Page 14 of Against All Odds (Ember Falls #3)

“She can. Is that what you’re doing?”

I could lie. It would honestly be the easiest thing, but I hate liars.

“I’m drowning my sorrows,” I admit.

“And what sorrows might those be?”

I should’ve kissed you. I dream every night about kissing you while I lie on my new mattress that you gave me.

My husband is engaged—to his mistress.

Take your pick.

I sigh and open up my phone to show him the article. “Here.”

He reads it and huffs. “Well, that would do it.”

“It sure does.”

“All right, well, your day sucks, but you’re not sitting here drinking alone. Come on.” Everett grabs my drink and starts to walk away.

“Hey!” I call after him but get off the barstool, chasing my drink.

When we get to the table, his friend stands, like a gentleman. “Killian, this is Violet. She and I have been friends forever. She’s going to join us if that’s cool?”

Killian smiles warmly. “Of course, welcome.”

“Thank you. I didn’t plan to be around anyone, so I’m sorry if I’m in a mood. This asshole stole my drink and forced me to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting at all. I’m glad to have someone other than Everett to hang out with, and he totally is a prick. You stole her drink?”

“I did. She would’ve fought me about sitting with us, so this was easier.”

“I swear, you’re on a roll lately with your friends.”

I grin. “Seems you annoy everyone lately. Hazel said you drive her nuts, and Miles says the same.”

“I’m an equal opportunity ballbuster,” Everett admits.

I turn to Killian. “So you’re a member of his sports team? Do you play baseball too?”

Killian shakes his head. “No, we don’t ... umm ... play baseball.”

“Oh? Football?”

“Nope, not football either.”

Okay, why is he being so weird? “What do you guys play?” I ask.

“Ultimate Frisbee,” Everett answers as he leans back in his seat.

I didn’t know that was even a thing. “And what exactly is Ultimate Frisbee?”

Killian jumps in. “It’s like football, with a disc. Think of it as a merging of those sports.”

“I see.”

“It’s a lot of fun. Hazel is riveted by the games. She comes to a lot of them,” Everett informs me.

“You have groupies?” I ask.

“Of course. I’m kind of a big deal in the Frisbee world.”

Killian chokes on his drink. “You are?”

Everett gives him a look. “Aren’t I?”

“I’m sure, in some obscure section of the Ultimate Frisbee world—yes.”

I laugh softly and try to cover it with a cough. However, Everett sees through it and just smiles at me. “I’m sorry, I’m just really shocked. You went from being really good in baseball to this. It’s just a little jarring, that’s all.”

“I’m good at a lot of things,” Everett says, his voice low.

Killian drains his drink and then places the bottle down. “I just remembered that I have a meeting tomorrow morning, and I need to run some reports. Will you guys be okay if I dip out now?”

Everett looks over, disbelief on his face. “You have a meeting?”

“Yes.”

“That you forgot about?”

“Yup,” Killian says with a grin and turns to me. “It was wonderful meeting you, Violet. I’m sure I’ll see you around, and hopefully you’ll come to one of our tournaments so you can really see Everett in all his Frisbee glory.”

Everett glares at him and I fight back a laugh. “Thank you. It was nice to meet you.”

Killian nods and then leaves me alone with Everett. That whole plan I had about avoiding him is clearly not going to happen now.

“Did that feel weird to you?” I ask.

“Yes, subtlety is clearly not Killian’s strong suit. Honestly, I’d be surprised if anyone in this town could even spell it.”

I grin. “At least you know they’re always coming at it from a place of kindness. Unlike where I lived, where it was all about schemes and malice.”

“I couldn’t do it,” he admits. “As much as Ember Falls has a lot of problems or things that make life difficult, we mean what we say and we do what we promise. I never understood it until ... a few years ago. How lucky I was. How much a community matters more than money or what you have. It’s more about who you are. ”

The idea of that causes me to smile. “It’s why I wanted to come here. I can remember Granny talking about how lucky she was. She would tell me about having a family here, even though not a single person shared her blood.”

“You’re a part of that too, Violet.”

My chest grows tighter as I let those words walk over me. How beautiful of a thought that is. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.”

“How so?”

Everett reaches his hand out to rest over mine. “I get to decide who is a part of it. I’m one of the head decision-makers of all town matters, didn’t you know?”

“I didn’t. You’re so important.”

“That I am.”

I laugh and then sigh heavily. “I don’t know why I’m even upset about it—the engagement. They deserve each other, and I don’t even want him. Not once have I missed him or thought, Wouldn’t it be great to talk to him? Our marriage ended years ago, but we were just unwilling to do anything.”

“Because no matter what, you were married to him.”

I shrug. “I guess maybe it’s more that this is how I found out. It’s only been a little over a month, and already he’s engaged? We aren’t even officially divorced! How does anyone think this is so okay? I don’t know, I mean, whatever.”

Everett drains his beer and then sits, watching me. “Come on.”

I blink in confusion. “Where?”

“Take my hand. Trust me.”

Trust. What a funny word. Five letters and yet it means so much. To give trust to another that they won’t hurt you is a difficult thing.

But this is Everett.

He’s never hurt me. Not once.

It was me who hurt him.

I place my hand in his and he pulls me up, leading me to a space in the middle of the bar. “What are you doing?” I whisper.

“What does it look like?”

I’m not sure, that’s why I asked. “Everett.”

He grins and pulls me to his chest, his hand on my back. “Dance with me.”

Dear God. “This is not a dance floor.”

“It’s a floor and we’re dancing on it. That’s pretty much the definition.”

Out of mortification, I bury my face in his chest and let him sway me to the sounds of the bar. There are people talking, glasses clinking, and then, suddenly, music playing.

I look up and his eyes meet mine. “See, now we even have music.”

I laugh softly and shake my head. “You’re a mess.”

“That’s true, but I’m a cute one.”

“Says you.”

“Says everyone,” Everett corrects.

I don’t argue. Instead, I lay my head on his shoulder and dance with him. The song ends, but he doesn’t let me go. Another two couples end up joining us, which makes this all slightly less uncomfortable.

The music shifts to something more lively and I step back, but he grips my hand tighter. “Where do you think you’re going?”

My eyes widen as I stare at him. “Umm ...”

“We’re not done.” Everett grips my other hand and starts to move like an octopus. His arms move up and down as he waves his lower body.

Truly, it’s not dancing. It’s more of a flailing, but I can’t stop laughing.

We laugh and move, not caring about anyone else in the bar. It’s just us, and all my worries melt away as Everett spins me around.