Chapter 12 #2
“I didn’t know that,” Cecily said. “I mean, I knew Liam’s brother died in a car accident some years before I came here, but I didn’t know the ranch was his idea.”
“There’s a memorial page about him on the website,” Tamilee said, and I frowned because somehow I had missed that. I thought I had looked at everything on the website before booking my cabin for two months, but then again, with my life in shambles, I probably missed a lot of things.
“They don’t talk much about Daniel,” Emma said softly.
“Not with guests or staff, anyway. They’re a pretty insular group, the five of them.
And I think it’s still a painful subject for all of us.
” She ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing it up with a little shake.
“Anyway. Can we…I don’t know. Talk about something else? Please?”
Grace gave her sister a side hug, then signaled Tonya, the bartender. “On it.”
“Another round?” Tonya asked, palms braced on the bar.
“Hell, yes!” Cecily exclaimed.
“Wait, who’s driving?” I blurted out. Grace had met us here, and Cecily had given me and Emma a ride. Tamilee had insisted on driving herself so she could leave on her own schedule, claiming her two decades on us meant she had a bedtime two hours earlier.
“Don’t worry. I’m switching to water now,” Emma said. “Can’t let Blair see me sloppy. Between me and Jeremiah, we’ll get everyone home safe and sound.”
At the mention of his name, my gaze slid his way again. And then it stayed there, lingering on the way the brown beer bottle was nearly completely hidden from view as he rolled it between his large palms.
There was something about his hands that fascinated me.
The size, for one. I didn’t have to wonder if the size of his hands might portend the size of other delicious things because I’d already felt the proof of that pressed against my rain-soaked body.
But they looked so damn capable. That large knot of muscle between his thumb and forefinger.
Those long, blunt fingers that looked both nimble and strong made me think of all kinds of ways to put them to good use.
Watching Jeremiah engulf the bottle with one hand, his index finger hooked around the neck, was better than a porno. I wanted those hands on me.
“Jeremiah is driving?” My voice sounded far away to my own ears. Every cell in my body was leaning toward him. I hadn’t seen him since Blood Ball yesterday—when he’d used his body to protect mine, according to Emma. I still didn’t know what to think about that.
“He never has more than a beer when we’re out,” Emma said. “Always insists on being the designated driver.” She shook her head, laughing. “He trusts them with his life, but not with driving, apparently.”
Cecily nodded. “Control freak.”
“We don’t call him Dad for nothing.” Tamilee raised her glass, then tipped it to her ruby lips, swallowing it down in one gulp. “Whew. Now I’m switching to soda. Hangovers are nasty at my age.”
“He’s protective.” Emma tilted her chin to me with a sly little smirk. “Right, Lennon?”
I yanked my gaze from Jeremiah with a sputtering cough. “Um, what?”
“What?” Cecily echoed, splitting a curious look between us.
Emma grinned. “Our girl Lennon won Blood Ball yesterday.”
There was a moment of stunned silence. The bar hummed around us, low murmurs of conversation, country music on the overhead speakers, the tinkling of ice dropped in glasses.
Grace hooted. “Well, fucking cheers to that! Hell, yeah, Lennon! This round is on me.” She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and half-squeezed, half-shook me.
I laughed. “No more shots! I won’t be able to walk out of here.”
“Beer, then?” Grace asked. When I nodded, she signaled Tonya.
“But what does Jeremiah have to do with anything?” Cecily pressed.
“He wouldn’t let anyone get near her.” Emma smirked again. “Lennon is probably the first person in the history of Blood Ball to not actually bleed.”
Tamilee took a long sip of water, then delicately dabbed a napkin to her lips. Her lipstick hadn’t budged. “Of course Jeremiah protected you. I’m only surprised he let you play at all. Guests don’t play Blood Ball. That would be a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
“He didn’t have a choice,” I admitted. When they all looked at me with raised eyebrows, I threw up my hands. “What? Holly practically dared me. What was I supposed to do? Walk away?”
Tamilee hooted. “Oh, baby. It’s a good thing you’re pretty.”
I flinched. Are you stupid, Lennon? Or just lazy?
The words still echoed in my head years after they’d been spoken.
Sometimes it was my mom. Sometimes a teacher.
Sometimes another kid. They all thought the same thing.
Either I wasn’t trying because I was lazy, or I was trying and I screwed up because I was stupid.
But Tamilee didn’t know me well enough to hit that sore spot on purpose, and I wasn’t going to bring down the vibe of girls’ night by telling her. I didn’t beg for compliments from anyone, and I didn’t need Tamilee to tell me she didn’t really think I was dumb.
Or maybe I was afraid she’d confirm it.
Tonya set a bottle in front of me. I nodded my thanks and pulled it closer. “Holly gets under my skin,” I muttered into my beer.
Tamilee shook her head. “Holly never takes an inch if she can steal a mile. If you keep letting her wiggle in there, one of these days she’s going to show up in a full Lennon skin suit. You don’t want that.”
I wrinkled my nose at the mental image. “Ew.”
They all loved Holly, though. I didn’t get it, but they did. I glanced at Jeremiah’s booth again because I couldn’t help myself and nearly fell off my barstool at the sight of his face in Holly’s hands as she leaned across the table to him.
“Is there…is there something going on with Holly and Jeremiah?” I stuttered.
“What? Holly and Jeremiah?” Emma burst out laughing with her head thrown back like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.
“Girl, no. Jeremiah isn’t messy like that.
Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him with a woman who wasn’t an employee or a friend.
Whatever he gets up to, he keeps that shit locked down tight. ”
Then why was Holly’s face so close to his? Not that I cared. But seriously. Their mouths were almost touching. It was unsanitary, that’s what it was.
I drained my beer. “I need some air.”