Page 107 of Nailing Heat

“We haven’t seen you in a while. Thought it might be time for us to all hang out together. And since you are avoiding the Backwoods, it made the most sense to come here to you,” Jase replies.

“Do you mind me being here, or am I the enemy in all of this?” August asks, holding up the pizza like a peace offering.

“You’re the enemy,” Hendrix answers for me, and her response doesn’t shock me.

“He’s not,” I scold Hendrix, who rolls her eyes. I turn to August, You’re not.”

“I was hoping that you weren’t going to work your way around to hating me by now.” August shoots me a sad smile. He sits the pizza down and hands everyone a paper plate from on top of the boxes.

“No, it’s not you that I hate, trust me,” I assert.

“So, who do you hate?” Jase asks, sitting the beer down.

I sigh. “I think everyone here knows who I’m angry at. And who I’ll always be angry at,” I remind them.

“Always?” Jase asks me. “Isn’t it too much work to hold onto all that hate for that man?”

“Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned,” August says with a chuckle.

“Fuck off, August,” Hendrix says, throwing her empty plate at him.

He tosses it back. “Oh, calm yourself down, you’re going to want that plate to eat, Hendrix.” August winks at her. Hendrix sticks her tongue out at him, and he chuckles. “Some things never change. It was always about the tongue with you.”

“Gross,” Hendrix replies, rolling her eyes.

“I’m sure that will fade with time and who knows, maybe you’ll be like these two,” Mac points to Hendrix and August. “Being able to hang out with one another even though they used to date.”

“We did not date,” Hendrix clarifies quickly.

“Oh, really, then what would you have called us?” August asks.

“I would say that we were hooking up,” she tells him, with malice in her tone.

He shakes his head, “Whatever you want to tell yourself, sweetheart.”

“Please don’t ever call me that again,” Hendrix shoots him the finger.

“Just think, maybe Mac is right, and you and Dex might be trading jabs with one another over pizza,” Jase jokes.

I look over at him and shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

He nods. “Yeah, I don’t necessarily think so either. He’s keeping his distance from everyone who knows you.”

“Probably worried we’re going to give him a good tongue lashing,” Cassie says, shaking her head.

I look over at August, and see he looks uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, I know he’s your friend.”

He nods. “He is, but I get why you’re angry with him. But if it helps you, he thought he was divorced when he started things with you. Dex really was trying to start his life over.”

“I know he was, but it doesn’t change anything.”

“Really, so what was his crime, exactly? Should he have to tell everyone from the minute that he meets them that he used to hook up with women while he was married? Is that what you’d like him to do?” August asks.

“Fuck off, August, you do not get to defend him Amelia’s home. You do not get to do that!” Hendrix yells at him.

“Sorry, you’re right. I’m gonna head out,” August says, standing up. “Everyone have a good night.”

August walks to the door and without looking back, opens the door and exits. He pulls the door closed with a soft click. No one says a word.