”

“Something is eating away at him. When he backs off and gets quiet, he’s working through something. It might feel like it’ssomething about you, but I’d bet all my money that it’s got more to do with him.”

I nod because, really, what am I supposed to say to that? I couldn’t begin to guess. I don’t know enough. Most of what I’ve learned about Grant has been through others.

My phone buzzes in my bag.Hadley.

“I’m going to catch up with them.” Lincoln points at me as he walks away. “See you on that dance floor later, Laney.”

HADLEY

Okay, where are you? I’m almost done with my mint julep slushie.

LANEY

Craft tables.

HADLEY

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