20. Luke
Luke
A new pitcher of beer was put on the table in front of us by God-knows-who. I wasn’t sure how it had happened, but I was pretty sure I was drunk. It may have been the shots that had been passed around. Or the amount of beer we’d gone through. Or the lack of food in my stomach.
“I need wings,” I yelled to no one in particular.
“Get this man some chicken wings,” Claire echoed. She wrapped her arms around Reid from behind and swayed to the music with him.
“I’m on it.” Seb left the table to get Ronnie’s attention. I hoped he was getting me some chicken wings, but for all I knew, he was just chatting up the ladies over there.
I looked over to the door again, willing it to open.
No luck.
Everyone was here already. Wyatt and Maeve had left the girls with Josie for a few hours.
Wes was sitting with his back to the wall so he had the best vantage point of the entire space and had switched to ginger ale after he nursed his first beer.
Seb, who was definitely flirting instead of ordering me food, had brought enough party hats for everyone—in the entire bar—because he was an asshat like that and my best friend.
Reid and Claire were talking to my father over the screeching sound of the karaoke microphone.
I hadn’t invited the guys from the station to join us, not because I didn’t want them here, but because they were in an awkward enough situation, and I didn’t want anyone to feel like they were picking sides.
The one person who wasn’t here was Scarlett. I wanted to call her, thinking maybe she’d forgotten, but I knew that wasn’t the case. We had talked about it again this morning when I told her that she was very specifically invited.
“She’ll be here,” Maeve said. I turned to her, my brow furrowed.
“Who?”
Claire must have extricated herself from Reid and my father and was now standing next to Maeve.
They looked at each other and then back to me in a weird unison.
Thank fuck they looked nothing alike, otherwise it would have felt like a Shining moment.
Claire had a solid six inches on Maeve. Her blonde hair was tucked behind her ears and cut to just below shoulder-length.
Maeve had a shorter stature and curvier frame, and her dark brown hair was tied into a messy bun on the top of her head, adding an additional inch or two of height.
“Have you told her that you’re into her yet?” Claire asked.
I let out a sigh just as Wyatt joined us. He slung his arm around Maeve’s shoulder and dropped a quick kiss to her head.
“Are you bringing him down on a night he’s supposed to be celebrating?” he laughed. “Leave the man alone, and come sit on my lap.” The smirk that he shot to Maeve was borderline indecent.
The two of them found a seat on the other side of the table where they could cuddle up together.
“You didn’t answer the question,” Claire said, taking a pull of her beer.
“Yes and no. We talked a bit,” I said, not even pretending not to know who she was talking about. I tilted my head back and let the cold beer run down my throat. “There was a moment, but it passed. I don’t think she wants us to go there. She doesn’t want to ruin our friendship.”
“And what do you want?”
There was no question about what I wanted. It was Scarlett. It had probably always been Scarlett, even when I didn’t realize it.
“Scarlett,” I told her honestly. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe I just needed to talk to someone, and Claire was here and willing to listen, but I found myself ready to open up about what I was feeling.
“She’s all I think about, Claire. All fucking day long, it’s Scarlett going through my head.
Is she safe? Is she happy? Is she drinking enough water?
Is she thinking about me? It’s a fucking obsession. ”
Claire was smiling at my self-imposed torment like it had just made her day.
“Go for it, Luke. That’s my advice, not that you asked.
But I’m telling you, take your shot. She’s a beautiful, intelligent, interesting woman who is going to get scooped up by someone.
I have no idea why she hasn’t been already,” she said, pausing.
“Well, that’s not true. I do know why. But it won’t last forever. ”
I sucked in a breath as I thought about what she said. “What if she doesn’t want me like that though? What if I ruin everything we have trying to take more than she wants to give?” I asked quietly.
Claire glanced over my shoulder and then back to me. “You won’t know until you try, and I have a good feeling about this.”
“Scarlett!” Seb’s shout had me whipping around to the door.
He waltzed up to her and wrapped her in a bear hug, picking her up off the ground.
My feet were taking me in her direction without my having to think about it.
As soon as he let her go, my heart stopped beating.
And when it resumed, it hammered me at triple speed.
Scarlett had on a pair of ripped jeans and sneakers.
Her wild, curly hair was left down, which was a personal favorite look of mine.
And her top… her light blue top was the perfect match for her sky-blue eyes.
It looked like it was made of silk as it draped carefully between her breasts, only hanging on to her shoulders by two thin straps.
“You came.” I smiled at her, wrapping my arms around her delicate shoulders. I wasn’t sure when it started, but I had this overwhelming need to have my hands on Scarlett anytime we were near each other.
“Of course I came. It’s a party for you,” she said. Her eyes met mine, and Claire’s words from a moment ago rang in my ears. Scarlett’s eyes darted around, and she pulled back from my embrace with a smile.
“What are you drinking tonight? I’ve got your next one,” she said.
“Mostly beer, but the pitcher keeps magically refilling, so I’m good. Let me get you one.”
I asked Ronnie for a new, clean cup for Scarlett and poured her a glass from the pitcher we already had .
I handed her the cup and leaned in, talking just loud enough for her to hear. “You look beautiful.”
Even in the dim lighting of the bar, I could see her cheeks start to turn pink. “Thanks,” she said. She didn’t take a sip of the drink. Instead, she was tracing the rim of the cup with her finger. The simple, innocuous act had me mesmerized.
“I need to be honest with you, Letty…”
“Hey. You’re here.” Maeve came up to us and gave her a hug. Claire followed closely behind. I shot Scarlett a smile and backed away to give the ladies their time together. I would find a time to talk to her later.
“You’re staring,” Wes said in his low, no-nonsense voice.
“I can’t stop myself.”
Seb came over just then with another round of shots.
“I don’t need more shots. I need chicken wings,” I laughed.
“I got you some wings coming. Take a shot while we’re waiting.
I don’t think Scarlett’s had one yet. Isn’t that right, Letty?
” he yelled to her. Her eyes met mine before looking back at Seb.
Instantly, an anger built inside of me at the use of her nickname.
That was my name for her. No one else called her Letty.
That was our thing, and hearing my name for her on his lips pissed me off.
“Not yet,” she answered. “But if you’re handing them out, I’m in.”
She gathered around the table near me. Her floral scent hit me square in the chest. She reached forward to take one of the shots from the table, and her other hand pressed against my back like she was using me to steady herself.
“Letty, can I talk to you?” I asked.
“What?” The karaoke singer was belting out a tune over the speakers, making it hard to hear. “Grab your shot. Let’s do this.”
Funny. That was exactly what I wanted to say. Let’s do this. Really do this and see where it goes.
I picked up my shot and tossed it back, my eyes never leaving Scarlett. Her head tilted back, the warm liquid disappearing down her throat. Fuck, that was hot.
Before I had a chance to say anything else, Maeve pulled her into a conversation again. The singing stopped, and everyone clapped for the very tipsy lady as she made her way back to her seat and another guy took her place. I slipped away for five minutes and was back without anyone noticing.
“I’m going to head on out, but if anyone needs a ride tonight, you give me a call, got it?” my father said.
“Maeve’s the designated driver for me, Reid, and Claire. She didn’t want to drink while she’s breastfeeding,” Wyatt told him.
“And I’m walking tonight,” I added, “but I’ll make sure everyone gets home safe. Thanks for coming out tonight.”
“I don’t think a divorce party was a thing in my day,” he laughed.
“Blame this guy. I would have been fine sitting on my couch like I am most nights,” I said.
It wasn’t until twenty minutes after my father left that I had Scarlett tucked into my side, talking to her and Wes at the table—finally eating my chicken wings—when I heard it.
My name being called by the DJ.
Scarlett’s eyes were cartoon-sized as she looked at me with her jaw on the ground. I smirked at her adorable expression and ran my hand down her leg as I got up. Everyone was hooting and hollering at me. Wyatt looked like he was ready to bounce out of his skin, his grin stupidly big on his face .
This was quite possibly the dumbest thing I could do. I had thought it was a good idea at the time, but now, all I could think was that I was about to make a huge fool of myself. Thank God for liquid courage.
I grabbed the microphone and dipped my chin to the DJ to start the track that I’d selected.
It wasn’t a fan favorite for karaoke, but that wasn’t what I was going for.
I didn’t give two shits if the people in the bar were here or not.
I only wanted one person to be here for this. This was for her. For a chance at us.