Need You Tonight (10 page)

Rowan makes a little noise. “Are you sure?”

“About grabbing my purse—yes.”

“If you change your mind, I’m here,” she says.

I stop in the middle of the room. “Thank you, but it’s not a big deal.” Using Parker’s words without crying all over again feels like a hoellow accomplishment.

Turning to her, I finally check out what she’s wearing. My eyes widen at her strapless dress. It looks as though she was poured into it, but she looks amazing. While I look like someone who hasn’t been clubbing in forever. “I think I’m overdressed. Or underdressed. Either way, I’m not dressed right.” Tugging at my off-the-shoulder shirt, I look down at my jeans and high heels. “At least I didn’t wear my pearls.”

“Oh, shut up. I was only kidding.” Rowan marches up to me and grabs my arm, pulling me outside. “You look
good
. I’m looking for a man.”

“But I thought this was a girls’ night out,” I say faintly as I lock up the house and put the keys into my small purse. “I’m not…I mean, I wasn’t…”

“It is a girls’ night out, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do double duty.”

I get in her car and shut the door, worrying my bottom lip as I buckle my seatbelt and she gets in.

Rowan gets in, laughing as she pats my leg. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving without you, or with some random dude.”

“Wasn’t worried at all.” Though inside, I’m practically wallowing in relief. I can’t imagine how awkward it would be to become the third wheel and look for another ride home.

“Don’t laugh, okay?” she suddenly says as we head toward the interstate. “But the real reason I’m dressed like this?”

“Yes?”

“Seth’s in town and if he sees me, then I don’t want him to think I’m not over him. Because I am.” She shifts gears. “I’m completely over him, and I want him to regret every second of it. Which is why we’re going to King’s tonight instead of The Double Deuce.”

I glance at her. If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect there were tears in her eyes, but Rowan is so tough and confident that it doesn’t make sense. Yet, her confession wasn’t what I expected either.

This time, I pat her leg and say, “If you see him, then let me know, and I’ll go kick his butt.”

“You?” Rowan grins. “You’re tough, Reeves, but girls like you don’t throw down in clubs. Or anywhere else for that matter.”

“Maybe not, but girls like me
and you
stand up for their friends when they’ve been hurt.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly.

“You’re welcome.”

She plunges into the crowd, and I follow. Bodies writhe, music pumps out the bass, and hands are everywhere. It’s hot and sticky, and twice, someone grabs my butt. By the time we get to the table, I want to weep with joy.

Instead, I settle for practically hugging my chair. “Nice chair. Good chair. Hands-free chair.”

I can feel Piper giving me an odd look. “Is she okay?” she asks Rowan.

“Don’t mind her. She’s not used to being out with heathens.” Rowan grins at me. “Brooklyn, this is Piper Ross. Piper, this is Brooklyn Reeves. Our friend, Gia, couldn’t make it. Her babysitter cancelled at the last minute.” Piper is dainty with long, brown hair, big dark eyes and a friendly, but shy smile. She looks as out of place as I do.

With a grin, I sit down and place my purse on the table. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice shirt.” She looks pointedly at me, and I realize we’re wearing the exact same shirt. Same color. Same style. “Loft?”

“Ah. Yes.” I shake my head. “Guess we should have coordinated?”

“Wouldn’t have mattered. You two would have still managed to look like twins,” Rowan says. “Who’s up for drinks?”

“Me,” Piper sings out.

Rowan narrows her eyes at her. “No virgins tonight.”

Piper rolls her eyes. “
Fiiine
. But no tequila for you.”

“Not a problem, since I’m the DD tonight.”

“I’ll take a beer.”
Only one
, I tell myself. I didn’t eat enough today to trust myself with more.

The two of them stare at me with something akin to horror.

“A
good
beer?” I venture.

“Don’t let her order, Ro,” Piper huffs.

“Honey, you can’t come into King’s and order
just
a beer,” Rowan says. She waves at the bar. “They are known for their beers and signature drinks.
I’ll take a beer.
Jeez.”

Piper nods in support of Rowan. “Seriously, Brooklyn. You can’t.”

Exasperated, I grumble, “Then why don’t you order for me?”

Twin looks of horror give way to smiles.

“She’s a smart one.”

“Knew you’d love her.”

“So sweetly gullible.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Shut up, Ro.”

They burst out laughing while I stare at them like they’ve lost their minds…until it hits me. My mouth falls open in shock.

“Oh my gosh! You guys were teasing me, weren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Rowan says.

Piper smacks Rowan’s arm, then turns her attention back to me. “Yes we were, but you passed the test.”

“That was a test?”

“It was Rowan’s idea,” Piper says quickly.

A server comes and takes our order, but I request my own darn drink.

“Good girl,” Rowan says approvingly.

I stick my tongue out at her, feeling giddy and years younger all of a sudden.

“Rowan said you moved from Jacksonville. Is that near Camp Lejeune,” Piper asks and I nod, my stomach flipping a little. This is the part where I talk about my husband, his death, and—“Why Forrestville of all places? I would have picked Maui or Tahiti.”

My stomach stops flipping in dread. “I put a map of the US on the wall, closed my eyes, and threw a dart at it.”

“No way,” Rowan says, gasping a little. “I wouldn’t have taken you for being so adventurous.”

“I don’t think living here is adventurous.” Parker’s image comes to mind. Adventurous, no. Emotional, yes.

“Then why didn’t you throw another dart?” Piper asks.

Because I couldn’t bear to leave Braden. I couldn’t bear moving so far away that I couldn’t visit his grave.
But I don’t feel comfortable admitting that.

Instead, I shrug and give them a more palatable explanation—one that won’t make everyone feel sorry for me. “I guess I didn’t want to leave North Carolina, after all.”

In the past, Beau would have met us here, but he’s married now. He’s content and in love with a girl who’s the exact opposite of him.

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting to see her here tonight.” I take a drink of my beer and watch as Brooklyn, Rowan, and Piper head to the dance floor.

I’ve known Rowan and Piper since elementary school. Well, mainly I’ve known Rowan, since we’re from the same part of town. Piper’s like West, a rich kid who doesn’t give a shit about where her friends are from.

Only, she’s super quiet and shy. I would think someone like Brooklyn would get along with Piper. But when I think about how she teased me, how she got me to chase her in the yard… I don’t think Brooklyn’s shy at all.

Or at least, she’s not with me. Isn’t that a kick in the teeth?

“Why not?”

“She said she was going to The Double Deuce.”

“Are you going to stare at her all night, or actually talk to her?” West asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Brooklyn starts to dance, but from up here I can’t tell if she’s really into it or not. Rowan and Piper dance with her, arms waving in the air while they shake their asses. All three of them burst out laughing.

“I’m fine right where I am.”

“Then why are you so bent out of shape over her?”

I slice my gaze to West. “I’m not.”

He nods, a small smirk emerging. “I can see that.”

“Look, I’m trying to do the right thing and stay away from her. I’m leaving soon, and she needs someone who’s going to stick around for a while.” But the thought of staying away from her, of going back on my word to help her, makes me feel like shit.

Before she came into my life, I didn’t know what I was missing. I didn’t fucking care because I was so focused on leaving this hellhole.

“Did she tell you that?” he asks.

I give him a look. “What do you think?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what’s going on, because you won’t say, and I wish like hell you would. You’ve been like this for months.”

“Maybe if you weren’t so far up your girlfriend’s ass, then you’d know what was wrong with me.”

West’s dark eyes flash. “Better watch yourself,” he says softly. “McKenzie has nothing to do with your attitude.”

“You’re right. She doesn’t.” I run a hand through my hair. “Sorry, man.”

He slaps my back. “We all say stupid shit. Hell, remember when you called my ass out over McKenzie?”

“I remember.”

“Then allow me to return the favor.”

I cross my arms. “Go on.”

“Ask her what she wants. Use your words. Use that legendary charm of yours to put her at ease.”

“I already did that,” I mutter.

“Then try again.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to me,” I finally admit.

“And? Give her some time to cool off, and then try again.”

“You’re all about the try, aren’t you?”

He grins. “I’m all about putting a man out of his misery.”

I nod at the dance floor. “You think Brooklyn will put me out of mine?”

His grin falls away, a thoughtful look taking over his face. “Why don’t you tell me about her?”

My mind whirls. How to describe Brooklyn… “She’s fragile and sweet… and kind. A really good listener. Fun to be around.” I don’t have to say that she’s fucking gorgeous and sexy, because he has eyes. And I sure as hell won’t tell him how my very own angel kisses like the devil. Or how perfect she feels in my arms each time I hold her. I glance at West. “So, what’s the verdict?”

“Honestly, I think she could be the best thing that ever happened to you.”

Rolling my eyes, I say, “You just want me to have a reason to stay in Forrestville.”

“Dude, if I could get you to stay in
North Carolina
, I would consider it a win.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say.

“About Brooklyn or staying?”

“Both.”

“B, if we’re going to be friends, then you have to be honest with me. I was honest with you about Seth, and I wasn’t even drunk,” she points out.

She’s right. I can’t expect make to friends, much less keep them, if I don’t try to be a little vulnerable. “It’s not what you think,” I begin, and she sits down the chair across from my desk. “Parker and I had a misunderstanding, is all.”

“About a clogged toilet?”

“
Ew
. No.”

“You said he was your handyman, so I can only assume that the misunderstanding you had was over fixing something,” she points out.

“It was over fixing me,” I mumble, looking away.

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” she says. “You just need to get out more.”

“No. I don’t.” I can feel the familiar defensive anger building inside of me, so I take a deep breath and look at her, softening my face. “What I mean is that I’m not ready to date. When I went out with you and Piper last Saturday, that’s the first date—girls’ night out or real date, whatever you want to call it—I’ve been on in years.”

Her blue eyes round. “Seriously?”

I nod and then make a face. “I sound pathetic, huh?”

“Not to me. When Seth broke up with me, I didn’t date anyone for long time, just in case he changed his mind.” She laughs, but it’s bitter. “Pathetic, huh?”

“Not as pathetic as throwing yourself at a guy and he shoots you down,
after
the two of you kissed,” I blurt and then wince. “TMI?”

“Give me a minute, because one, I have conflicting feelings of jealousy and anger. Jealous because you got a taste of that boy, and anger that he shot you down.”

“He gave me the
it’s not you, it’s me
line.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish. Then he said I deserved better than him because he took advantage of me.” Our conversation replays in my mind, dredging up every bit of the disbelief and shame I’d felt.

“B, you got it all wrong.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, when a man says that to you, it’s completely because he’s trying not to fall.” She smiles at me, and I’m taken aback at how smug it is. “Did he apologize to you?”

“Yes, but not until after we fought some more.”

“Foreplay. Got it.”

My boss and new friend is insane. It’s the only explanation.

“I don’t mean for the two of you to sex each other up right this second,” she says with a huff. “When’s the last time you talked to him?”

“It’s been a while. Although, he texted me last night to let me know that he’d completed all the jobs on my list.”

“But I didn’t text him back,” I add quickly, not wanting her to think I’m weak. I want Rowan to see me as strong and independent like her.

“Told you.” She leans forward. “He finished everything on your list, instead of hiring someone else, and then texted you to let you know it’s done, because you wouldn’t have known otherwise?
Puh-lease
.”

“I guess what you’re saying makes sense, but why would he want to give his job to someone else?”

“He and his brother, Cole, used to own The Double Deuce. When they sold it a few months back, they made a killing. It was all in the papers. He doesn’t actually need the job, B.”

“So you’re saying,” I begin slowly, “that I should give him another chance?”

Rowan sits up, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m saying that you should make him sweat a few more days,
and then
give him another chance by putting him in the friend zone.”