Page 44

“Jake’s being a real dick around the shop. Barking at everyone over stupid shit.”

“So it’s business as usual?” I joked.

“This is worse than Jake’s normal warm and snuggly personality. I don’t know what happened and I’m not asking you to share. All I know is you two looked tight at Jet’s. Next day you’re suddenly too busy to do anything and Jake’s a major prick.”

“I really have been busy.”

“I don’t doubt that. I’m just saying that there’s more to it. I know Jake can be a little… controlling.”

Yeah, and a hurricane is just a little windy.

“It’s not that, Kase.”

“But if there was something he said to make you end things or—”

“Honey, I appreciate this. I really do. But I’m not the one that ended things.”

“Jake did? Shit, we’d all just figured…” Kase shook his head. “Well, it doesn’t matter what we figured. Really?”

“Yup.”

His brows lowered. “What the hell is wrong with him?”

“Sometimes people just want different things. Doesn’t make either of us right or wrong.” I smiled up at him. “Now get going. I have cakes to bake.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Kase began walking off my porch towards his car before stopping. “Don’t think any of that means you can get rid of me and the guys.” Though his voice was teasing, I was pretty sure his words were more of a warning than a joke.

“Of course not. Hence the donuts. You’re still my boys.”

“Boys? Hell, woman, we’re men!” he yelled back as he got into his car and drove off with a wave.

*******

When Eli had texted to tattle on Kase for hoarding donuts and ask if I was coming out with them, I again declined. This time, though, it was because of my plans with Ray.

A Friday night with the boys would be a chill time.

I needed more than that.

Shaking off my kind of funk definitely called for getting decked out and partying with my girls.

Blowing off my last class of the day, I’d caught up on my baking before getting ready.

Using hot rollers and enough spray to be personally responsible for a sizeable hole in the ozone, I’d styled my hair in a wild tumble of curls. I went heavy on my eyeliner and mascara, but offset it with a simple nude gloss on my lips.

While my makeup had balance, my outfit was all-out. Pairing a black mini skirt with a fitted, dark purple, scoop neck top, I was showing more than a hint of legandcleavage. I’d even dusted shimmer on my legs before putting on matching purple, strappy heeled sandals.

I felt good. I was ready to party.

Until I walked into the club.

It wasn’t anything against the place itself. Voodoo was kickass, and I wasn’t just saying that because I knew the owner and was best friends with his woman.

I was just in a rotten freakin’ mood.

“You can do this. Be normal for once,” I whispered to myself as I made my way around people. “Okay, not talking to yourself is probably the first step in being normal.”

I reached the bar and saw that Ray was already there with Marcy and Lily, two other tattoo artists from her all female studio.