The jab I’d been ready to deliver died on my lips as I saw the sadness behind his eyes. “Your sister…”
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart actually ached for the guy. I remembered Lottie telling me about how she and her husband had tragically passed away, and how close she’d been to her older brothers their whole lives.
He nodded, cracking open a can. He took a drink as he stared straight ahead, a man lost in his own head.
“Well, thank you, then.” I leaned to the side, bumping my shoulder softly against his. “I take that as a huge compliment. I may not have known her, but just knowing Lily, I have no doubt in my mind she was awesome.”
He shook his head with a smirk. “Anyway…” He cleared his throat, dismissing the depressing road we’d been on the verge of going down. “Maybe cut Miller a bit of a break, huh?”
“You on his side now?”
“Nah, just figured the poor guy needed someone in his corner. Pretty sure Leighton’s over there ripping him a new one right now… Besides, most men are pretty lost when they meet the one. They never know what to do, so instead they let their pride and defenses push that person away until they leave.”
I studied him as I processed his words, wondering where this insightful man had suddenly come from. “How do you know this? Is there someone you let get away?”
“Let’s just say that ship sailed a long time ago for me. And I’m good with playing the field until I die.”
“Come on, you don’t truly believe that, do you?”
He took another drink, letting his silence answer for him. And once again, I felt an unexpected sympathy for him.
“All right, that’s about all I can take of this touchy-feely shit, city.” Wes stood, giving my shoulder a small squeeze before he picked up the other beers and headed back toward the guys.
Chapter 14
BILLY
The smell of smoked hickory filled the hot summer air as I stood by the grill with Tucker, Aaron, and Wes. Tucker lifted the lid, flipping a few pieces of meat while Aaron went on about his predictions for this year’s World Series. Normally I’d be as invested in this conversation as the rest of the guys, but tonight my mind was elsewhere.
“Anyone need another round?” Wes asked with a slight tilt of his empty beer can.
I shook my head no while Tucker and Aaron both asked for another. Wes took off in the direction of the cooler that was situated not far from the picnic table where all the ladies were seated and chatting. For a brief second, I glanced over at Hannah, her gorgeous smile on her face as she laughed with Leighton and Lottie.
She was so damn magnetic. She radiated energy and enthusiasm even when I knew she was feeling anything but on the inside. Or maybe I was a fucking fool to assume she was suffering through the same pain I was at the moment.
She was leaving in the morning. Again. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
“Hey”—Aaron nudged my arm with his elbow, drawing my attention away from her—“What’s with you and Hannah?” He nodded toward the table.
“Nothing, man.” I shook my head. I wasn’t getting into it right then, maybe not ever. Hell, I wouldn’t even know what to tell him.
“Right.” His tone was incredulous as he finished off his beer.
Tucker shot me a smirk with a doubtful head shake.
“Then why do you look like you have an invisible weight on your shoulders?”
I shrugged. “She leaves tomorrow morning. What do you expect me to look like? You expect me to be jumping for joy?”
He thrusted his chest forward as he crossed his arms. “Well for one, I sure as hell don’t expect you to be spending more time with us than her. You two have barely said three words to each other since you got here.”
“Maybe I like spending time with you ugly fuckers more.”
“Yeah,” he scoffed an arrogant laugh. “That’s the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard.” Shaking his head, he started to raise his can to his lips, his eyes widening. “Incoming…” he muttered the word.
Before I could turn to see whom he was referring to, I felt a smack at the back of my head. I ducked, even though it was too late, angling to the side to see who’d hit me from behind.
“What is wrong with you, Leighton?” I rubbed at the back of my head where she’d got me good.
“Me?!” she scowled. “What’s wrong with you? What did you do to Hannah?”
Great. All I needed was Leighton getting involved. It was bad enough Aaron was already butting in and Wes was giving her a ride to places. Hannah probably told him everything on the drive and that bugged the shit out of me about as much as the fact that she didn’t call me to come get her.
I hadn’t meant to sound like a dick when I said I’d meet her here. I just figured she’d want to spend some time with Lottie before she left town and didn’t want to make her wait around all day for me to get home before she could. I’d been so exhausted from a sleepless night and trying to figure out the shit running through my head, I’d completely forgotten she didn’t have a car.
“Why do you automatically assume I did something?”
She looked to Tucker and Aaron, like she was silently asking them, “Do you believe this guy?” before looking back at me. They both just shrugged and turned to their own conversation about sports, leaving me to deal with the angry little sister on my own.
“I’m not doing this with you, Leighton. This is between Hannah and me.”
She huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine. But you better fix it, Billy. Don’t let the best thing that’s ever happened to you leave without knowing how you feel.”
She stomped off and I turned, smacking the back of my hand on Aaron’s arm. “Thanks a lot, man.”
“I tried to give you the heads up,” he said with a smug grin.
Sure he did. I was pretty certain the asshole was no longer on my team and was now on Hannah’s.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler while everyone took a seat at the patio table to eat, the full sun starting to dip down in the sky with the onset of sunset. Hannah sat in the middle of the bench seat with Wes on one side of her and an empty space on the other. I scratched at the back of my neck as I walked toward everyone, hoping to god she didn’t tell me to find another seat or push me off the end of the bench.
There wasn’t another seat available, but I knew my girl had some sass, especially when she’d been drinking. I wouldn’t put it past her to tell me I wasn’t welcome to sit by her, even though it was my only option.
I slid in next to her, my leg brushing with hers, her body stiffening with awareness. A grin flickered on my lips. Mad at me or not, she was still responsive to my touch.
Lottie began passing the food around the table, and I leaned forward to reach for the bowl she was handing off in my direction. From the corner of my eye, I watched Wes lean closer to whisper something in Hannah’s ear. She giggled at whatever he’d said, and I nearly lost it.
My chest burned with bitterness as I passed the bowl to her without taking even a small serving.