Page 17 of One More Song

And not himself.

I drag a hand over my face roughly and curse under my breath because part of me knows that I’m following precariously close in his footsteps.

Self-reflection is a bitch, and not something I’m in the mood for tonight. What I need is something to quiet the demons in my head.

“Beer is not strong enough for this shit,” I mumble, standing and walking back into the house, grabbing the keys to one of the rental SUVs off the table.

“Where are you going?” Saint asks when I open the front door.

“Out.”

The guys don’t try to hide their curses. But it’s Dusky who voices their concerns, “The whole point of being here is to stay off the radar.”

I grab a baseball cap from the tree rack and put it on. “There, incognito.”

Synn just glares at me, but Saint is already rising from the couch, and he follows me outside.

“Don’t need a babysitter,” I mutter when he hops in the passenger seat beside me.

“Honestly, I need to get out of the house as bad as you do.” He rolls down the window when I start the ignition.

A second later, the two back doors open and Synn and Dusky pile in.

“So, where are we going?” Dusky asks.

I have no fucking clue. But after driving around the shitty little town for thirty minutes looking for a liquor store and not finding one, I finally settle on an old dive bar that looks mostly empty.

It’s as good a place as any to drown my sorrows in a bottle of whiskey.

Chapter Seven

Ember

“Ember is a fantastic cook,”Millie says as we’re all finishing our meals. Another one of her multiple attempts to pump me up in front of Granger.

I appreciate her effort. But I’m already a hundred percent certain that nothing will ever happen between us. She wasn’t lying when she said he was good looking. He’s got the whole burly, ‘I just wrestled a bear with my bare hands’ look going on.

But as much as I was hoping that there’d be some kind of sizzle and spark, anything to get my mind off Ash, there just isn’t.

Granger is wholesome and kind and solid. The kind of man I could count on. The kind of man Ishouldfall for.

But apparently, I have a type.

And he’s not it.

I’ve only ever fallen for guys who are bad for me. Men who make music are the ones who get my heart tied in knots. And I’d rather be single than go down that rabbit hole again.

“Millie says you have a daughter,” Granger says when the bill is paid and we start walking down Main Street toward our next destination.

“Yeah. She’s six.” I stumble slightly when my heel catches in a divot, and I’m grateful when Granger reaches for my elbow to steady me. Flesh against flesh, but still no heat - nothing.

He smiles down at me, his eyes warm, inviting.

“I have a son, Liam,” he says, his smile broadening when he mentions him.

“Really? Millie didn’t mention that.”

“He’s two. Lives with his mom. I hate that I only get to see him on the weekends. But I know right now it’s what’s best for him.” Granger keeps talking, and the more he does, the more I like him. And I get why Millie wanted to set us up. We actually have a lot in common.

---