97. Chapter 97
“You didn’t tell me you were friends with a movie star!” Lindsey called to him. She was waiting at the bar with the loopy grin of someone relaxed after a strong drink.
Jase ran a hand through his mussed-up hair, trying to shake off the last traces of Chloe.
“Charlie, what have you been feeding her, besides your worst whiskey?” he asked.
“Just sharing some of my many accolades.” Charlie’s proud grin froze as he studied Jase’s face.
“You were an extra in a bad zombie movie,” Jase said, ignoring the inspection.
“Correction. I was a zombie in a…bad zombie movie,” Charlie said.
“How does that make you a star? Amateur porn doesn’t count.”
“Amateur porn?” Lindsey frowned at Jase’s mouth. “Looks like you’re the one making that kind of movie.”
Apparently, Chloe left more than a trace behind.
Charlie put a ten-dollar bill in her hand. “Would you do me a favor, doll, and play some fresh music?”
“No problem,” she said, her eyes lingering on the lipstick on Jase’s face as she walked away.
Jase took the cocktail napkin dampened by Lindsey’s drink and wiped his mouth.
“You toe a fine line, my friend,” Charlie said, a little more bitterly than Jase would’ve expected. “What’s the story with her?”
“She was a friend of my dad’s.”
“Thought you said she was your brother’s ex?” Chloe emerged from the recesses of the stockroom. “I bet she’s had a turn with all the Young men.”
“Careful,” Jase warned.
“Don’t give him the satisfaction, Chlo. Contempt isn’t a good color on you,” Charlie told her.
“Really? How about cherry red?”
Chloe tipped the corner of her cherry red lips up and dragged her gaze down Jase’s face. He wiped his lips again.
“Fight nice, kids,” Charlie said. He poured three shots and nodded to Lindsey. “Is she available?”
Is she available? What did that even mean?
Tomorrow, once they split, some asshole like Charlie—who really wasn’t an asshole—could step in and sweep her out of those black riding boots she bought this morning.
Remembering Declan and Diego, it wouldn’t take long.
The end of the maps meant there would be nothing holding her back.
No more promises to an old man she felt bound to keep.
And whatever claim Jase had staked in the motel room last night would run out with the road. There was no good reason for them to stay together after tomorrow.
Together. What did that even mean? He’d spent almost every waking moment for the past ten days with this woman and tomorrow she would be gone.
No, I’ll be gone. She’ll be back in Ohio, where there’s nothing left for me.
With a sideways glance at Chloe, Charlie added, “I wouldn’t mind taking a swing at her.”
“I hope you are fucking kidding,” Chloe said.
“What? I’m going through a dry spell,” Charlie complained. “And if I can’t have you…”
“Can it, Charles. You can’t have her either. Lover boy is smitten.”
“What?” Jase was barely listening to Chloe. He drank the shot, watching Lindsey and wondering about the day after tomorrow.
Chloe scoffed, her voice laced with venom that was hard to ignore. “I always wondered what love looked like on you.”