I swallowed down the knot in my throat and reached for the butter. “Can someone pass that?”
“Sure,” Jesse said quietly.
“How are Miles and Loxley doing?” I asked, spreading butter on my prize like I hadn’t just had my soul tossed onto the floor. Maybe bringing up my youngest brother and his famous country star girlfriend would be enough emotional chit chat for Gramps.
“They’ll be home soon,” Grams said, thankful for the subject change. “A few more weeks left on the tour. We should all go see one of the shows before they’re done.”
I nodded as Easton launched into a story about the last time they saw Loxley Adams live. They had taken Max and he tried to sing along, but ended up three verses deep into a completely different song.
I laughed, but it didn’t quite reach.
“Let’s make a plan to go,” Jesse said with excitement, being a big Loxley fan even before she knew her personally.
“Count me in,” I said. “Hell, I’ll book the hotel and a charter flight for us. Anywhere she’s playing.” I hadn’t been to a single one of her shows, but I always had a reason. Always “too busy.”Maybe if I showed up, played the part, had a little fun, Gramps would stop trying to fix me.
“I bet when you get out of that office for a bit,” Gramps huffed at me, “you’ll meet someone special.”
Maybe not.
Somehow, I refrained from groaning and smiled. “Maybe I will meet that perfect person for me. Maybe she’s somewhere in one of these towns that Loxley is touring. Or maybe she’s right under my nose in the city, ordering frappes and doing afternoon yoga. I know, maybe she’s in Mexico, and I should move down there and find her.”
Gramps could hear the sarcasm in my tone and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest and eyeing me with annoyance. But he could sit there and be upset all he wanted, because we were supposed to be past the subject of my love life.
“Maybe she’s down at the bar right now,” Easton joked, attempting to give me a reprieve from being the only one on Gramps’ shit list for the evening. “We could go have some drinks at Fiddlers.”
“I could use a damn drink,” I mumbled, then shoved another bite of food in my mouth before adding. “But I’m not stepping foot in that bar. You go, and if you find my one true love, can you tell her she’s mine?”
“Sure man,” Easton laughed. “I’ll tell her Gramps said so.”
I could see a small smirk on Gramps’ lips, finding us a little humorous as we attempted to once again derail his train of thought. Grams was smiling as well, happy that we seemed to succeed and we could move on once again.
But later, after dinner, as we all filtered out to say our goodbyes, Gramps walked with me toward the pad I had installed for my chopper, which was idling with my pilot ready to take me home. He laid a heavy arm across my shoulders and squeezed me hard.
“I really do worry about you,” he said, voice quiet like someone else could hear us and he wanted to keep it a secret.
“Don’t,” I replied, flashing the same old smile. “If I ever need someone in my corner, I know I’ve got you and Grams, and my brothers.”
Meanwhile, I’d keep showing up for dinner. Keep playing the part. Keep reaching for the damn cornbread.
Because pretending I was full was easier than admitting how empty I felt.
Chapter One
BLUE
“And then I’llcurl my finger and rub against your walls while my tongue makes you beg. You’ll be shaking, pleading for me to let you come. But I won’t, not until you return the favor, with your mouth wrapped around my?—”
“Are you talking to me?” I blinked up at Aiden, mid-wipe on a beer glass.
He leaned across the bar, eyes smoldering like he thought he was the main character in a smutty romance novel. “You know damn well I’m talking to you. And I know damn well you’re getting wet just hearing my story.”
I smiled, but it was the kind of smile you gave when someone offered you a piece of fruit cake. I was polite and desperately trying not to gag. Aiden was a regular at the bar and my very occasional hookup when the loneliness got louder than my standards. He didn’t have a clue what a woman actually wanted, but he tried. And when I took over halfway through? He didn’t argue. I always made sure I left with an orgasm, even if it meant doing all the work myself.
“It’s been a couple weeks,” he continued. “You’ve been distracted. Don’t you think it’s time we helped each other relax?”
“It’s Thursday, Aiden,” I reminded him, spinning the towel in my hand.
“I know your old man’s sick, but surely he doesn’t need you glued to his hip all the time.”
