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“Liv, he was practically eye-fucking you in front of the entire bar.”

She chokes, mid-drink, and gently smacks her chest a few times. She’s so sweet and so innocent. I adore her already. I cover my laugh with my hand, reaching over to rub her back.

In the few minutes we’ve been here, the crowded bar somehow grew more crowded. “This place is poppin’ for a town that shuts down so early.”

“Yeah, on the weekends they get live bands from all over the world. That’s actually how Sophie met her fiance.” She saysSophielike I’m supposed to know who that is. Like we’re all old friends. We’re not, and I have no idea who we’re talking about, but I nod along like I’m in on the story anyway. “The two closest neighboring towns don’t have a bar either, so locals and tourists from those areas come over here as well. Are you from a big city?”

“It’s actually one of the largest in The United States”

“That’s nice. I’ve barely ever left this town.” Her eyes grow distant, and she mindlessly stirs her straw around her copper mug.

“Do you want to?”

“I love this town and everyone in it. I never thought I would want to leave, but a few years ago, we went to London for one of Knox’s games, and I don’t know.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Ever since then, I’ve just felt like there’s so much more out there, you know? I just don’t know if anything outside of Stoney Meadow is really forme.Plus, I think I would have a hard time leaving my mom. I’m the one who helps her most days.”

“I can relate.”

“You?” Her eyes go wide before shaking her head. “I find that hard to believe.”

“It’s true.” I nod. Not the part about leaving my mom. Caroline Nova bailed on me long before I had the opportunity to even consider leaving her, but a piece of my heart tugs for Olivia. Not knowing where you fit in, or not being able to make a decision—hell, that should have been my middle name.Taylor Indecisive Nova.“I think at some point, all of us question what we’re doing with our lives. Where we want to live and what we want to do. Specifically, what we want to get out of it. I’m sure it’s a universal experience. We might not go through it at the same time, but Liv?” Her eyes find mine and I reach for her hand, squeezing tightly. “You’re not alone. We’re all just trying to find our place on this floating rock.”

She clasps her other hand on top of mine with a smile that lights up her face. “And what do you want to do now?”

“Right now, I want to have a fun night out in a new town with my new friend. Cheers!” I lift my glass to hers, and she clinks her mug against mine.

“What about you? You must have a lot of fun bars and clubs where you’re from then?”

“We definitely do. I haven’t been out in a while, though. A drink or two at the bar down the street from where I live, mostly. The last really wild night I had, my best friend, and I went to Vegas, and she accidentally got married.”

“What?” She slams her hand down on the tabletop.

“Yeah, it all worked out, though. Turns out, she actually liked the guy.”

“That’s insane! If I ever—” Olivia keeps talking, but the music, the laughter, all the shouting and glasses clinking fade away when I spot the man sitting up at the bar. He’s talking to Liam, but even from halfway across the room, I can make outhis thick, corded back muscles, the way they shift with every little movement under his shirt. Knox sits sideways on his stool, one arm propped up on the bar, his smile stretching from ear to ear.

Butterflies go wild in my stomach at the sight of him, and I sit up just a little straighter.

“Ugh,” Oliva groans, pulling my attention back to our table.

I blink a few times, breaking out of the fog of lust that is Knox Browning. Her whole body is turned towards me now, her chin propped up by the heel of her hand.

“What’s up with that?” I nod toward Knox, who is still looking all kinds of fine at the bar, unable to keep the smile off of my face.

“My dad probably sent him here to look after me.” She rolls her eyes. “Yet another reason I’m questioning if I can stay here any longer. I’ll always be treated like the baby.”

“I—” Before I can respond, Knox captures my attention again. More specifically, the beautiful tall woman with long, silky black hair who has her hand on his forearm. I nod toward her as she laughs at whatever he’s just said. “Who’s that?”

My smile slowly falls as her bigger more beautiful one continues to grow.

Liv takes a quick peek and turns back to me. “Oh, that’s Ava. She just moved back here. I’ve only met her a handful of times, but she seems super cool.”

“Where did she move from?”

“She was traveling for years, I’m not sure if she ever put roots down anywhere, but she’s a model, so she’s been like… everywhere.”

Of course she has.I bite down hard on my inner cheek as something annoying begins to furrow in my chest

“Let’s do shots!” I blurt out.