Chapter 68
EMMA
The bar is still watching us.
I can feel their eyes—curious, shocked, calculating. Iron Ridge doesn't miss anything, and what they're witnessing right now is Jake Callahan publicly claiming me like I’m his to claim.
And I'm letting him. More than letting him—I'm choosing it.
"Girlfriend," I repeat, shaking my head as I test the word. It's small and insufficient, but he gave me the choice to ask for more.
And I will. Just not here. Not yet—not while I’m deliberately hiding things from him.
We settle at the table, and I get a drink.
Luke’s propped his forearms on the table, telling us a story about a horse a neighbor had when he was growing up in Northern California, when I notice that Mason’s not paying attention.
He's not looking at Jake or me or even at Cole Turner, who's still nursing his whiskey at the bar like a man who just realized he's stepped into a pile of shit.
Mason’s looking at Lily Carter.
I hadn’t noticed her at the bar despite her golden hair. She must feel my eyes, because she looks over her shoulder with her careful gaze, relaxing when she sees it’s me. She smiles at me, but then she catches sight of the men, and it falters.
“Who’s that?” Jake asks. He’s practically glued to my side, but I don’t mind.
“Lily Carter.” I take a sip of my beer. “I met her when I was having drinks with Harper last week. She’s the new vet in town. She’s single,” I say deliberately, shooting Mason a grin.
Luke notices and cranes his neck to check out Lily. When he turns back around, he leans over and whispers something to Jake, who glances at Mason, then at the woman, then back at me with the faintest hint of amusement.
"Lily Carter," Luke repeats, his grin spreading wider. "Well, well. Mason, looks like one of the horses is going to come down with a cold real soon, huh?"
"Shut up," Mason mutters. He flushes slightly, but he doesn't take his eyes off her.
I grin, knowing what it is—a moment of recognition. That shift in a person's entire world when he sees someone who matters.
I know that feeling. Not even Cole Turner brooding over his drink at the bar can diminish the beauty of that.