Page 254 of Second Sets Omnibus
“Give her some tequila; she’ll spill everything,” Ode, my former best friend, says with a menacing grin. I snort when she walks behind the bar, standing beside her brother. Reaching behind her, she grabs the most expensive tequila they have and slams it on the bar.
“Mmhmm,” Leon hums, grabbing three shot glasses and filling them with tequila. “Take your shot.” Sliding the small shot glass in front of me, he watches intently as I swallow my bite.
“Remind me why I call you family?” I quip, tapping a finger on the tiny glass filled to the brim with the devil’s golden liquid.
“You love us,” Ode says with a grin, holding up her shot glass. “Let’s toast!”
“To my sister from another mister fighting for love and happiness,” Leon says, grinning when we clink our glasses together.
“Weak toast,” Ode grumbles, bumping her elbow into his ribs.
“It was perfect. Thanks, guys,” I laugh, downing my shot.
It’s time to let go of everything. My hurt. Anger. Resentment. I wash it away with the burning liquid scorching my throat. This is a new adventure. Our past may guide us into the future. But I’m so tired of looking back and remembering how I felt when they left without a word. I’m ready to forgive and move on.
Reaching across the bar, I grab the bottle of tequila and refill our glasses with a grin.
“Oh, Riv’s getting wasted,” Ode laughs, grabbing her filled glass again.
“This is to new beginnings. New adventures. The door to the past is closed, and I’m ready to open the new door to my future. Here’s to us,” I say, clinking my glass against theirs. Tossing my head back, I down the shot again, groaning at the slight burn.
“You got this, baby girl,” Leon says, squeezing my hand. “Or I’ll hide them in my basement.” He grins, staring behind me as the crowd goes wild.
Butterflies fill my stomach when Rad pushes through the crowd. His grin lights up the room as he takes pictures with every person who asks him with joy until he gets to me. Those molten lava eyes catch mine, and he winks. He fucking winks, and my insides melt.
I blame the tequila.
“Is that nachos?” Rad asks, settling next to me on a bar stool with hearts in his eyes. “I love your damn nachos…” he trails off when he reaches for a piece. It’s the hand slap heard across the world. Or that’s what it seems like when he gasps. “Ouch, Pretty Girl. Sharing is caring!” he shouts with mock horror, putting a hand to his chest. “I swear we’ve had this discussion before. What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours.” He waggles his brows at the implication.
Where’s that tequila? Because at this rate, I’m going to need the entire bottle to make it through tonight without doing something stupid. Like jumping their bones in the bathroom. Or reclaiming my office.
Calm your tits. No boning. Not right now. We’re just now working on us and becoming an us again. Sex complicates everything.
Or makes you feel better.
Fuck my life. I blame this entire day on the amber liquid sloshing around in my stomach. It’s always the tequila’s fault.
“Yeah. It is. But I don’t share my cheese-on-cheese nachos. Get your own.” I give him my best stink eye, and he grins, rubbing his hands together.
“Yo, barkeep! I want some nachos,” he says, playfully pounding a fist onto the counter.
Leon frowns, leaning forward with a sour huff. “I’m not your damn barkeep, Mullet. How many times do I need to tell you that?”
Rad pouts, batting his eyelashes. “My girlfriend is stingy and won’t share. Won’t you help a guy out and make?—”
“An extra-large plate,” Kieran says, sauntering up with a hungry look taking over his face. And not for me, either. His eyes fall to my plate, practically salivating over my damn food. “Smells delicious.” He grins, swiping a loaded chip from my plate, and throws it into his mouth.
“Thief,” I grumble, shoving another piece into my mouth and humming at the spicy nacho taste.
I could live on these damn nachos. All I have to do is pack Leon up—aka kidnap him—and take him with me so he’ll make food every day.
“Oh my God, it’s Kieran!” someone suspiciously familiar in the crowd shouts.
I stiffen at the sound of her voice. That scratchy, shrilly, annoying voice haunts my damn memories. Oh, snap. It couldn’t be. Could it? My eyes dart around, searching for her mop of blonde hair. Several catches my eye, but none resemble her. Yet. If she thinks she has a chance, well, I’ll show her my damn territorial side and claw her precious little eyes out.
My hands feel around the pocket of my jeans, and I grin when my knife sits snugly against my thigh. Yeah, come at me, TessaBoo. I have a three-inch treat in my pocket, ready to drive you away.
Rad blinks several times. A look of horror opens his mouth into the shape of an O. He claps a hand on Kieran’s shoulder, chuckling wildly.
