Page 5

FIVE

ELI

“You wanna tell me what the hell that was about?”

I hear Connor’s voice, but my eyes have trailed back to the insufferable redhead at the far table. What the hell is her problem?

Becca was always a little too loud and a little too bratty, but I don’t remember her being this obnoxious. Really, Connor should be thanking me for saving him the headache. I don’t blame him for trying to get it in, though; she’s easily the hottest woman in the bar. Too bad that shit personality ruins it.

“Hello. Earth to douchebag.”

I snap my head around, tearing my eyes from Becca. Time has clearly turned her bitter, but she’s sadly mistaken if she thinks I’ll lay down and let her steamroll over me. That sharp tongue does nothing but stoke a fire in me to snuff hers out. If she wants to start this game, I’m in. She must have forgotten I play to win.

My eyes slide back, gliding up those legs that never end, over her tiny waist and dipping into the ample cleavage that ridiculous dress shows off. My dick twitches and irritation simmers in my gut.

The nerve of this chick.

She doesn’t know the first thing about me or what I’ve been through, yet she’s so quick to pass judgment.

“Eli.” Connor smacks the side of my head.

I break my gaze from Becca again , pasting a lazy smile on my face as I meet Connor’s narrowed gaze. “What?”

“First.” He throws up his finger. “You royally screwed me on the redhead.”

“Becca.”

“Right.” He nods. “Which I would have found out for myself if you hadn’t waltzed in with your asshole on display.”

I laugh. “What’s that even mean?”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is she was a sure thing, dude. I was this close to having those mile-long legs wrapped around me.”

The woman who has suddenly appeared next to him huffs, and he grins down at her. “It is what it is, girl. You knew who I was when you walked over.”

I take a sip of my beer while he placates his pussy of the night.

“Truly, from the bottom of my heart, fuck you for ruining that, Eli.” He glances over toward Becca’s table. “She’s so, so sexy. I mean…have you looked at her?” He swipes his hand through the air. “Never mind. Clearly, you have. Your eyes have been glued to her since you walked in the bar.”

I frown. “Because she pisses me off.”

Connor raises his chin. “So staring at her is supposed to somehow…alleviate your anger?”

I don’t reply because I don’t have an answer. Not one I want to admit out loud, anyway. The truth is, Becca makes me feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind, and I don’t particularly enjoy the loss of control. When her slender body pressed to mine in that tight as hell dress and those hot as fuck heels, my cock strained against my zipper, and that’s unacceptable. Baby sister’s best friend is a definite no-go. So is her being a student. And if all those things weren’t enough to stamp a giant red X on her, then that belligerent mouth of hers definitely is.

No matter how much my dick disagrees.

I glance at her one last time before forcing myself to look away.

Get some damn control, Eli.

Leaning over, I throw my arm around the blond that was just tucked into Connor’s side. “Got any friends?”

The blond nods and Connor smirks, slapping his hand on the bar. “There he is! About time you showed up, brother.”

I smile, ignoring the way my mind begs me to steal one last look at the redhead in the corner.

The next morning, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter, staring at my phone and willing it to disappear. If it does, I don’t have to make the call I’m desperate to avoid but know I’d never miss. At least this time, I’ll have some good news to share. Maybe Pops will see the prestige in coaching, and it’ll help bring a little bit of his spark back. But I doubt it.

I blow out a breath, pinching the bridge of my nose, steeling myself for the guilt that’s about to rise up like a tidal wave and capsize me for not going home. There aren’t many times I let it in, but during these calls, it’s unavoidable. I grab my phone and dial.

“Hey, Eli,” my sister answers.

She used to be the happiest, if not the most naive, kid on the block. Somewhere along the way, that changed, and now when we talk, it’s lined with a melancholy I wouldn’t know the first thing about fixing, even if I could. Truthfully, we’ve never had the closest relationship, but at least back when we were kids, I could pretend like we understood each other. Now we’re two strangers.

“Hey, baby sis. How are you and Pops?”

“Same as last time you called. Eli…he’s not doin’ good, you know? He drinks. A lot. I think he needs help.”

“Did you get the check I sent?”

She sighs. “Yeah. I wish you’d stop sendin’ them. We can’t have money lyin’ around here like that. Daddy can’t be trusted with it.”

Groaning, I run a hand through my hair. It’s the same conversation every goddamn time. “Come on, Lee. Pops is a grown man. There’s no one we can trust more in the world. Besides, if he’s not working, you two should have all the help you can get. Let me take care of you.”

She’s so dramatic when it comes to him. Always spouting off about his drinking and trying to guilt me into coming back home. I’m not worried. One of the first things he ever taught me was that when someone showed you who they were to believe them. People don’t change, and he’s the most controlled man in the universe.

Where’s she think I learned it from?

“What else is going on? You still working both jobs? How are things with your dancing?”

“Quit tryin’ to change the subject. I’ll have you know we do just fine without your guilt money.”

I swallow, my throat suddenly thick. Guilt money. I don’t know what she wants from me. She begs me to help, then bitches when I try. “It’s to help, sis, so you don’t have to work so hard. So Pops doesn’t have to go back to construction, since you say he’s in no shape.”

She sighs again, and the sound of it wraps around my neck.

I lean down and bang my head against the countertop, mouthing fuck you . “I don’t know what you want me to do here, Alina.”

“Fine, Eli.” She pauses. “Listen, Daddy’s up. You wanna talk to him?”

The little bit of hope I had going into this call drains away. My stomach sinks, the knot in my throat growing when I realize she’s not planning to ask about me. I’m not even sure she knows I’m in Florida. Last she knew, I had only been interviewed.

Maybe she just doesn’t care. She never really has. I wish with everything in me I could just not care, too.

“Sure. Hey…you doing okay? You sound tired.”

She exhales. “Yeah, Eli. I’m doin’ all right. Here’s Daddy.”

Pops comes down the line, but we never talk for long, which is quite the twist from growing up, when he’d lecture me for hours. He tells me all about his fishing and how he’s enjoying his “retired” life. I ask how things are with Lee, and he complains about her mothering him.

He doesn’t ask what I’m up to.

Like father, like daughter.

I’m not surprised. If it doesn’t involve my name in bright lights or bringing Ma back from the dead, he’s not interested.

After an excruciating amount of small talk, we hang up, and I glance at the clock on the stove. Five minutes. That’s how long I’ll give myself to feel this…ache that reaches through my stomach and splits open my chest, gripping my heart and squeezing.

But only five minutes.

After that, I’ll push it to the corner of my mind and lock it up tight.

Back where it belongs.