Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
Hartley
“Hey, Hartley,” Jasper says, holding the door to Patsy’s open for me.
I blow out a breath into the brisk night air.
Voices and music pour out of the bar as Jasper waits for me.
He tips back a beer, watching me over the bottle with a set of wary eyes.
We haven’t seen each other in a couple of weeks—not since the news got around that he cheated on Markie St. James.
Markie and I aren’t close, and I couldn’t give a shit about her love life.
But if a man will betray his woman, he’ll betray anybody.
And I’m not co-signing that behavior. Fuck that.
I nod, sliding by Jasper. “Thanks.”
“Sure thing,” he says, his voice filled with hope that maybe I’ll continue the conversation. He seems to get the picture, though, because the door swings shut behind me without another word.
“Shit,” I mutter, surveying the scene in front of me. Even for a Saturday night, Patsy’s is packed. There’s no place to sit, and barely any space to stand since tables were pushed away from the center of the building to create an impromptu dance floor.
I’m about to say screw it and head home when I hear the faint sound of my name between songs. It takes a long minute to find the origin, but when I finally do, Brooks is waving at me with a beer in his hand from the back.
I weave my way toward him, sliding my phone out of my pocket as it buzzes.
Brooks: Back of the bar. I got you a beer.
“Wish I’d gotten that message five minutes ago,” I mumble, wondering where in the hell all these people came from.
“Sorry,” Brooks says as I approach the table. “I sent that text as soon as you walked in, but the signal in this place is trash.”
“Hi, Hart,” Audrey says, smiling sweetly. Her trademark pink ribbon twists down her blond hair as she curls into Brooks’s side.
Drake Bennett reaches a hand my way. “Good to see you, Hartley.”
“Hey,” I say, shaking his hand before sitting next to him. I nod at his girl, Gianna, on the other side of him. “I didn’t know you guys were in town.”
“We came up yesterday,” Drake says.
Gianna peeks around Drake. “I’m trying to get him to move to Sugar Creek.”
“What about your parents?” I ask, recalling that Drake’s father has dementia.
“One of my sisters moved in with them,” he says. “And, really, it’s the same distance to them from Nashville as it is from Sugar Creek. It wouldn’t make much difference at all.”
“See? It only makes sense to move here,” Audrey says. “I mean, I’m here now with Brooks. And with Gray retiring, Astrid is going to be here all the time, too.” She shrugs and looks at Drake. “You’d probably save money if you just moved here because you’ll be visiting all the time if you don’t.”
Brooks hands me a beer. Good man.
Although Brooks was Gray’s best friend growing up, and Gianna and Audrey are Astrid’s, I’ve become an odd seventh wheel to their group.
With Gray gone during the season and with Brooks having nothing to do, he winds up at the ranch more often than not.
We’ve spent a lot of time—some could say too much—together over the past few months.
“We’re actually looking at a couple of properties tomorrow,” Gianna says.
“Where?” I ask.
Drake turns to me. “There are a couple of places out on Stimson, and then there’s a piece of property about three miles past where Brooks and Auddie are building.”
“But that one is land, and I don’t want to build,” Gianna says. “I don’t have patience for that mess.”
“But you could design anything you want,” Audrey counters, appealing to Gianna’s artistic side. “And you’d be so close to Astrid and me.”
“I can keep my eyes open for places if none of that works out,” I say. “I heard there’s a log cabin going on the market just south of town.” I glance at Brooks. “The old Cooper property.”
His eyes light up. “That could be a good one, Drake. I don’t know what shape it’s in, but it was a nice place the last time I saw it. And it has a chunk of land with it, I think.”
Drake laughs. “I know you all like your land, but all I see is more to mow and keep up with.”
“City boy,” Gianna says, laughing, too.
They banter back and forth about yardwork and how Gianna won’t be caught dead on a riding lawnmower. I tip my beer back and relax in my chair, scanning the room. It takes all of two seconds for my gaze to land on her.
Cutoffs and cowgirl boots make her tanned legs seem a mile long. A tight-fitting top is cropped at the navel, hugging her tits like a glove. Mira’s mid-laugh with her head tossed back, her long, dark hair wobbling on the top of her head, as she walks into Patsy’s alongside Markie.
“What do you think about it, Hartley?” Audrey asks.
I shake my head, turning back to the group. “I’m sorry. What do I think about what?” I patently ignore Brooks’s smirk.
“About Gray and Astrid living on the ranch full-time,” she says.
I take another drink to cool myself off before answering her.
Every muscle in my body aches to twist in my seat to find Mira.
Knowing she’s this close is torture, and it’s usually my cue to leave.
I’ve learned the hard way that just because you want something doesn’t mean you get to reach for it.
That level of restraint doesn’t come easily …
and sometimes, it’s all I can do to resist.
“Yeah, I think it’s great that they’re going to stay on the ranch,” I say, setting the bottle down. “Feels like that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
“I agree,” Audrey says. “And that’s why you should move here, Drake. I’ve always dreamed of the three of us raising our babies together. Although I didn’t think it’d be on a ranch.”
Brooks pulls her onto his lap. “Keep talking about having babies, and I’ll throw you over my shoulder and take you home, Doc.”
My palms slide down my thighs as I glance over my shoulder toward the dance floor.
Mira stands next to her sister in the middle of the room, the crowd thin enough now that I have an unobstructed view of her.
Her body catches the rhythm, and she moves effortlessly to the music.
It’s cruel to watch, knowing she should be the mother of my children and wishing I could be the reason she looks so damn happy tonight.
“Did you see Jasper when you walked in?” Brooks asks, nudging me with his elbow.
Sighing, I bring my bottle to my lips and turn to him. “Yeah.”
“What did you say?”
I take a long drink before I answer. “Thanks.”
“What are you thanking me for?” Brooks asks, a brow lifted.
“No,” I say, setting my bottle on the table. “I told Jasper thanks for opening the door.”
Gianna leans forward. “I take it we’re mad at Jasper?” When no one answers, she huffs. “Guys. Hello. I’m moving here, so I need the tea.”
Drake shakes his head as he slides an arm around her waist and whispers something in her ear that makes her cheeks flush.
“Jasper’s … all right,” Brooks says, searching for words to sum up the situation. “I don’t know what the fuck got into him. You’ve met Markie, the girl he was dating.”
Gianna nods. “Yeah. I liked her. She gives me me vibes.”
“Jasper cheated on her,” Audrey says.
Gianna flinches, her eyes darkening. “We ride at dawn.”
“You aren’t riding anywhere.” Drake chuckles. “You can’t even see to drive at dawn. The sun must be all the way up for you to get your bearings.”
“That’s why I said we ride,” she says. “You’re driving.”
I stretch my legs to the side, as my attention is pulled to the dance floor again.
The song changes, and the new tune is a little slower.
Mira’s cheeks are beautifully flushed as she heads toward the crowd.
But before she can weave her way to the bar, Derrick Gaines takes her hand and pulls her back to the dance floor.
My breath holds as I watch his hand go to her hip, then slide around her waist, and then he pulls her closer to him. She swats at his shoulder, saying something that makes him laugh.
This is exactly why I don’t stick around. I should’ve already left.
Fuck this.
I finish my beer and then set it a little harder than necessary on the table. My fingers itch to remove him from her orbit, and my arms beg to wrap around her. I want her so badly that my body mistakes it for actual pain.
“Want another beer, Hartley?” Drake asks. “I’m going to take my chances at the bar.”
“I’m good. Thanks,” I say, keeping my eyes pinned on Mira.
I’ve gotta get out of here. My palm runs down my face as I come up with an excuse to leave, but just as I start to tear my eyes from Mira, hers find mine.
The room tilts beneath my boots. I don’t move because, if I do, I’m not sure where that will lead.
There’s a flicker in her expression at first, as if she’s surprised to catch me watching her. But that quickly transforms into a cheeky grin that causes my chest to tighten so hard that I nearly wince.
Still, I don’t get up. I don’t turn away. I don’t leave like I know I should. My ass stays in my seat as I watch Mira move around the dance floor.
Sit. Don’t go out there. She’s doing what she wants, and you’ve made peace with that.
I lift a brow as Derrick’s hand settles into the small of her back, which makes her smirk as she places her hand on his shoulder.
Heat crawls up my neck as Mira sways to the music, her gaze glued to mine.
She might be in that bastard’s arms, but her attention—her mind—is clearly on me.
It’s a dangerous predicament, one that’ll torment me more later as I replay it for the hundredth time.
We’ve been in this situation a few times over the years, and I always get up and walk away.
But what happens if I don’t?
Derrick’s hand drops and cups Mira’s ass cheek.
Guess we’re gonna find out.
I’m on my feet before I can make an informed decision about how to handle this situation, and I’m beside them before my brain realizes what I’m about to do. Mira’s eyes are wide—a bit wary but shining with amusement, as I take her hand from his shoulder and guide her to me.