Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bower
People were already packed into Jo-Jo’s. It was Thursday after all, never mind that it was in the middle of the day. The weekend started early out here.
I maneuvered the boat into a free slip before cutting the engine and tying the stern to the dock. I looked to the front of the boat, where Mia was already tying up the bow. You couldn’t take the lake out of a city girl. Not here in Minnesota.
Mia made it onto the dock before me, standing there waiting with her arms crossed in front of her while I put out the boat’s fenders. I didn’t expect to be here long, but boats were always coming and going.
I stopped myself from staring at where she stood on the dock with sunburn on her nose and along her cheekbones.
Her hip popped out to the side; I almost expected her foot to be tapping against the weathered boards of the dock.
She’d removed my hat and must’ve retied her hair.
It was tied back again, none the wiser to the windy boat ride.
Mia handed me my hat, and I put it back on my head.
I led the way along the dock and up the two sets of stairs to where the bar sat up on a hill. Jo-Jo’s had a bunch of lawn games that were popular for day drinkers.
“Where’s Gill?” Mia asked, popping that hip again.
“His phone died mid-call. He’s one of three places on the lake—this is the first.”
“Three places? Bower, I thought you knew where he was!” Her cheeks turned redder than her sunburn. “I don’t have time for a scavenger hunt.”
“You’re on vacation. You have time for everything.”
Mia let out a sigh.
“Come on, Mia, you love following me around.” Technically she did. This was like old times, me driving the boat and her tagging along on all my adventures every summer.
“Let’s go find Gill.” She marched past me and toward the bar. Several people playing giant Jenga and ladder golf stopped and waved at me as I passed. I waved back quickly, trying to keep up with Mia.
Inside was just as busy. All the tables were full, and the bar was packed. Country music played loudly over the speakers, and Christmas lights hung from the ceiling as year-round decor. If only Agate Harbors could have a lakeside bar like this—we’d finally be in the green.
Mia wove through tables, looking at everyone’s faces. A quick scan of everyone in the small space told me that my grandpa wasn’t there. Someone would’ve flagged me down by now, letting me know Gill was here. He knew everyone around the lake.
“Hey, man!” A hand landed on my shoulder, squeezing it. I turned around to see Jack, a local who worked at a marina on the lake. “Let me buy you a shot.” He flagged down the bartender and looked at me, waiting for my order.
“I’ll pass, but you could buy one for her.
” I gestured to Mia, who was still weaving through tables examining faces like she was part of the FBI.
I hadn’t drunk alcohol for nine years. It wasn’t even tempting anymore—but the people up here wouldn’t take no for an answer, not when it came to veterans.
“Of course, man. Anything for you.”
Jack ordered a shot of tequila. It came with a salted rim and a lime wedge stuck to the edge of the glass. I thanked him, and he patted me on the shoulder twice before returning to the conversation he was having at the bar.
I brought the shot glass over to Mia, who was finishing her search.
“He’s not here,” she said. I could’ve told her that within five seconds of walking into the bar, but it was fun to watch her comb the place.
“No, he’s not,” I agreed, handing her the shot.
“What’s this?” Like she didn’t already know.
“Tequila.”
“No, thank you.” Mia tried to hand the shot glass back to me.
“You’d refuse a shot that was so kindly bought for you by the nice gentleman at the bar?” I raised the glass at Jack, who saluted me and smiled at Mia. She glowered at me.
Within the next second, she stuck out her tongue, twirling the shot glass against it, letting the salt granules melt into her tongue.
I swallowed, feeling my Adam’s apple bob in my throat.
Why was I staring? She tilted her head back, letting the liquor slide down her throat.
It didn’t even look like she swallowed. Mia brought the lime to her lips and sucked the juice from the fruit.
My cock twitched in my pants. Had tequila shots always been this sexual?
Mia dropped the lime into the shot glass and set it down on a table next to us. “There. You happy?”
I sure was. Maybe that shot of tequila would help open her up, dissolve some of the uncomfortable tension between us.
Mia left the bar and made it to the dock before I did, her blonde ponytail bouncing against her upper back, then turned around suddenly when we got to the boat. The dock bobbed as I stopped in front of her and crossed my arms.
Her nostrils widened as she looked down at my chest. She took a step back, her arms uncrossing. “Shit, Bower, this isn’t us. We don’t communicate like this. I don’t like it.”
My arms loosened, falling to my sides, and I nodded. I didn’t like it either.
“I’m sorry I ruined everything. I didn’t think Archer would come up here.”
I rubbed my hand over my face—I didn’t like to hear his name on her lips. “I thought you’d ended things with him when you told me you wanted that chance. You made it seem like it was over with him.” I glanced down at her left hand. “You haven’t been wearing your ring.”
“No, we were done. I would’ve completely ended it before I came, but…” Mia paused for a moment, her cheeks turning redder again. “I’ve never broken up with someone before.” She looked down at her sandaled feet, wiggling her toes. “I felt bad. He made me feel bad about…everything.”
“You shouldn’t feel bad about breaking up with someone who makes you feel like shit.” I took a step closer to Mia, the dock shaking. “We only have so many summers. Why waste them on someone like that?”
“Well, he isn’t wasting my summers anymore.”
My heart slowed, each beat waiting for her next words.
“He’s gone. For good.”
I took another step closer to her, the wobbly dock forcing our bodies together. She put her hands on my chest, stabilizing herself. As soon as her hands touched me, she gasped, her eyes looking up at mine. I stared down at her, frozen, as if her touch had left me calcified.
“We should go check the next place.” Mia removed her hands from me and jumped into the boat.
Cold air rushed to fill the space where her hands had been.
“Right,” I said hastily, “we should go.”
Maybe now we could get back to solving the growing tension between us.