by J. Lynn
Sadness filled me. “And your mom?”
Another slow shake of his head. “She wasn’t there, but that wasn’t anything new. She was never there.”
His parents really were the worst. His dad was a drunk who had never been able to hold down a job. He’d stay out, come home, and even though Brock rarely admitted it, I knew his father used him as a punching bag.
Just like Brock’s father had used his mom.
And which was why his mom was probably never there, but who could leave knowing what was happening to their child? I never understood. Never would.
“I don’t drive down that street. Don’t go into that neighborhood.” He cupped my cheek, smoothing his thumb along the damaged jaw. “I understand why you never drove past here and I get why this is a big deal for you.”
My gaze shifted away from his, to the side parking lot. “I’m . . . I’m okay. It’s just—I don’t know. I almost died here.” I let out a shaky breath as I reached deep in and tried to see how I felt, but there was nothing really there. “I guess . . . I don’t know. I felt like coming back here would be this eye-opening, epiphany moment, but I just kind of feel numb.”
“However you feel, whether it’s nothing or angry or sad, it’s all okay.”
I nodded as I dragged my gaze back to his. “Do you ever want to see them again—your parents?” I asked as a burst of cold wind caused me to shiver.
“You know, I don’t even feel bad about saying this, but no. I don’t.” He shifted so his back took the brunt of the wind. “The only thing those people taught me was to survive, and they weren’t even very good at that.”
“But you did survive,” I pointed out.
“Luck,” he said, the corners of lips curling up.
I shook my head. “No, it’s not luck. You have . . . you have fire in you, Brock. You were determined to do more than survive, but to make something out of your life. To succeed and—”
“And you don’t think you have that?” His eyes searched mine. “After what you’ve survived and where you stand today?”
I lowered my gaze, unsure of how to answer the question, because I wasn’t sure if I had that same kind of fire Brock had, because I’d given up so much and he’d fought for so much.
And I really didn’t want to think about any of this right now. “Let’s get in there before everyone thinks we bailed on them.”
He was silent for a moment. “We can leave whenever you want. Just let me know and we’re gone.”
“Okay.” Thinking he deserved a kiss for that, I stretched up and brought my mouth to his.
Despite the cold wind, the kiss warmed me from the inside out. My lips parted and the kiss deepened, turned scalding hot. Brock kissed as if he was drinking every part of me in, taking long and deep drafts. My body melted into his, and I was rewarded with a deep, throaty growl.
“You sure we gotta go in there?” he asked, pressing his forehead against mine.
I let out a shaky laugh. “Yes.”
“Then we better do this before I change my mind and find a very different way of spending our evening.” He shifted his hips, and my eyes widened as I felt him against my stomach, hard and thick.
Blushing to the roots of my hair, I stepped back, but he kept me close as we turned to the entrance of the bar. Holding my hand in his, we walked into Mona’s together, for the first time, side by side.
Chapter 27
Mona’s had really changed since all those years ago. Gone were the old floors that always looked dirty and possibly sticky no matter how many times they were cleaned. They were replaced with what appeared to be some kind of fancy tile that looked like slate. The bar was all new, still shaped like a horseshoe with two wells, but the bottle display was also updated with bright white light and lit blue tubes running underneath the clear shelves, showcasing the more expensive liquors. TVs were on the walls and hung from the ceilings in various places. The round high-top tables were all black and the stools had freshly cushioned seating.
There were a lot of people standing around the bar and the tables. I couldn’t see toward the back where the booths and larger tables were next to the pool tables.
Mona’s had gotten a facelift and the place no longer looked like the dive bar down the street. That had to mean that business was going well for Calla and Jax, the owners.
I’d seen Calla a few times over the years, but we’d never really talked about the bar, so I was beyond happy to see all the new additions.
Brock led me around an older couple, and the first familiar faces we saw were Reece and Colton Anders. They were leaning against the bar, watching one of the TVs hung on the wall.
Reece and his older brother, Colton, were police officers, and both of them, with their dark brown hair, classically chiseled features and startling blue eyes, could star in their own hot cop calendars.
Like, it could be just them, alternating each month, and no one would complain. No one.
I’d seen them since the shooting, especially Colton since he was always with Abby. I had no real memories of what happened after I’d been shot, just shattered glimpses, but I knew Colton and Reece had been there.
I was alive because of their quick thinking and experience, and the two would always hold a special place in my heart.
Colton spotted us first, and a wide smile broke out over his face. “Hey! You guys are finally here.” He pushed off the bar, crossing the distance between his. “Real good to see you two.”
Reece followed, spotting Brock’s hand around mine, and his smile kicked up a notch. I could feel my cheeks heat as the guys did their weird one-arm man-hug thing and then I got the full hugs. From both of them!
“It’s been forever since I’ve seen you,” Reece said in my good ear, drawing back. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you.”
Colton moved in next, and I heard Brock grumble something under his breath that caused Reece to laugh. “You doing good?” Colton asked. “Abby said you are, but you know how she is, she worries about everyone.”
“I’m doing good. Truly,” I said, pulling back, feeling the bitter bite of shame. There were long gaps in time when I didn’t talk to Abby, talk to anyone really, and I knew she had worried. “Where is Abby?”
Colton looked over his shoulder and tilted his chin up. “The girls have a seat back . . . there they are.” With a hand on my shoulder, he pointed to one of the large round tables toward the back. “You see them?”
Stretching up, I thought I saw the back of Abby’s head. I turned to Brock. “I’m going to go over and say hi.”
“Cool,” he replied, but as I started to step away, he caught my arm and hauled me back. My hand landed on his chest. “But first.”
I opened my mouth, but whatever I was about to say was cut off with his kiss. It was quick but deep, and he kissed me like no one was standing right in front of us. When he let go, I swayed a bit and his grin was smug.
“I’ll swing over there in a bit,” he said.
“Okay,” I whispered, feeling dazed. There was a good chance I would’ve agreed to anything at this point.
Brock lowered his mouth to my left ear and said, “Fucking cute as hell.”
“What?” And then I realized he was acknowledging that I was still standing there and staring up at him like a doofus. Like a doofus who Brock found “fucking cute,” but still a doofus. “I’ll go now.”
Brock chuckled.
Turning around, I wiggled my fingers at the incredibly hot cop duo and then navigated the throng of people. The partial hearing made me feel slightly unbalanced as I walked through the crowd.
I rounded the set of high-top tables and saw them. Abby was sitting at the table, toying with a straw in her drink. Standing beside her was Roxy, a bartender at Mona’s who was married to Reece. I didn’t know Roxy too well, but she was hilarious, extremely quick-witted and very talented. The woman could paint anything.
Sitting next to Abby was Calla. The tall blonde had her hair pulle
Roxy started to turn and she spotted me. “Hey! Oh my God, look at you!” Full of energy, she bounced over to me and enveloped me in a warm hug. “Ah, you made it here!”
“It’s so good to see you.” When she pulled back, I laughed. “I love the glasses and hair.”
“Me too.” She reached up, touching the green streak of hair that matched her glasses. “I know it’s only Thanksgiving, but I’m getting festive already. Green reminds me of Christmas. Reece says I should’ve gone with red, but I’m thinking about saving that for Valentine’s Day.”
“You could also go white for Christmas,” I said. “You know, for snow and Santa’s beard.”
Her eyes widened behind the glasses. “Damn. I didn’t even think that. I’ve actually never done white before.”
I actually couldn’t believe there was a color Roxy hadn’t tried yet.
Abby let out a squeal and extended her arms, but she was blocked in. “Jillian! Finally!”
“Sorry. We were running a little late.” I waved at her.
“Oh, the ‘we’ part is very exciting.” Roxy bumped her hip into mine. “Very, very exciting.”
Steph extended her arms from where she sat. “Look at you! Holy crap, you look amazing. Love the boobs.”
I blushed as Nick dropped his head, shoulders shaking with laughter.
“What?” Steph turned around and shot the dark-haired Nick a look. “She looks hot. Women need to tell other women when they’re looking hot. It needs to be a rule.”
“Thank you,” I said, laughing. Steph was possibly one of the most gorgeous women I’d ever seen in real life. She was bold and confident, spoke her mind often and freely, and she was also one of the most loyal and sweetest people I knew. I bent down to hug her. “I thought you would be in Martinsburg—oh my God, you’re pregnant!” I froze halfway, realizing she had quite the little belly on her.
Steph laughed. “Yeah, that I am. I’m six months along.”
“She didn’t tell any of us for the longest time,” Abby said. “Hell, she just started wearing really loose tops—”
“Which should’ve been a dead giveaway,” Calla added dryly.
Steph rolled her eyes.
“And stopped drinking,” Abby continued. “I asked her, because she claimed she’d just gained weight and was on a diet.”
Flipping her dark hair over her shoulder, Steph laughed. “We just didn’t want anyone to know until we were a hundred percent sure this was going to . . . that it was going to last,” she said. “We wanted to make sure we were basically out of the woods.”
“It’s why we stayed home this Thanksgiving,” Nick explained, placing his hands on her shoulders, massaging them. “Her mom came up and we’re having dinner here.”
“I’m so excited for you guys,” I said, wanting to clap like a seal. “Congratulations.”
“Where is Brock?” Nick asked, speaking up to ensure I heard him through the hum of conversation and music.
I pointed to the bar. “He’s with Colton and Reece.”
“Haven’t seen him in a minute.” Bending down, he kissed the top of Steph’s head. “You good?”
She nodded. “Tell him I said hi.”
Nick kissed the side of her face and then walked by me, ruffling my hair like I was a five-year-old. I shot him a look, but his expression said he had no regrets as he swaggered off.
Calla popped up from her seat and we exchanged a quick hug. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, drawing back with a soft smile. “It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, a couple of years.” I glanced around. “The place seriously looks amazing.”
“Thank you.” A proud look filled her eyes. “It’s been a long process, and there are a few things Jax and I still want to work on. We got the kitchen upgraded, but we really want to do some sort of expansion. There’s room to build out back, but we’d have to close down while that takes place, so we’re trying to figure out a good time to do that.”
“Wow. That sounds amazing,” I said. “What are you planning to do with the expansion?”
Calla glanced at Roxy with excitement in her eyes. “We’re thinking about adding some more tables, enough room for a couple of more pool tables, but we want to add a stage.”
“That would be awesome,” I said.
Roxy nodded. “Hell’s yeah it would be.”
“Take my seat.” Calla stepped aside. “I’ve got to get back to the bar, because someone is on their lunch.”
“That’s me,” Roxy chirped.
I sat down next to Abby, finally getting to hug her. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said and then into my left ear. “And you are so going to have to fill me in later on what is going on with you and Brock.”
“I will,” I promised.
Smiling at me, Abby leaned back and said, “You know, she’s not the only one having a baby.”
My gaze darted between the three remaining women. “Which one—”
“Not me.” Calla held up her hands. “Jax and I are happy being the cool aunt and uncle right now.”
I looked at Abby and her brows knitted. “Don’t you think I’d tell you?”
“I’d hope so, which leaves you . . .”
Roxy laughed, shaking her head.
“Then who?” I asked.
Steph laughed. “Your answer is right in front of you and she’s lying.”
“All right, it’s me.” Roxy straightened her glasses. “I’m about two months along.”
My mouth dropped open.
“I still don’t really believe it myself,” she said, patting her practically non-existent stomach. “We weren’t exactly trying, you know?”
“In other words, she forgot to take her pills one too many times,” Calla explained, laughing when Roxy smacked her arm.
Abby shook her head. “I honestly worry about drinking the water here. It’s like everyone is waking up pregnant.”
“I heard you can catch it on a toilet seat,” Steph commented.
I laughed, relaxing back against the booth. “Note to self. Do not use the restroom here.”
“Yeah, but a Brock and Jillian baby would be so cute,” Abby said.
“Shut up right now,” I said, holding my hands up like I could ward off pregnancy that way. Not that I had anything to worry about at this point. I was on the pill and we hadn’t even had sex yet. “Do not jinx me.”
“Oh, look who’s here,” Calla said. “I told her you were coming by tonight.”
Twisting in my seat, I looked across the bar and my mouth dropped open. At first, I wasn’t sure my eyes were functioning correctly, but then I blinked, and I still saw her, and I knew it wasn’t someone who time-warped out of the seventies.
“Katie!” I shrieked.
The blonde hadn’t changed one bit since the last time I’d seen her. Her hair was pulled back in a tight, high ponytail. She wore sparkly pants that looked like bell bottoms. Pretty sure she was wearing platform heels, and the bright fuchsia shirt she wore kept sliding off her shoulder. She had to have at least a dozen bangles stacked from her wrist to her elbow.
“Hey, girl, hey!” She had a shot glass in one hand and a glass of dark liquid in another. “For you. It’s Coke. Because I know you don’t want to drink tonight.”
I stared as she placed the fresh Coke down in front of me, slightly unnerved by the fact she knew I wasn’t going to drink. “Thank you.”
She grinned as she reached down and hugged me tightly. “I got something to say to you, Jilly” she said, and everyone at our table quieted, because when Katie had something to say, you listened. “Hopefully you listen to me this time.”
Every muscle in my body tensed, because I knew what she was referencing and I should’ve listened to her last time.
“Still going to be rough at times, but he’s worth it now,” she said, holding my gaze with eyes the color of the ocean. “You just had to wait to discover that.”
Um.
I didn’t know what to say.
She was obviously talking about Brock. She had told me once that he hadn’t been worth it yet, and I thought she had been telling me that he simply wasn’t worth it at all.
“Holy shit,” Steph exploded, leaning back in her seat. “Is that a wedding ring on your finger?” Her hand darted out and she snapped up Katie’s arm. “That is a so a wedding ring.”
“What?” Abby demanded. “When did you get married?”
“Who did you marry?” Roxy asked.
Calla, who hadn’t headed back to work, shook her head in wonder. “And do we know him?”
Katie giggled. “Yes. I got married last weekend. We eloped to Vegas.” Popping back a step, she wiggled her finger. “And you all don’t know him,” she said, “Not yet. But you will. And he will be your favorite.”
Not a single one of us batted an eyelash.
“And when will we meet him?” Calla asked.
“Soon.” She tapped Calla on the nose. “Very soon.”
“I’m sorry. Hold on a second,” I said, shaking my head. “How did you meet this guy?”
“Well,” Katie said, lifting her shot. “Let’s just say he was a very, very determined patron of the club.” Winking, she took the shot and then lowered the glass. “And we have been together for like eight years. So it was about time we jumped the broom.”
Steph’s jaw nearly hit the table. “What? You’ve been with this guy since then?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Yes.”
“Why haven’t you told us?” Roxy looked like she was about to hit Katie next.
“When did I have a chance to talk to you guys about my man? Y’all are a bunch of dramalicious bitches who constantly need my wise and sage advice.” She planted a hand on her hip. “And it’s not like I’d ever come to any of you for relationship advice. For realsies.”
For some reason, I found that hilariously funny. Maybe because it was accurate. Tipping my head back, I laughed—laughed hard enough that I think I hurt my abs.
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