Page 4

I twisted my neck and looked up at him, trying and almost failing to get lost in his oceanlike-colored eyes. Thankfully, my mouth spoke for me, “Yeah.”

With waves of goodbyes, Lila, Talia, and I walked off the porch and headed to my Tahoe, but not before they grabbed their bags out of the cars.

“Yo, Talia?” we heard Dominik call out.

Talia stopped, spun around, hands on hips, and asked, “What?”

“Who’s driving?” he asked.

She pointed her finger at me.

Dominik nodded, “Thank Christ. Got a full shop next week. Ain’t got time to repair any damage you do to your Jeep.”

I locked eyes with Carter, shaking my head.

He winked at me, then mimicked the phone symbol to his ear.

Nodding, I reached forward, tagged Talia’s arm, and then led her to my Tahoe.

“Don’t let him get to you, I whispered.

She huffed, “I swear the man spends hours in front of a mirror planning his methods for torturing me.”

Lila winked, “Think you, do the same thing.”

Talia gasped, “No. I don’t. I just do it so I can beat him.”

Then she narrowed her eyes at us, “What was the meaning of the money exchange?”

I opened my door as Lila explained, which caused Talia to huff again.

That was followed by, “Fine. I’m not interacting with him next time. I will be Switzerland.”

The moment the doors were shut, I cranked the engine, winked at the girls, rolled the windows down, and blasted Chevrolet by Hard Target.

The men were shaking their heads, but it was Carter who was smiling.

Oh, that smile. What it does to me.

***

“Okay, go home, change, and meet at my place around eight? Uber there?” Lila asked.

Talia sighed, “Yes to all of that, but no Uber. Garrick said the next time we take an Uber anywhere, we’re going to find out how pissed off he can get.

I snickered, recalling a text that was similar to that. One that Carter had sent me a few months ago.

Carter – Take an Uber again, I’ll slash your fucking tires, then find a way to block the Uber app on your phone. Don’t test me, woman.

I nodded, then asked, “Mind if I invite Everly?”

Talia grinned, “Yes, I miss her.”

Lila nodded, “Of course.”

Grinning, I pulled my phone out and shot a text to Everly.

Me – Hey, you got any plans tonight?

Once I made it home, I changed into a pair of black ripped jeans, a flowy tank, and three-inch heels, did a little makeup, I headed out to my Tahoe.

While I had been getting ready, Everly had texted me letting me know that she didn’t have plans and agreed to meet us at Lila’s house.

While I was driving, a text had come through.

I waited until I hit a red light to read it.

Carter – Talia told the group chat where y’all are going. Seriously, you need me, don’t hesitate to call.

Me – I won’t hesitate, Carter.

Making it to Lila’s, it was just in time for Everly to park her car alongside Talia’s.

Garrick pulled up in his Suburban and rolled the window down. “Let’s ride.”

Garrick was the one to take us places. He was also the one who scared most people.

But to us, he was a big softie.

Climbing into the back seat, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek, “Thanks, G.”

He winked at me, “Any time, lil sis.”

Twenty minutes later, Garrick dropped us off and waited to pull away the moment we were inside.

It was a few hours later, and I had already told the girls about the bachelor party that had come into my family’s diner.

The men had strode in, half-drunk already, and when they yelled, “Bring on the girls,” they were met with nothing but silence.

Until the customers in the diner started laughing.

To say that it had sobered a few of them up had been an understatement.

That was until my mother had quickly placed a slice of her famous blueberry pie on a plate, tagged a fork, and then took it to the groom.

They all ended up eating pie, laughing, having a good time, and sobering up.

I knew my mother felt pride in herself when a few of them muttered, “Fuck, best damn meal I’ve ever had.

***

But now, it was now, and not for the first time, I wanted to strangle my best friend.

Even more so when Talia sighed, “My gawd, girl, come on,” Talia said as I had shaken my head at the fourth guy of the night I had said no to.

I loved her like I would if I had a true-blooded sister, but in my heart of hearts, she was my sister in every way that mattered.

Ever since we met on our first day of kindergarten.

It had been kismet.

She walked up to me and said, “I got four brothers. They drive me crazy. Will you do that?”

In my six-year-old wise self, I shrugged, “I might, but I’ll do in the bestest of ways.”

That had been good enough for her.

And from that moment on, we had been inseparable.

Another round of drinks had been placed on our table, and I looked at the waitress and lifted a brow. She snickered then jerked her chin to a group of guys in a corner.

Talia, Lila, and Everly looked in their direction, then grimaced. They had been catcalling at every girl who walked by. Talk about players right off the bat.

Before I could tell her no, Talia opened her mouth to do the same thing, I knew, when a shadow fell over our table.

Looking up, it was to see Dominik standing there.

“What are you doing here?” Lila asked.

Everly just blushed.

Oh lord. My sweet receptionist.

I just smiled.

Talia apparently meant what she said, because she didn’t say a word to him.

I looked at the waitress who was eying Dominik like he was a tall drink of water.

Catching her eye, I said, “We won’t be accepting these. But thank you.”

The waitress nodded, then mumbled, “I had someone like him, I wouldn’t be accepting these either.”

We all watched as the waitress carried the tray of drinks back to their table and shook her head. They all just shrugged, then one of them looked around the bar and pointed to another table.

She carried the tray to the table, and apparently, they hadn’t noticed what we had because they accepted the shots.

Shaking my head, I focused back on my friends.

“Garrick is stuck at the garage; told him I’d pick y’all up,” Dominik said.

Then he looked at Talia and waited.

When she didn’t say anything, I caught Dominik smirking.

“Not going to talk to me, Sparkles?” Dominik asked as he leaned against our table, his forearms bracing his weight.

Talia’s middle finger came up and flipped him off.

He chuckled, “Damn, sorry, hadn’t had my fill of alcohol yet to even think about something like that with you.”

Talia’s cheeks were getting redder and redder every second.

I knew she was about to blow, so to help my friend, I looked at Dominik and said, “So, who are you working on that Corvette for?”

I had seen it in bay five when I was there getting my oil changed.

Dominik owned DG Auto and Body alongside Garrick.

Normally, they didn’t do simple services like oil changes for newer model cars. They specialized in classic rides.

If you were anybody other than a small circle of people, you took your vehicle to Sawyer’s Garage in the next county over.

Sawyers was started by a gentleman named David Sawyer. It had since changed hands but not too far down the line.

His granddaughter, Briar, had taken half ownership alongside Drake Caine.

The two of them had bickered like an old married couple, and according to Briar, he had almost messed up in winning her back.

But now, fifteen years later, they were happily in love with two of the cutest kids to ever walk this planet.

Everly leaned into my side and whispered, “Is there something going on between them?”

I leaned into her and whispered, “They’ve been like this since I’ve known Talia. She gives him shit; he returns it.”

She nodded, “He’s unavailable then.”

I shook my head, “Not as far as I know.”

She smiled a small smile, “I consider you one of my closest friends. So that extends to Talia and even Lila. She obviously likes him, and he’s trying to poke at her. Makes him off limits.”

I smiled, “You're good people, Everly.”

She grinned then, “Just like a certain underwater welder, too.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, playfully, of course, “Nope.”

“Uh-huh,” she shrugged with a smile.

“Come on, you’re not going to talk to me?” Dominik once again poked at Talia.

Talia growled, then asked, “What in the world are you doing here, Big Foot?”

I snickered, then shook my head.

“Could ask you the same fucking thing, Sparkles.” He said.

“You did not just go there,” Talia said with a growl.

Dominick lifted a brow as he took a sip of his beer, “You went there. How’s that fair?”

“It just is,” she snapped.

“Can’t help, I’m tall. Also, can’t help you got a love of sparkles.”

She glared, then said, “Fine. You know what, call me that. I’ll wear that name with pride. Cause one of the girls I work with has a daughter with leukemia. Spent a few hours with her, and she loves anything sparkly. Made my day to see her so happy.”

And when I saw for the briefest of moments that Dominik’s face went soft, I knew she had him.

She was the only one who hadn’t realized it.

“I’m y’all’s ride. Ready?” he asked as he pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and laid it on the table.

Lila was the first to ask, “What’s that for?”

“Y’all’s drinks. My mama would kick my ass if I let a woman pay for her own drink. Mama G would have a conniption fit.”

Talia glared, “What’s the real reason? Know it isn’t just that.”

He sighed, “Garrick covered Everly’s drinks. Ethan covered Lila’s drinks. Carter covered Harlee. And I covered you.” Dominik said as he locked eyes with Talia.

She huffed and puffed, but I knew my bestie.

I caught that little smile.

As we were walking out of the bar, I also noticed something that Talia had missed.

Women were giving Dominik the winks and eye flares, and batting eyelashes.

He didn’t see any of it.

Not with Talia at his other side.

After Dominik had opened the back door of his truck, Lila, Everly, and I had climbed into the back seat, with Talia climbing into the front.

He dropped us off at Lila’s, but not before saying, “Lock the door.”

We all talked for a few minutes that night, but we were all dragging. It had been a long day, albeit a good one. Shopping. Pedi’s. Good food. Great friends.

I had just laid my head down on the makeshift pallet in Lila’s living room when my phone vibrated.

Tagging it, I felt a smile form on my lips.

Talia nudged me with her elbow. “Carter?”

I nodded.

“He’s different with you,” she said.

I felt my breath catch. “What do you mean?”

She smiled, then yawned, “Nothing. Night, Hotcakes.”

I shook my head, “Night, Tater Tot.”

Once Talia rolled over, I clicked on the message.

Carter – Make it home, okay?

Me – No. We’re all crashing at Lila’s.

Carter – Have a good time?

Me – Yeah, except for a group of players at another table.

Carter – Need me to teach them a lesson?

Me – No. Karma will get them.

Carter – Alright. You going to sleep?

Me – Yeah, I can barely keep my eyes open.

Carter – Night.

Me – Night.

And it had been a good night.

Even better when he was the last person I talked to before I closed my eyes.