Page 1 of Fourth Wheel

Chapter 1

Maddie

“Nope.Abso-fucking-lutelynot.Youmight as well turn around and strut right back out that door.”

His reaction is one I’d expect, but I’m still caught off guard.

I scoped out the parking lot before shooting my shot at The Oak tonight.

Jake’s Jeep wasn’t out back, so why the hell is he here?

I immediately pull out my phone and type out a message to Paige.

Maddie: Abort mission. The owner’s here, and he knows my brother. He’ll take our fakes.

Paige: WTF? I thought you said the coast was clear! We’re already in the Lyft!

I silently groan and roll my lips, tasting the strawberry champagne lip gloss I slathered on just before entering the bar.

Maddie: Head to Holt. We probably can’t get into Ray’s, but I’m sure there’s somewhere we can go. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.

“Oh Jakey,” I sing-song. I stash my phone, then hop up onto a stool smack in the middle of the raw-edge bar at The Oak. “You wouldn’t really kick me out, would you? We’re practically family!” I rest my chin on my hand like I don’t have a care in the world as I watch him push off the back bar and stalk toward me.

A lesser woman would shudder at the rage behind his glare.

But I’ve been honing my ability to drive him crazy for years. He’s my brother’s best friend, and I’ve known him my whole life. I’m uniquely skilled at getting under his skin.

Jake plants his hands on the bar and leans forward in a clear effort to intimidate me.

“I’m serious, Maddie. I’m not serving you here,” he grits out through clenched teeth.

I stick out my lower lip and pout. What is his deal? He could have just poured me a drink and been done with the whole thing—I wouldn’t have stuck around for more than half an hour without my friends here anyway.

But now that he picked this fight, I’m going to win.

“You always make my drinks for me at home or at the cabin,” I retort, my voice louder than necessary considering his face is just inches from mine.

He whips his head from left to right, his eyes frantically scanning the patrons sitting on either side of us. Once he’s satisfied no one is listening to our exchange, he looks back at me and scowls.

I bite down on one side of my lower lip and give him the biggest doe eyes I can manage, feigning an innocence we both know I don’t possess. Fury erupts in his gaze when he realizes I’m intentionally goading him, and I swear his jaw ticks just like my brother’s does when he’s trying to keep his cool.

Good. If he wants to ruin my night, I can dish it right back and return the favor.

We stare at each other in a silent standoff, and seconds drag on as I try not to buckle under the weight of his glare. Jake is usually up for anything and doesn’t give two shits about letting me drink. I’m not a kid. I’m twenty years old. Who is he trying to fool with this concerned big brother act?

Finally, someone calls his name from the other end of the bar, and he blinks, breaking our connection.

“You can sit there and pout all night. No one will serve you—I’ll make sure of it.” He raps his knuckles twice on the bar, then turns away, but not before I have the last word.

“That’s okay, Jakey,” I taunt.

His curiosity must get the best of him then, because he turns back to me and cocks one eyebrow.

I smirk before I bring the flask to my lips and suck down a mouthful of vodka.

“I brought my own, just in case.”

I lift the pink bejeweled flask in mock salute. The thing is tacky as hell, but I wasn’t about to meet up with my friends completely unprepared. I’ve only been back in town for a week, and my sad excuse for a social life has come to this: putzing around my tiny hometown and meeting up with people I only sort of liked in high school.