They head toward the bar, and every single person at our table turns to Cole.
He ignores it. Just downs the rest of his beer in one long pull, like it might drown out whatever the hell that was. His jaw is locked so tight I half expect his teeth to crack.
Nathan leans back against the booth, arms crossed. “What the hell was that about?”
Cole drags a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Nothing.”
Nathan snorts. “Didn’t seem like nothing.”
Cole’s glare snaps to him. “You wanna piss me off today?”
Nathan lifts his hands in surrender, but his brow furrows. “Just asking. She seemed nice enough when I met her the other day.”
Cole lets out a low, humorless laugh. “Yeah, well, you don’t fucking know her.” His eyes flick toward the bar before he shoves himself up from the booth. “I’m hitting the can. Need a fucking minute.”
He stalks off, shoulders tense as he heads to the bathroom.
Austin waits a beat before leaning in, lowering his voice. “Psst. What do you think that was about?”
I shake my head. “No clue.”
My gaze shifts back to the bar just in time to see Isabella’s friend walking toward the bathroom.
Kinda interested in what the hell will happen when those two cross paths.
But not as interested as the girl sitting at the bar, alone, twirling a straw in her drink, her curls bouncing as she laughs at something the bartender says.
The girl Ireallywant to be paying attention to.
I swallow down the rest of my drink and slide out of the booth. “Gonna get another. Anyone want anything?”
Nathan shakes his head. “Nah. I need a clear head for tomorrow.”
“Another vodka on the rocks, and I’ll owe you my life,” Austin says, blowing me a kiss.
Logan lifts his half-full beer. “I’m good.”
I nod and head toward the bar. The closer I get, the harder it is to fight back the grin stretching across my face.
Isabella’s sitting there, still twirling her straw, lips slightly pursed, deep in thought.
I slide onto the stool beside her. “Beer and a vodka on the rocks,” I tell the bartender, slapping a twenty on the counter.
Then I nudge her shoulder, just enough to get her attention. “Glad you came out tonight.”
She glances at me, amusement flickering in her big brown eyes. “My brother invited me. Though I’m starting to doubt whether it was a good idea or not.”
I frown. “Why’s that?”
She exhales, her gaze dipping to her drink. “Because whenever we’re in a room together, he sucks up all the air, and I feel like I can’t breathe. People only ever see me as his sister, like I’m an extension of him, not my own person.”
Her words hit a little too close to home. My brows shoot up. “Yeah… I know what you mean.”
She scoffs softly, shaking her head. “I don’t think you do. Guys are too scared to even come near me.”
I tilt my head at her, fighting a smirk. “I don’t know. I’d say we’re pretty close right now, and I’m not scared.”
She lets out a cute little laugh, the kind that sounds like warm honey and arches a brow at me. “You bolted the second you found out I was his sister.”
