Page 71 of The Bachelor

This back-and-forth—I couldn’t take it.

I was just under the assumption that Macon wanted her, that he, for some reason, wanted to be her first.

Which made no sense.

Not when he knew we were in the middle of our lessons.

Not when he knew Oaklyn wanted me to be her first.

This was getting more confusing by the second.

“While you think about that,” Declan continued, “I want to give you a piece of advice. If you keep looking at Oaklyn like that, your sister is going to catch on, and she’s going to call your ass out. Not tonight—she’s had far too much wine for that to happen. But you know that woman has eagle eyes, and she sees everything. If you want to save yourself from that scenario and tell her in your own time, then I suggest you look away and watch yourself.”

“You act like I’ve been fucking staring at her since I walked into the bar.”

He moved around to the front of me. “Listen, kid, you can deny it all you want, but we both know there’s no one in this world who’s better at reading people than me. Don’t make me spell this all out. Just listen to what I’m saying and take it for what it’s worth.” He shifted again, this time to my side so we were both looking at Oaklyn. “You should have seen her face when you came in. She didn’t know what the fuck to do.”

I slowly glanced at him. “Yeah?”

He nodded. “That’s when I knew the feelings were mutual.”

I hissed out air as my head moved from side to side. “I don’t know, man.”

“Trust me.”

His chin rose again, aimed in the direction of the table, and I followed to where he was signaling.

Oaklyn was rising from her seat and heading for the restrooms.

“If you’re going to make your move, do it now,” he said.

“My move?”

“Yeah, my friend, I mean, claiming what’s yours and not your best friend’s.”

I held the back of my head with both hands, fingers stretched wide. “Shit.”

“And let me quickly give you another piece of advice. The restroom? Bad idea. There’s way too much family in this bar. The girlfriends will find out, and they’ll tell Hannah. Don’t go in your car either—you’ve had far too much to drink. Go outside. There’s an alley between the bar and the building next door. It’s the perfect spot.”

“How do you know about the alley—” I raised my hand. “On second thought, I don’t want that answer.”

He laughed. “Listen, I’m not saying I haven’t been in an alley with your sister. I’m just saying I haven’t been inthisalley with her.”

“My fucking ears are melting, Declan.”

“Go.” He pounded my shoulder with his fist. “Take what’s yours and don’t give her back to him.”

THIRTEEN

Oaklyn

Istood at the sink, letting the water wash over my hands even though the soap was long gone. I just needed a moment to myself. To think. To recap the last thirty-ish minutes since I’d arrived at the bar.

Each of those minutes spent under the heavy gaze of Macon Spade.

He had certainly been laying it on thick. Asking all the right questions. Acting as though he were interested in everything in my life. Heck, maybe he was; I didn’t know.

I just didn’t have the heart to tell him he was wasting his time.

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