Chapter Four
Lucy
I’m not sure how we ended up here. After picking up Ember from the airport and bringing her back to the house, it was getting too late to start going through Nana’s things.
I believe her words were, " Let's celebrate that I’m here, and the sad stuff can start tomorrow.” So here we are.
Dressed up at the only bar in this small town.
“Oooh, how about that one?” I follow Ember’s finger as she points to one of the guys sitting at the bar.
“The one with his ass crack showing or the one old enough to be your grandpa?” I laugh as I take another drink from the cold beer bottle in my hand.
“What if he's a sugar grandpa?” Em answers, wiggling her brows at me.
We both start giggling, which turns into full-blown laughter.
No one can hear us over the jukebox, and I take a moment to look around as our laughter dissipates.
The bar is busy tonight, which is unsurprising since it’s Friday night.
The stools at the bar are full, with people standing around them since most of the tables are full too. Luckily, we are at a booth in the back.
I look back at my best friend and watch her as she watches other people.
Ember’s long silver hair is curled and styled down tonight, and it complements her snug black dress.
She’s beautiful. Her face is lightly done with makeup, only gloss coating her plump lips; she looks nice. Approachable. Sweet even.
I know her well enough to know that’s just the kind of appearance she has.
She’ll bite your head off if she wants to.
I used to joke she was like a praying mantis since they eat the heads off the males after they mate.
More than once, men ran out of our shared apartment in the middle of the night after coming home with her.
It became an event where I would hear the door slam in the middle of the night and I’d meet her in the kitchen so she could dish on why they were leaving so suddenly.
One didn’t want to be tied up. Another one ran as soon as she grabbed a whip.
The last one? He didn’t want her to put that there.
She may be crazy, but she’s my ride or die. Always there for me and always will be.
Being friends with Ember has transformed who I am.
She slowly brought me out of my shell that first day we met and has been doing it ever since.
Hence the tattoo sleeve that adorns my left arm.
She’s taught me how to live and had me experience so many things that would have never been possible if I stayed here in my hometown. And now I’m back.
Whisper Grove is a quiet little town. Growing up, I heard all the rumors about it being haunted, but I came to realize the only thing it was haunted by was the whispers of the townspeople. The gossip mill in LA works hard, but the one here in Whisper Grove works even harder.
Ember grabs my attention again as we fall back into easy conversation about her sexual conquests lately, and I realize just how much I’ve missed and needed her here with me for a few days.
Our drinks are almost gone as the only waitress here serving walks up and hands us a couple more beers.
“We didn’t order these?” It sounds more like a question when the statement leaves my mouth.
“They’re from the two guys over there,” she says, pointing to the pool table in the middle of the bar. Ember and I simultaneously look around her.
Holy. Shit. It’s the guys from this morning.
I turn back to face Em, my cheeks hot and I know she’s about to ask me a million questions when the waitress leaves. Of course, we would run into them here.
“Who are they?” Ember asks, her eyes wide with interest, and I can already see her plotting a move in her head. Flirt or fight. Those are the only two options for Em.
“That’s Nash Blackwell, Colson Carver, and Ren Hawthorn.
They own the landscaping business here in town.
They also do a lot of handyman work for the old folks.
I’m not sure how you got their attention, but I sure wouldn’t waste it.
” The waitress has a dreamy smile on her face when she finishes explaining.
“Well, who are we to turn away free drinks?” Ember raises the new beer bottle and tips it towards the men, giving them her best smile.
Flirt it is. Fuck.