Page 38 of Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge 1)

I’d planned on taking Beth home today. Now, I wasn’t sure that she’d hear me out.

“All right, ’cause I know she’s not used to male guests sleeping over.”

“She’s most definitely not!” Joel gave a short laugh. “But every guy ’round here knows that Gavin wouldn’t think twice about breaking their necks if they came at Bri wrong.”

Gavin’s chin firmed to second Joel’s statement.

“Flat top, high and tight?” Seamus asked.

“Nah, let me get a real low top, tapered at the nape,” Gavin replied.

Chapter 8

Bethany

“The arcade is behind the black curtain,” Brianna told me as she hopped on the worn wooden chair.

La Floridita looked like many other bar/restaurant establishments I’d seen on my drive to or from one of my cleaning jobs when Betsy had been fully functional. It was located in the eastern part of town, far from the fancy houses and most of the small businesses I’d seen. It was isolated. The walls were filled with pictures of people, who I assumed were famous or ha

d been important figures here. Signatures were written on the walls with Sharpies, along with the names of couples and the year they’d written their names. From the first couples’ names and years, I’d say La Floridita had been in business for thirty-four years. I liked the square tables and the plastic flowers in the Perrier bottles by the salt and pepper shakers. It reminded me a lot of Luigi’s; the patrons looked happy to be here. This low-key scene was definitely a place I could see Tainted Virtue performing in.

“Why is there a curtain there?”

“During the day it’s open, but some of the customers said that it gave the bar a childish feel.”

“And sometimes we have performers here and the arcade is a distraction from the main event,” a man, about six feet, with liquid brown eyes and inky hair combed back, added. He was dressed in a nice-button down shirt and jeans. He had a carnivorous expression and his ocean-breeze cologne wafted in the small section of the bar we were in. It was pleasant, but after a while, it could be overwhelming. He had a well-proportioned face and body that would appeal to a lot of females—probably me too before I laid eyes on Chase. “I am Emilio.”

I returned his warm expression. “I am Bethany, Pierce’s cousin.”

Emilio stepped in closer to me. “It’s great to meet you.” He paced back and glanced at an average-height female with a shiny bald head with a red and orange dragon tattoo starting from the front of her head all the way down the nape of her neck. The woman’s tattoo was the first thing I’d noticed when we walked in here. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties like Emilio.

“Hey, Millie, drinks are free for them tonight,” he told her, and she smiled at us.

“Thanks, Emilio,” Brianna said.

“Thank you,” I told him.

He canted his head and headed toward a rowdy group of people, who got even louder when they saw him.

“I’m gonna go to the lady’s room,” Brianna told me. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll order for you.” She sped to the restroom.

“What can I get you?” Millie asked with a corner of her lips quirked up. She was very pretty and had a soft, yet raspy voice I wouldn’t have understood if it were already loud in here.

“A Sprite, please.”

“Do you know what Bri wants?”

“A virgin piña colada.” The corners of her mouth tugged up. “That may change over the course of the night.”

“Coming right up.”

Uncle Anton had taken me to the Paloma today. It was a really quiet ride. Aunt Deborah was very unhappy with him. In the kitchen, he’d tried to touch her arm but she moved away from him. Pierce hadn’t spent the night. And Chase had been gone. No one had said his name last night or today at all. I’d had a very weak moment hours after we’d had dinner; I’d gone into his room and had been surprised that it’d been locked. He’d clearly moved out. I’d thought that he’d hung out with one of the boys or had gone on a date and would have returned. It’d been an unnerving experience for me to digest when Brianna had told me that Chase was staying with she and Gavin. She was surprised that I hadn’t known. I was happy that he was still in Paloma’s Edge, and yet I was angry with him at the same time.

“No morir soñado tonight?” I slid my gaze to the side, and Rylan took Brianna’s seat. His dark hair shone from the lights and he flashed me a wide smile as another bartender placed our drinks on the counter.

“No. How’d you know that was my drink?”

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