Page 2 of Saving Sarah (Blissful Bets)

She took one last look in the mirror and grabbed her purse. Tonight, she’d be fine. If she repeated that enough, maybe she would believe it.

Not an hour, and two drinks, later, pop music died out and some song Sarah had never heard before filled the crowded bar. Smoke hung heavily in the air as she weaved her way through the crowds. Music pulsed through her body, courtesy of the increasing volume, but the vibrations from the bass weren’t the only things making her crave to be touched.

The blond man dressed in casual jeans and a tight, fitted, black T-shirt was her mark, her bet, and for tonight, her ultimate salvation

. He’d numb the needs she’d begun to feel, and his contact would get her through the next few weeks.

Something about the way he stood there staring at her from across the room pulled her in his direction. From the moment he was pointed out to her, she knew she wanted him, had to have him. He’d be the first bet she took in weeks, and she couldn’t help but think the wait was well worth it.

“Sarah, wait!”

Quickly, she turned around to spy Julie running toward her. The blonde highlights scattered throughout her dark hair turned neon yellow in the black light. She looked gorgeous in a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a cute, sparkly tank top.

“What? You haven’t chosen someone else, have you? I really like this one.”

Julie looked toward the blond and smiled. “No, I haven’t changed my mind. Just thought I’d come up the stakes.”

“What do you mean?”

Sarah narrowed her lids. The blue of Julie’s eyes blazed mischievously. She let out a giggle, covered her mouth, and then turned to look at the table toward Stephen, Brandon, and Evelyn.

Slowly, Sarah followed her gaze and caught the wink from the pale, dark-haired Brandon. The gold of his eyes nearly made her heart stop. Damn, Evelyn was lucky to have snatched the two hottest guys in the Port Aransas area. Despite Brandon’s good looks, she didn’t miss that playful look he had painted across his face. If he had anything to do with Julie’s sudden appearance, it wasn’t good.

“Brandon said he’s got a bet for you. Blondie, plus,” Julie smiled even bigger, “him. If you can convince both of them to go home with you, he’ll buy your drinks for a year.”

Sarah sighed. “Well, for one, Mr. Gorgeous isn’t part of our game so he doesn’t get to dictate who I decide to go home with. For two, I have no desire to take two men into my bed at this time. One is plenty and complicated enough to get rid of. Two would be impossible. I have no idea how Evelyn even puts up with the both of them. Too much testosterone if you ask me.”

She turned to see the new guy in question and froze. Wide chest, taller than any man in the room, he was gorgeous and, heartbreakingly enough, her high school sweetheart. Devon was dressed in cowboy boots, tight jeans, and wore a cowboy hat to cover his dark brown hair. He looked nothing like the carefree rebellious kid she’d dated throughout her teenage years, the one who wore holey jeans and a leather jacket. She felt her chest shake from the rhythm of her heart.

“Hey, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. I think your tan just melted off.”

“What?” She looked at Julie but didn’t truly see her. All she could see were memories and images of the two of them. Visions that haunted her every day.

Stop this, Sarah! Just pretend he didn’t stomp all over everything you’re made of. But she couldn’t ignore what happened between them. The fact that she and Devon shared such an intimate past couldn’t be overlooked. At seventeen, she’d lost her virginity to him, got pregnant, and then tragically lost the baby when she was only three months along. Too many “what-ifs” plagued her every moment, awake or asleep.

“Are you all right? Geez, what in the hell is the matter with you? You’re getting paler by the second. Here, come sit down. If you faint, there’s no way in hell I’ll be able to lift your tall ass off the floor.”

Dizziness escalated the longer she stared at Devon from across the room. Aching in her chest quickly turned to anger. Where exactly had he been? The day after she lost the baby, he disappeared. She’d never heard a word from him. Had everything they shared meant nothing ? How could someone be so heartless?

Julie led her to the table. Numbly, she sat down across from Evelyn and her men.

Without thinking, she picked up her martini and drank it in one swift motion. “All right, Sarah. Who’s the guy?”

“You know Devon?” Brandon asked, leaning toward her.

“She can’t know him. He just moved here,” Stephen said, looking in the direction of the tall cowboy.

“That’s Devon? The Devon?” Evelyn reached across the table and grabbed Sarah’s hand.

“Honey, look at me. Is that him?”

The tears threatened, but she looked up. “Yeah, that’s him. Listen, I think maybe I should go. I can’t…”

Evelyn squeezed her hand. “Wait, let me explain before you leave upset. He’s one of the guys here for the wedding. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I’ll make sure your paths don’t cross again. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

“What did he do?” Stephen asked.

“Later,” Evelyn whispered.

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