Stepping back from our embrace, she looked over my shoulder. “Where’s Billy?”
I stepped around her, avoiding her eyes. “Oh. Uh. He’ll be here later. He has to work late,” I tossed over my shoulder as I moved toward the cabinets in search of three wine glasses.
From my peripheral, I saw the two of them exchange a look. I was going to need the whole bottle to myself if they were going to force me into this conversation.
“How did you get here?”
Yep. That was the one hiccup in Billy’s whole “meet you there” plan. Apparently, he hadn’t noticed I had no car when he left the note. Or maybe he was just hoping I wouldn’t show.
“Wes dropped me off.”
Another look was traded as Leighton popped the cork from the bottle.
“What?” I sighed. “He was already in town on an errand, so it just made sense versus Billy having to take a break to drive into town just to bring me back out here.”
“You could’ve ridden with Aaron and me,” Leighton frowned.
I gave her an apologetic smile. The thing was, I couldn’t call Leighton and Aaron, because even though we had become friends, at the end of the day, they were Billy’s family—his sister and his best friend.
“It’s fine. I’m here, aren’t I?” Barely.
A part of me just wanted to tuck tail and run after the note this morning. Calling Wes to come get me was close to one of my most humiliating moments. Especially when I had to ask him not to say anything to Billy. I’d thought he’d give me a hard time about it all, but for some reason, he hadn’t. He’d just showed up, no questions asked.
He didn’t have any errands as I’d claimed—other than being my taxi—but I wasn’t about to admit the full truth to anyone. It’d just lead to more questions and more things I didn’t want to talk about.
Leighton poured us each a glass, passing them out to us as she did. I took a sip of my wine, taking a seat on one of the barstools.
“Need any help?” I asked Lottie, desperate for a topic change as she fluttered around the kitchen, preparing various dishes.
She glanced over her shoulder with a skeptical look. I grinned teasingly, because we both knew how badly I lacked culinary skills. I could barely chop celery.
“No. I think I’ll handle it myself, thank you very much. This kitchen is still relatively new, and I think Tucker would have a panic attack if you burned this place to the ground. You just sit there and look pretty and drink your wine.”
“Now that, I can do.” I raised my glass toward her in a mock salute before taking another drink.
After Lottie finished up with all the sides, we moved to the backyard and sat at the picnic table to hang out. Tucker and Aaron were already out there preparing the grill. The three of us girls continued with our idle chatter and I began to relax, the wine now flowing easily down my throat. Maybe this night wouldn’t be so bad, after all.
We’d moved on to our second bottle when Leighton leaned in, her eyes zeroing in on me. “Okay. I just can’t stand it anymore. I have to know. What the hell was Wes referring to the other day with the Hurling Hannah nickname? I tried to get it out of him, and he refused to tell me.”
Wine burned in my nostrils as I nearly choked on the drink I’d just taken. I coughed, covering my mouth, looking between Lottie and Leighton. I shook my head, not wanting to go there. But when Leighton gave me those big, brown puppy dog-type eyes and pouty lip, I gave in like a sucker. I mean, what did it matter at this point? I’d already told Wes.
“Fine,” I sighed, my shoulders sagging as I leaned in with her. “I’ll tell you two, but you have to promise to keep your mouths shut, it never goes beyond the three of us here, and we are to never speak of it again. Got it?”
They both nodded eagerly, like starved children waiting for a piece of candy. Making sure neither Tucker nor Aaron were in earshot, I leaned in, giving them the whole humiliating story…mostly. I decided to leave off my slip of the tongue, the way Billy ran afterward, and my broken heart that followed. Even being a little tipsy at the moment, there was only so much a girl was willing to share.
When I was done, they both sat back, their eyes wide in shock. It was the briefest of moments. Then the shock wore off, and they simultaneously burst out laughing. I sighed, covering my face with my hands. When would I learn that drinking was the gateway to spilling all my secrets?
“Oh my god, I can’t believe you did that!” Leighton chuckled, clutching her stomach. “So gross, but so awesome! Take that brother! That’s what he gets for all those years of wet willies and torment.”
“Poor Billy,” Lottie giggled beside her. “I can see why you didn’t want to talk about it before.”
I flipped them both the finger, guzzling more wine down my throat. “I seriously hate you two right now.”
Lottie’s laugh stopped abruptly, her face turning serious. “Oh gosh, please tell me you washed my sheets.”
“You know what? I wish I hadn’t now. Some friend you are!” I picked up a discarded cork and lobbed it at her.
She swatted it away, nearly falling off the bench seat. Served her right.
Aaron and Tucker looked across the yard at us with curious expressions until their attention was pulled to the screen door that was opening off the kitchen. Our heads all turned as we heard the squeak, the two of them still working to calm their fits of laughter.
Wes and Billy walked through the door, each carrying a case of beer. Wes greeted all of us ladies first while Billy took the beer from his hand to put on ice in the cooler.
“Sounds like a party over here,” Wes said, leaning in to give Lottie a hug and then Leighton.
I gave them both a warning look. Even though Wes already knew, I didn’t want him to think it was now a free-for-all to know. Thankfully, they both kept their mouths shut.
“Oh, you know, just a little girl talk,” Lottie deflected. “Want to join us?”
“As tempting as that sounds and as beautiful as you three are, I think I’ll see what the men are up to.” He winked before walking away.
I faced my two friends as they watched him go. “Have you guys ever noticed that funny thing with his eye? It’s like he just can’t quit winking.”
Lottie snorted a laugh. “I think it’s part of his charmer routine.”
“A lot of ladies must like it, because he has no problem getting any,” Leighton added.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Lottie agreed. “I just wish he’d find a nice girl and settle down.”
“Listen to you, Mrs. Lottie Monroe. Oh, how the tides have turned,” I teased.
She picked up the cork I’d thrown earlier, chunking it right back at me. It sailed through the air and I ducked to avoid it. It missed me, flying over my head and landing in Billy’s capable hands.
“Hey, now! What kind of welcome is that?” He grinned over at Lottie.
“Sorry, Billy. That was meant for Hannah and her smart mouth.”
His low, familiar chuckle echoed behind me. My elbows propped on the table, I anxiously twisted my ring, wanting to turn around but terrified to. I was afraid to look at him, afraid of what I might see.
I felt his hands on my shoulders, and my body tensed as he pressed a kiss to the back of my head, both of which he quickly removed before walking around the table to hug Leighton and Lottie. As quickly as he appeared at my back, he disappeared, joining the rest of the men at the grill.