“Good for you, Austin.” Trent slaps his back but we all hear what he mutters next. “Bets on how long thislasts.”
“Hey!” Austin pouts. “I’m not dicking around. I mean it.” He coughs and takes a long sip from his beer before adding, “Thistime.”
Trent chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. “I say oneweek.”
“Oh, I’ll take two.” Igrin.
“Fuckers.” Austin shakes his head. “Norespect.”
“I have faith in you.” The conviction in Jess’s tone suppresses all the teasing. “My bet’s on you,Austin.”
“Why thank you, Jess” He tips his chin and raises his glass. “Someone around here believes inme.”
“Oh, we believe in you.” Lexi pats his shoulder. “We just know you really well. But people change every day, so prove uswrong.”
I certainly hope she’s right. Not only for Austin’s smoking habit, but for Jess’s future and any chance I have to be included in it. The next few months won’t be easy. Harder still because I’ll be touring state to state while she’s here battling her demons without me. But here in the moment, as I look around and see the faces of my friends, I believe it’s entirelypossible.
