“Like you?” Lucas laughed and Karson’s eyes cut to him.

“Um, no. Jordie knows better,” he explained, and it was like a bag of rocks dropped into the pit of Jordie’s gut.

Biting the inside of his lip, he knew he did know better, but Jordie rarely followed the rules. He was a rebel and proud of it. He may have cleaned up his act, but this was one thing he couldn’t budge on. He sure as hell didn’t like lying to his best friend, but like he said, Karson didn’t mess around when it came to Kacey. She was his first baby, and Jordie knew his limits. If only he could warm Karson up to the idea. Get him to see that he could be the good guy that Kacey deserved. It wouldn’t be easy, but he would succeed.

Because loving and being with Kacey was the one rule of Karson’s he made a vow to break the day he left rehab, and he planned to break that rule daily.

No matter who the hell she thought she was going to date.

Because she was his.

And that was final.

Jordie was surprised he could move.

Shea wasn’t kidding when he said Kacey was going to inflict pain. She had basically killed them, then add in the hour of ice time, and it was easy to say that Jordie’s legs were Jell-O. He’d never felt better. It was what he lived for and, man, he loved it. Despite mean mugging Kelly through most of the workout, and maybe slamming him into the boards, he enjoyed his day. Loved it.

But the whole Kacey dating Kelly thing set his teeth on edge. That was probably why he went so hard. Not only was he trying to impress her but he was trying to bottle his hatred and anger toward Kelly. He wished he had been warned. He’d never expected her to stay single—she was a catch, he knew that—but at least knowing she was with someone else would have been nice. Finding out the way he had really fucking sucked. He looked like a dumbass in front of Shea and he didn’t like that. He did have his pride, but he knew he had to put all that in the past. It was done, she was with some other prick, and it was time to get his girl back.

And he would win.

As he drove toward Billy Ray’s Barbershop, he got out his phone and called Lacey. He couldn’t believe she hadn’t told him. Shouldn’t that have been something worth mentioning to him?

She answered on the second ring, Mena Jane in the background cooing and probably being adorable.

“Hey, what’s up?” Lacey asked. Happily, he might note.

“Oh, nothing much, just the fact that you never told me Kacey was dating someone,” he said as calmly as he could, but it had been bothering him since Karson confirmed it. The sick part of him, the hopeful part, kind of wished that she would never find anyone. That she would wait for him. But the realistic part of him knew that was selfish and unfair. She needed to be happy, and maybe if he were honest with himself, maybe he was too late. She could have moved on, and if so, who was he to mess with her happiness? She seemed pretty chummy with puss-face, and if that was who she wanted to be with, maybe he should leave her be.

But why did thinking that make his face scrunch up and his heart drop?

“Oh, about that,” she said in a very apologetic way. “I’m pretty darn sure it won’t last.”

“Didn’t think you should tell me about it?”

“Well, you see… What had happened was, you were so gung ho and, like, honest and stuff that I thought, why should I derail you? I really don’t think it will last between them. I don’t think she is into him. I think she is using him to get over you.”

He made a face as he pulled into the parking spot he always parked in. It was the front space, right in front of the window that said “Billy Ray’s Barbershop.” He had been coming here since he’d first come to Nashville. It was his spot and Billy Ray was known for classy beard care. It also had a very retro feel. There was even a barber’s pole, which Jordie thought was supercool.

Turning the truck off, he leaned back in his seat, looking at the roof of the car.

“Not helping, Lacey,” he moaned.

“Well, it’s true, and honestly, they aren’t made for each other.”

“I know this, you know this, but she wants it to work. I saw them together.”

“And? They aren’t cute together. At first I thought so, but the more I watch them together, it doesn’t feel right.”

“But it might feel right to her,” he said sadly, twisting his beard around his finger. “Maybe I should just let her go? She’s obviously let me go.”

It wasn’t as if he had even really done anything to let his feelings be known. For all she knew, he just wanted friendship. Or sex probably, since that’s how they started. Yeah, he had messed with her, said he was sorry. But that didn’t say I love you. It was just the way he was. He was always apologizing for something, and Lord knew he loved messing with her. But he hadn’t been honest with her and he was unsure when he could be. Should he do it now, knowing about Kelly? Or should he wait it out? One thing was for sure, he knew he couldn’t rush into this. He had to get her to believe in him again—in them—before he admitted to loving her.

Man, why was this so hard?

“No, don’t. She hasn’t let you go. I know she hasn’t.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Pursue her! Woo her!”

Jordie’s face twisted in confusion. “Okay, first, isn’t that wrong when she has a boyfriend?”

“Well, yeah, it’s kinda sleazy.”

“Which is something I’m trying not to be,” he reminded her and she made a little noise. “Been there, done that, trying something new.”