“We’ll talk later, Lizard.”
Clint shook his head. “She hates that silly nickname.”
No she didn’t. Though she’d never admit it. It had become a thing between them. It didn’t have anything to do with Clint. “What the hell do you know?”
“From what I’ve heard, I know a hell of a lot more about her than you do.”
Declan grabbed Tate’s arm and pulled him back a step before he decked the guy. “Let’s go.”
Tate had known Liz practically his whole damn life. “You don’t know anything about me and Liz.”
“I know she wants a man who appreciates her and doesn’t take her for granted.”
Tate took a step closer, not liking Clint’s smug smile or the way he puffed up his chest.
Liz jumped in between them and planted both hands on Tate’s shoulders and shoved him back into Declan. “Don’t you dare ruin this for me!”
He had no idea what she meant.
She held up her hand. “Just go.” The plea in her eyes killed him.
His gut constricted and his heart had trouble beating against the tightness around his chest. “Liz?”
Her lips tilted in a half frown. “Go get a beer with Declan. Flirt with the waitresses, pick up one of the dozen women staring at you right now. Do what you do and let me be.”
That almost sounded like goodbye.
It couldn’t be.
But Liz turned her back on him again.
Clint took her hand, pulled her close, then walked her to the dance floor where he took Liz in his arms and swayed to the slow song with her head resting on his shoulder.
Declan smacked his hand on Tate’s shoulder. “It was only a matter of time.”
Tate couldn’t take his eyes off Liz in that asshole’s arms. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“She’s a beautiful woman. You had to know that at some point she’d want a serious relationship with someone who wants to make her his wife and have a family. He seems decent enough.”
Tate turned on Declan. “You don’t know anything about him.”
“He’d have to be a good guy for Liz to like him so much.”
“How do you know she likes him?”
“She let him step in to get you away from her.”
She picked Clint over him.
She never chose anyone over him.
What the hell is going on?
The crack about flirting with waitresses and picking up a woman hinted that she didn’t like him choosing others over her either.
He knew that. He wasn’t blind or an idiot.
But she was Liz. Hands off had always been his rule.
“It’s unusual for women and men to be friends.” Declan headed for the bar.
Tate followed. “We’ve been friends since we were finger painting and eating Play-Doh.”
Declan took one of the open stools and held up two fingers to Tami behind the bar, who nodded she’d get them their usual. “Liz has been in love with you since then, but you can’t expect her to love you, and only you, for the rest of her life when you dismiss her feelings the way you do.”
“What are you talking about?” Tate didn’t want to go there.
Declan glanced over and laughed. “Oh come on, you can’t tell me that you don’t revel in the fact that she loves you and puts up with all your shit while you treat her like your favorite pet.”
That pissed him off. “I do not.” Did he? That sinking feeling in his gut intensified.
Declan shoved his shoulder so he’d turn in his stool. “Look at her. Do you want to strip her bare and get your hands on her?”
“That’s Liz.” He didn’t dare think such things about her. They were friends.
Or they used to be.
“Exactly. How long did you expect her to wait for you to stop seeing her as pigtailed Lizzy Lizard? She’s a grown woman now, Tate, with hopes and dreams of love and marriage and a relationship that isn’t all about you.”
“Our relationship isn’t all about me.”
Declan laughed in his face. “Keep telling yourself that, bro, but you’re the one who has no idea what happened six weeks ago that made her take a huge step back until she fell right into Clint’s arms.”
Fucking Clint.
“He made her dump me.”
Declan saluted Tami with his beer bottle in thanks for filling their order. “Dumped? Is that how it feels?”
Kinda. But he denied, denied, denied.
“It’s not like that. We’ve only ever been friends.”
“And it’s been clear for years she’s wanted more.” Declan frowned. “Don’t shake your head at me. You know I’m right. Everyone can see it. She settled for friends because you mean that much to her, but you can’t expect her to settle for that for the rest of her life. You can’t expect her to watch you date other women, listen to you tell her all about how it’s going and cry on her shoulder when it doesn’t work out and think she doesn’t feel jealous and left out.”
“She dates.”
“And nothing ever comes of it because you’ve got her heart.” Declan took a sip of his beer. “Were you even a little happy when those relationships ended?”
His stomach clenched. “Of course not.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he heard the lie. He’d never been jealous of her relationships. He was just happier when she was focused on him.
I’m an asshole.
And a terrible friend.
He should be happy for her. He should want her to find someone special. He wanted to see her as happy as Drake and Adria looked when they were together.
He glanced at Liz on the dance floor smiling and clapping her hands as she spun and swayed her hips in the line dance, Clint trying to keep up with her.
He just didn’t want her happy with Clint. “Something about that guy bugs me.”
“Mom always told us we have to share our toys.”
Tate smacked Declan upside the head. “She’s my best friend, not a Hot Wheels.”
“Maybe she’ll make you her maid of honor at her wedding.”
Tate fumed and downed half his beer. “Fuck you.”
“Nice comeback.” Declan turned and leaned back against the bar, sitting like Tate, watching Liz on the dance floor. “You ate up all her attention. Are you upset that she’s giving it to someone else or pissed that she might be falling in love with him and you want to be that guy for the rest of her life?” Declan held up his hand to stop Tate from spitting out another expletive. “Don’t answer. Think about it. Because she deserves to find someone who treats her the way she’s treated you all these years. Don’t take this chance away from her just because you want her to love you and no one else when you don’t really want her.”
Tate slammed his beer down on the counter, stood, and walked out of the bar without looking at Declan or Liz because he didn’t know what to do with Declan’s question or how Declan’s words made him feel.
This was Liz. Liz! The girl who played in the rain with him and raced him on horseback and never won but always took it in stride. They double-dated to all the school dances. She warned him when one of his girlfriends did something behind his back and always consoled him after a breakup. She had no problem pointing out all his faults and where he’d gone wrong but in a humorous way that made him smile and laugh and somehow feel better despite the fact that she was probably right.