Page 27 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

Travis looked down, defeated. “I wanted more for you, Pidge.”

“More than what? Don’t you dare wish away this part! The tiny apartment and clipping coupons and living on ramen until payday? Balancing the checkbook together and talking about our weekly budget, picking up a sweater in the store just to hang it back on the rack because holding your hand with our rings touching is way better than carrying a bag full of clothes.

“I want to feel giddy to be with you at the movie theater once every two months because it’s something special instead of expected. I want to build our castle one block at a time ... just you and me. No easy outs.”

His half smile reappeared, and he held my hand against his cheek. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

He took in my words and then nodded, already feeling better. “Speaking of being broke ... it’s coin beer night at The Red. If we’re both going to start working every night, let’s get it out of our system.”

I grinned. “I’m in.” I tapped out a group text to Shepley and America, and immediately got a response. Excited, I shrugged my shoulders. “Shep and Mare will meet us there at eight-thirty.”

Travis backed out of the parking spot and navigated his way to the street, turning up the radio and serenading me all the way home.

I looked out the window and sighed. We were going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay. I could feel it.

Chapter Eight

The New Normal

Abby

STEPPING THROUGH THE FRONT DOORof our favorite bar felt like a trip in a time machine.

My heels clicking against the sticky floor and holding tight onto Travis’s hand as he weaved through the crowded club made me feel like we’d gone back in time, before the investigation, before the wedding, before the fire.

Coeds were barely covered in their metallic rompers and micro minis, twirling their hair as they talked to whatever silly boy was going to buy them a drink.

Sure, The Red was a meat market. Everyone was voluntarily on display to catch the eye of someone—anyone—or for couples to announce or reestablish their claim to one another.

The occasional patron was present who just loved to dance, or drink, or play pool, but humans needed other humans, and The Red was just crowded and dark and loud enough to see and be seen without judgment.

The speakers vibrated with music, beating like blood through a heart. With my free hand, I pressed my fingertips against my chest to try to lessen the pounding through my ribcage.

Mouths were moving, but the only sound was the music, everyone speaking the same language, singing the same song. Connection. Acceptance. A way to leave the stresses of college behind.

As we approached the bar, Travis waved to Raegan, and she shooed a couple of guys from the stools directly in front of her. She grinned as we sat down, wiping down the wooden bar in front of us. “I was wondering if you two would be back here.”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” I asked, watching her pop the top off two domestic beers and then place them in front of Travis and me.

Raegan crossed her arms. “I dunno. You’re married now. I figured that would magically change you somehow, I guess.”

“We still like to drink and see our friends,” Travis said, clicking the neck of his beer bottle to mine. He kissed the corner of my mouth before taking a quick swig and surveying the room. “Where’s Trent and Cami?”

Raegan answered as she walked away to tend to other customers. “She’s pretty much working full-time at Skin Deep now.”

“With Trent? That should be interesting,” I said with a smirk.

“Oh, it’s always interesting with those two.”

“That’s no shit,” Travis said, amused.

I watched Raegan and Jorie work the line, taking two or three orders at a time. Making the drinks with precision and speed, taking payment, tapping furiously on the cash register, and then starting over.

Raegan’s side was crowded—three rows deep. If we didn’t know the bartenders through Camille, and Travis wasn’t—well, Travis—we would have waited for a seat all night. The tables were full, too, just like the pool tables and the dance floor.

I hadn’t seen it that busy in a while, and I wondered if it was because the fire made everyone want even more to be around friends and experience life and laughter.