Page 28 of Fight for You (Flirting with Forever 2)

Madison covers my hand with her own, squeezing gently. “I don’t know, girl. What else happened? So far this doesn’t sound too terrible.”

Piper winks at me. “Just a tiny bit cringey since you had that sexy sucker at school.”

I roll my eyes at her, not sure if this next bit is going to make them cringe harder, especially since we’d all agreed it was a good idea for me to slow things down with Sawyer. “So, we went for coffee after school to talk.”

“Uh-oh.” Piper winces. “What happened?”

“We admitted that we’d noticed each other here that one night. Finally. And that was kind of like the catalyst for what happened next.” I suck in some air and let it out in a rush with my words. “I kissed him again. I know. I know.” I hold up my hand. “I said I was going to hit pause with him, and he and I both agreed to it. But after you left the workroom, Piper, things seemed like normal between us again. And it felt good.” Crap. My brain feels like it’s full of cotton. My lips also feel numb, which is probably why I’m blabbing away instead of keeping my mouth shut. Oof. Margaritas are not my friend. I squint at Shawn and jab a finger in his direction. “Just what is in these margaritas anyway, mister?”

“Just the normal stuff. Promise.” He turns his head, and I’m not so drunk that I can’t tell he’s snickering.

Exasperated, I sputter, “I kissed him again, you guys. Did you hear me say that?”

I catch an exchange of somewhat concerned glances among the three of them, then a subsequent shrug from Shawn. “We thought maybe you didn’t want our commentary.”

“Well, I do. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” I throw my hands up in a wild manner. “He has the most amazing lips,” I mumble, resting my elbows on the bar and propping my chin up with my hands. “Everything was going fine until he took off when he got a text from Willow and left me there at the coffee shop.”

“Who is Willow?” Madison questions.

“That girl who was with him that very first night. I was just going to ask him what the deal was with her, and then, poof. He got a text from her and had to go.”

Shawn pushes a glass of water my way.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

I take a sip of the ice-cold water just in time to see Madison’s eyes widen as she looks over my shoulder.

“What?” I swivel on my stool, look toward the door and am in disbelief at what I’m seeing. Speaking of those pillow-soft lips … It’s Sawyer. With a few other people, including Willow.

Piper taps on the bar. “Shawn, I’m going to need another rum and Coke for this.”

I moan softly, “Oh. I’m so damn embarrassed.” My mind torments me with visions of Sawyer and Willow and what I’ll see if I turn around again.

Madison goes back to rubbing my back. “It’ll be fine. Do you want to go home? I’ll take you.”

Shawn gets Madison’s attention. “So, that’s the guy, right, Madi?” At her nod, his gaze drifts to me. “If that’s him, and that’s the girl you think is his girlfriend, I have some good news for you.”

I shudder out an unsteady breath. I’m trying to hold it together, but I’m so damn confused and sad it’s not funny. “What are you talking about?”

Shawn twirls a bar towel around with his hand, eyes focused on Sawyer and Willow. “You seem to think she’s his girlfriend, but he was here just last week, sitting right where you are now, talking to that very same girl …” He nods in the direction of the booth I know Sawyer and Willow are sitting in. “And I happened to overhear that he was very much into some girl and thought he’d messed it up.”

Piper’s face screws up in concentration. “You think he was talking to Willow about Hadleigh?” She taps the bar with her finger. “Maybe that was after he almost kissed you in the workroom the first time.”

“I’d bet money on it. I remember something to that effect.” Shawn bobs his head while he wipes down the bar with the rag. “If I’d known it was you they were talking about, I would have said something sooner.”

Madison furrows her brow and turns her body to face me. “Why did you think he’s dating her, Hadleigh?”

Holy. Crap. Have I had this messed up in my head this whole time?

A whisper of hope moves through me. “I … I just assumed. I mean, he—I thought …” I drop my head into my hands and groan a little. “I must have misunderstood who she was to him.”

Shawn glances up. “Incoming.”

My eyes slam shut as Sawyer sidles up to the bar next to me. From beside me, I hear him rumble, “Hey. How’s everyone tonight?”

I clutch at Madison’s thigh.

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