Chapter 38
[Stone]
As my sister drags me toward the bar, I glance over my shoulder at Taxi who gives me a wary look.
“Let’s grab a drink,” Vale mutters, pulling my attention back to her.
“I already had one,” I tell her, because I drink responsibly and I planned to sweat out the alcohol by dancing with my date.
An angry vibe that rarely exists inside me is tickling over my skin. First Emory and her nonsense. Now this.
“What is going on with you?” Vale asks once we reach the bar, pulled away from our respective dates.
I sigh and glance back toward Taxi and Cortland, who remain on the dance floor another second, facing one another.
“Nothing,” I lie, uncertain why I’m so worked up, but not taking my gaze off Taxi and Cort.
“Stone,” she groans.
“Vale.” I force my gaze away from my girl and stare at my sister. I’ve missed Vale, but I have not missed these moments when she tries to mother me, even though I’m twelve years older than her.
“How’s Hudson?” I ask, leaning one arm on the bar and glancing back toward that dance floor where Taxi’s fists are clenched at her side. Her gaze narrowed on Cortland.
“Don’t deflect,” Vale demands. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her hands go to her hips.
“What was with the sharp tone toward Cort?”
“Vale,” I groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. Cortland is the last person I want to discuss right now.
“You know he’s concerned about you,” she continues.
I tip back my head. I do not want to hear these things. Not now. Not tonight. I drop my head and glance back at Taxi. My heart hammers harder for some reason.
Does Cortland want her? It shouldn’t be the first thing I think. He’s engaged. To. My. Sister. But he stole a woman from me once and I’ll be damned if he tries to steal Taxi.
While the thought further rattles me, I quickly shake it away, especially when Taxi turns in my direction, meets my eyes, and strolls toward me. Like she’s tethered on a string, pulled in my direction. Roped and lassoed. It’s how my heart feels when she looks at me like she is right now.
Like she’s here for me. She’s mine.
While I still have mixed feelings about Cortland Haven, I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, which means believing he wouldn’t cheat on my sister, wouldn’t desire another man’s girl. I can’t be held accountable for my actions if he did it again.
And I’m confident in Taxi, and the way she’s moving toward me.
I’m her choice.
“You know when you aren’t your stoic self, giving off brooding alpha vibes, and interfering in all our lives—”
Whipping my attention back to Vale, I interject, “I don’t interfere.”
I let Judd fight until the others wanted to stage an intervention.
I let Knox run away when I wanted him to stay and seek counseling.
I watched Ford fulfill his dreams, and Sebastian fail before he picked himself up.
And I don’t brood, or give off alpha, or even act stoic.
“This . . .” Vale points at my face. “Looks good on you.”
Slowly, my forehead loosens and my shoulders lower. I lean more heavily into the bar beneath my arm, like it’s holding me upright.
“What looks good on me?” I spare a quick glance back at Taxi, who is almost in front of me, Cortland trailing behind her
“Happiness,” Vale states.
I don’t pull my focus from Taxi. The concern in her eyes questioning. Her smile is tight but encouraging. She’s worried about me. Because she cares about me.
“I’m always happy,” I quip, keeping my gaze on Taxi until she’s near enough I can stand upright and reach out my hand. Which she readily takes, stepping into my side, tucking herself against me, like it’s where she belongs. Like it’s where she’s always wanted to be.
You’re all I’ve been waiting for, too.
Cort snorts, and my gaze leaps to him again.
I stare at him, trying to give myself another second before I react.
He slips his arm around my sister and pulls her in front of him, wrapping his arm over her chest, like a shield.
Whether he’s using her to protect himself, or he’s holding her in a way to keep her safe, I can never tell, but he knows I won’t go through her to get to him.
“What do you know, dickhead?” I’m not much for insults, having heard them too often from my dad, but Cort started the dickhead thing a year ago, and we often sling it at one another under our breaths.
My question is in response to his snort, a knowing sniff, like he knows anything about me now and the person I am.
Taxi shifts under my arm, gaping up at me. Vale lowers her gaze and shakes her head.
“I know . . .” Cortland begins. “That loving a good woman, the right woman, can change a man.”
Fuck, I hate when Cort says something smart, almost sweet about my sister. His comment is also a reminder of how bad Bailey turned out to be for both him and his son.
“Now, boys—”
“And Vale’s right,” Cort continues, cutting off my sister, keeping his gaze on me. “You look happy.” He watches me, further assessing me. “You look good.”
The compliment is strange to hear coming from him. I am happy, like I said, but I haven’t always been. And I’ve never been as happy as I’ve been lately. Taxi is the reason for that feeling.
“I look good, huh? Want to date me?” The corner of my mouth twitches, and Taxi chuffs against me, tucking her head into my chest.
“I would, but I’m taken.” Cort presses a kiss to the top of Vale’s head while keeping his eyes on me.
“Yeah, well, I’m taken, too.” And make no mistake, Taxi isn’t going to belong with anyone else in this town.
“Good,” Cort states, giving me a slow smile.
“Good,” I counter, still sounding irritated.
Taxi glances between us.
Vale follows the same pattern before sighing. “How about you, Taxi? Are you good?”
“I’m good,” she says, humor in her voice.
“Good. Now that we’ve established that we are all good, can we dance again?” Vale asks, impatience laces her tone, when she’s the one who pulled me from dancing with my date in the first place.
“Sure, Little Bee,” Cort says, using his nickname for her and standing taller, releasing her from his arm.
Vale surprises all of us by grabbing Taxi’s hand and tugging her toward the dance floor.
“Come on, sister,” Vale says, leaving Cort and me stunned for a moment.
Taxi glances over her shoulder at me, asking me with those eyes if I’m okay. She might be little but she’s something fierce. A force I want by my side.
She’s already tucked in my heart.
I nod, giving her a tense smile.
“I mean it, man,” Cortland says beside me. “You deserve to be happy.”
I pull my gaze from Taxi and stare at him. He’s damn right I do. And the best way to make me happy is to get back to my date. Get back to this special night. Her and me. Us.
Leaving my focus on Cort for another second, I hesitate to clap him on the shoulder. An action once easily given and familiar between us. Hell, Cort has hugged me on several occasions a long, long time ago.
I’ve missed the friendship I once had. At times, I’ve convinced myself I only missed the idea of that relationship, but deep down, I know it’s been him I’ve missed.
Cortland Haven. Best friend, cradle to college.
Giving in to the urge, I grip his shoulder. “Thanks.” The word is simple.
Cort stares at me, gaze drifting only slightly to the hand on his shoulder before he relaxes a little bit. Just a smidge, suggesting he’s been as tense around me as I’ve been around him.
And maybe, just maybe, he’s missed me, too.
I know he’s regretful. He’s apologized. He’s tried to atone in his own way. But maybe the thing I haven’t seen is how much of a hole he’s had in his life without me by his side.
He tips up his chin, acknowledging my gratitude.
“Now. How about we dance with our girls?”
We both glance toward the dance floor, where each of them is keeping a watchful eye on each of us.
Our girls.
Cort waves his hand toward them, and I lead us to the dance floor. Stepping up to Taxi, I set her back into the place where I want her to be.
In my arms.