Page 77 of Between the Blue
I cut off, finally finding Ben. He’s on the far end of the table, exactly opposite of where I’m standing now. He’s sitting there quietly while everyone chats around him, holding a full glass of what looks to be whiskey on ice.
“Great, let’s go,” Rhett says, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me over to the nearest seat before I can protest.
He takes a sip of his beer, looking down at my empty hands. “Hey, you don’t have a drink yet? What are you waiting for, Little Dixon?”
I shrug. “I got distracted.”
“Well, that won’t do. Let’s get you one–”
“I got it,” a voice speaks up, making me go rigid.
I turn my head slowly to find Ben’s eyes on me.
“I…Really?” I ask.
He doesn’t say anything, setting his glass down and standing up from the table.
“You don’t have to–”
“Already am.” He mutters as he passes me, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Okay then,” I say, my brows pulled together. “An Old Fashioned, please?”
I make out the vague sound of a grunt, which I take as acknowledgement.
“Great,” Rhett smiles, plopping down on the stool next to me. As he does so, Luke and Ragnar turn their attention towards us.
“So,” Buck says, “How are you liking it here so far, Addie?”
“Here, as in Texas?” I ask. “Or the Storm?”
“Are you not from Texas?” Ragnar asks, his thick Northern European accent and piercing blue eyes giving him the vibe of one of the bad boys I read about when I go through my phases of binging dark romance books.
“Georgia,” I say.
“Ah,” Ragnar tuts. “So, is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“Is everything bigger here?” he grins.
I find myself chuckling. “I must say, a lot of things really are.” I wish I already had a drink, feeling the need to fidget with something. “The Storm certainly is.”
“In a good way?” Rhett asks.
“I think so,” I say, smiling tightly. “Maybe ask me in another month.”
I feel Ben’s presence instantly as he returns. I turn to watch him approach at the same time I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I turn the opposite direction, finding Caroline standing next to me now. “Oh, hey,” I say.
I feel a drink suddenly shoved into my hand and move to grip it before it crashes to the table. “Um, thank you,” I call after Ben, but he’s already making his way back to his seat.
“So,” Caroline begins, making me turn back to her. “I really need to head out, unfortunately. I have some stats to catch up on from the other games that happened tonight and need to get ahead on some homework.”
“Aw, no worries,” I tell her. “I get it. All of that comes first, of course. I’m sure I’ll head out in a few minutes too.”
Especially now that she’s leaving.
