Page 66 of Scrape the Barrel
Beck saluted her. “My pleasure.”
Behind them, Brandy came storming out of the bar, Reed close on her heels. His black cowboy hat was pulled low, but he looked frustrated as shit. I could practically see the veins bulging out of his tattooed arms.
“Leave me alone,” Brandy spit out at him, not bothering to glance back as she headed for her Bronco in the parking lot.
Reed grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. We all watched them, knowing what was coming next.
“Get your fucking hand off of me,” Brandy seethed, her tone lethally calm.
“No. You’re not getting in that fucking car drunk,” Reed gritted out, his voice gravelly.
She ripped her arm from his, though it took little effort. “Callan will drive me.”
I swallowed as Reed turned his glare on me. Brandy was practically my little sister, and though I’d come to her rescue from Reed countless times to avoid further drama between the two of them, tonight was not one of those nights.
“Reed will have to take tonight, B,” I said to her.
Brandy turned to me, a look of betrayal passing over her. I couldn’t keep getting in the middle of them. Sooner or later, they’d have to figure this shit out and get over whatever the fuck was going on between the two of them.
Brandy crossed her arms. “Then I’ll walk.”
“Like fucking hell you will,” Reed grumbled. “There’s two other vehicles here. Take your choice.”
Brandy was doing this to get a rise out of him. She always did. She practically reveled in him getting worked up.
I turned to Sage, blocking the two of them out as they all situated who was driving with who. “Ready to go?”
She sucked in a deep breath, nodding. Though she’d come with the girls, there didn’t seem to be any question that I’d be driving her home. I braced one hand on the already opened passenger door while the other hovered at her back as she got in. I wanted to give her space rather than assume she’d be okay with me touching her again.
Once she was buckled, I closed the door and rounded the truck, giving everyone a short wave before sliding behind the wheel.
“My parents' place to pick up Avery?” I asked as I turned the key.
She shook her head, leaning back in the seat. “No. Your place.”
24
Callan
My parents were fine with Avery spending the night once I called them, but I wasn’t sure what Sage wanted out of tonight. Was it too soon to take her to bed? Did she just want to chat? I’d talk with her all night if she wanted, but I didn’t want to ruin whatever this was between us. If there even was anything between us.
She could have only kissed me because of the rush, but a part of me knew it wasn’t just that.
It’d been so long since I’d been with anyone that I didn’t really know what classified as dating. We’d gone on one date and shared one kiss, but did she want more?
I turned onto my driveway, heading toward the house. It wasn’t too far from the street, but the dirt road was bumpy as we approached the white two-story.
“This is your house?” Sage asked from beside me, finally speaking after keeping quiet the entire ride.
“It is.” Shifting into park, I killed the engine and hopped out. I took steady breaths on my way around the hood to open her door for her. The nerves were settling in, but I did my best to keep them away. I didn’t need to be nervous around Sage. She was like sunshine after a blizzard, warming every cold inch that she shined on. Any fear I may have felt about having her in my home couldn’t touch me.
After sliding off the seat, she looked up at the house while I closed the door. “You live here alone?” she asked as she turned to me.
“Aside from the crickets and coyotes?” I joked. “Yeah, I do. My brothers give me shit for having a house like this until they’re the ones crashing in my guest rooms.”
“Rooms?” she repeated, emphasizing theS.
“Just two.” Guilt slammed into me like a train. She and Avery were living over in town in a small two-bedroom cottage-like house, and I was out here living alone in a structure four times that size.
