Chapter 31
Istay at the table with a beer in my hand, watching the rest of them disappear into the lights and noise of the dance floor.
The casino hums around me, laughter rising every time someone wins something small, people spilling from one side of the room to the other, but my focus keeps circling back to the same place.
May.
She’s smiling in a way I don’t see often, relaxed and unguarded as Finn twirls her across the dance floor, her hair loose around her shoulders.
I see her laugh, the way she does when something genuinely surprises her, and it settles somewhere deep in my chest. Watching her enjoy herself feels good, even with the quiet awareness that I’m not the one beside her.
I take a slow sip of my beer, letting the moment settle instead of fighting it. She looks happy. That should be enough.
“You’re watching her pretty hard.”
June slides into the seat beside me, her smile sharp and knowing. I huff out a quiet laugh without taking my eyes off the dance floor.
“I’m not that obvious.”
She lifts a brow. “You kind of are.”
The music shifts, something louder and faster, and May laughs again as Finn spins her, the two of them moving easily together. I feel June studying me from the side before she leans her elbow on the table.
“You know,” she says, voice lighter now, “you remind me of April’s boyfriend.”
That pulls my attention away from the dance floor. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she says, smiling to herself. “He’s all quiet comfort, worship-the-ground-she-walks-on type too.”
I shake my head, amused, but she keeps going.
“May needs a little push,” she says after a moment, her tone softer. “She doesn’t always know what someone’s feeling unless they’re brave enough to actually show her.”
I glance back toward May as she listens to Finn, her expression open, warm, and something in my chest tightens.
June nudges my arm. “Ah now, you’re not going to let an Irish lad nick your girl, are ya?”
The accent she attempts is exaggerated enough that I laugh despite myself.
“You’re pretty good at that.”
She grins proudly. “My boss is dating Rogue Gallagher. We make fun of him constantly, so I’ve had practice.”
I shake my head, smiling.
Then she turns serious again, resting her arm lightly across my shoulder. “Seriously, though,” she says. “I’m team Firefighter.”
Before I can answer, April comes barreling over, grabbing her arm with zero warning.
“Come on! We’re doing the penny slots!”
June laughs and hops down, pointing at me once before she disappears. “Don’t give up that easy.”
The sisters run off together, a cluster of girls forming around them as they move toward the casino floor, and a moment later, May follows with Finn close beside her.
I drain the last of my beer and head toward the bathroom, needing a minute away from the noise. I turn on the faucet, splash cold water across my face, and stare at my reflection while the drops slide down my skin.
I brace my hands against the sink and breathe until my shoulders loosen. I dry my face and step back into the hallway, only to find Finn there.
He fills the space, broad shoulders planted like he’s waiting for me, and when I slow, expecting him to move, he doesn’t.
I stop a few feet away, already annoyed at him.
“What do you want?” I ask.
His jaw tightens. “I want to know why the feck you’re always around.”
I blink once, keeping my voice calm. “I was invited.”
“You’re everywhere,” he says, frustration running under his words. “At her house. Around her friends. Every time I turn around.”
The hallway feels smaller now, tension pulling tight between us.
“You should step back,” he adds. “Leave her alone.”
“That’s not your call.”
His expression hardens, shoulders going rigid. “I’m not backing away from her.”
“And that’s your choice,” I reply. “But she gets to decide too.”
He exhales sharply, frustration obvious, but I hold my ground.
“It’s up to May,” I say. “Not you, or me. Her.”
The silence stretches between us, thick and charged.
“I’m not giving up on her,” he says finally.
I nod once. “Good. Because I’m not either.”
My voice stays calm, steady, even as I meet his stare.
“As long as she wants me,” I say, “I’ll be here for her.”