Page 36 of Stay With Me

Wilder signed everyone up to ride the mechanical bull, including Fisher, who doesn’t even need to hang onto the horn. Noah’s staying close to Magnolia, but when I see her asshole ex show up, my hands ball into fists, ready to take him out.

I haven’t seen him around much since he reported me to the sheriff two years ago, and I ended up with a hundred hours of community service. Since I had witnesses to claim the actual events of what happened, I was able to make a deal that kept me out of jail. I stayed away from Travis and worked at the homeless shelter and food bank all summer.

Magnolia volunteered to work the hours for me, nearly begging the sheriff to let her since she felt at fault, but I told her absolutely not. I’m the one who punched and kicked Travis and fuck him, I’d do it again if it meant he left her alone.

But for some reason, the universe is punishing me. He’s here tonight when I can’t escape Lydia and her clingy fingers to keep an appropriate watch on Magnolia.

“Do you wanna get a drink?” she whispers in my ear much too loudly as we sit at a bartop table.

“I’m only drinkin’ water. But feel free to get a refill of yours.”

I glare at Landen across the table, whose tongue is currently bobbing for apples inside Quinn’s mouth.Fucking asshole.

“Wanna come with me?” Lydia asks sweetly.

Turning to face her, the guilt creeps in at how harsh I’m being. It’s not her fault I’ve been tasked with babysitting her, but I also hate leading her on.

“Sure,” I say.

When we approach the bar, Noah and Magnolia are also there getting shots.

“Hey, Tripp. Wanna recreate my birthday party BJ shot?” Magnolia’s halfway to drunkville, which makes me even more worried about Travis being here.

“I ain’t drinkin’ tonight,” I tell her, then look at Noah. “Fisher drivin’ y’all home?”

“Yeah, he’s our DD.”

I nod, appreciating that she’ll be looked after.

Her mentioning that night has my chest vibrating. It was the first and only time our lips touched, and I was tempted to do it again as soon as she pulled away. Travis glared like he wanted to murder me, and if it wasn’t for him being there, I actually might’ve kissed her for real.

Consequences be damned.

“Oh, c’mon!” Magnolia pleads, bouncing on her tiptoes as she inches toward me. “It’s one shot.”

At her closeness, Lydia slides in next to me, wrapping her hand around my arm.Squeezing, rather. She glares at Magnolia. “And who are you?”

“That depends. Who areyou?” Magnolia pretending not to know makes this even more hilarious. Sugarland Creek is a small town of only two thousand people. Everyone knows everyone, but the Marrows are Landen’s age, so although they’re four years apart, there’s a low chance they’ve never heard of each other.

“Lydia Marrow…hisdate.”

Fire burns in Magnolia’s eyes when she scowls at me. “Tripp doesn’t date.”

“Apparently, he does because here I am.” Lydia’s silky sweet voice has Magnolia grinding her teeth.

Magnolia’s gaze finds mine and a sinister smile forms across her face. “Be careful or you’ll become a daddy…and not the sexyDaddykind.”

Oh, fuck.She’s heard the rumors, too.

I’m too busy focusing on Magnolia to react when Lydia steps forward and gets in Magnolia’s face.

“Excuse me? What’d you just say, little girl?” Lydia’s taller by a few inches, but that’s never scared Magnolia off before. “You’re one to talk…slut.”

Without a word, Magnolia reaches up and pulls a chunk of Lydia’s hair.

“GIRL FIGHT!” Wilder shouts from behind them.

Remind me to kill him later.