“Here.” Colton slides a beer bottle in front of me and mug of beer in front of Evan, and then leans against the bar, crossing his arms over his chest.

“So, I take it you’re good?” Evan asks, looking back toward the office, where Gia has disappeared along with Colton’s mom.

“Couldn’t be better. Well, it could be, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.” He shrugs, grinning, and Evan laughs, shaking his head.

“That, I understand.” Evan looks at me, and Colton’s grin turns into a small smile.

“Man, it’s really fucking good to see you,” Colton says quietly, the words spoken with a deeper meaning than just seeing his friend after so long. They’re spoken in a way to where I know he understands, more than most, that had Evan not gone back to check in the house, he wouldn’t be sitting here right now.

“You too, brother.” They hold each other’s gaze for a long time before each of them clears their throat and looks away. Leaning into Evan, I press a kiss to the underside of his jaw that is clenched. His eyes drop to mine and his face softens, along with his jaw.

Are you okay? I mouth, and he nods then presses a kiss to my forehead. The words I love you are stuck in the back of my throat as I sit back and take a sip of my beer. I feel so torn between the need to tell him how I feel and the need to hold on to those words. My gut actually aches every time I think about saying the three words out loud, as though by saying them, I’ll wake up and realize all of this was just a dream.

“You okay, baby?” Evan asks against my ear, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry, I spaced out,” I mutter, then my eyes go to Colton and I notice him watching me closely. I give him a smile, and he returns one, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes this time.

Oh well.

Taking another sip of beer, I lean closer to Evan and listen to him and Colton talk, and occasionally laugh or smile when they tell me stories about things they did together or things that happened when they were deployed. When Colton’s dad arrives and introduces himself, I look around. I didn’t even notice how much time had passed or how full the bar had gotten. There must be at least a hundred people here now, if not more.

“I’ll be back,” I tell Evan, sliding off my barstool.

“’Kay, baby, come right back.”

Rolling my eyes at that, I mutter, “Yes, sir,” under my breath, and his eyes darken at my words. Before I know what’s happening, I’m back in his grasp and his mouth is close to my ear.

“I’ll be sure to put that into play tonight.” His words vibrate against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine and a tingle between my legs.

“Ev.” My eyes slide closed when his teeth nip my earlobe, making me clutch onto his shirt at his ribs so I don’t fall on my face.

“Go and come back to me.” He grins, looking smug.

“Tease,” I whisper, leaving his side, hearing his laugher behind me as I head toward the restroom. Walking into the girls’ bathroom, I find Gia is standing and waiting for the one and only stall with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at a tall brunette who’s washing her hands.

“Hey.” I smile when her eyes come to me.

“Hey.” Her face softens, and then she moves back as the stall opens up and a girl with long blonde hair stumbles out, giggling when she bumps into Gia.

“We really need an employee bathroom,” she mumbles, looking between the girl at the sink and the girl who just came out of the stall.

“So you and Colton?” I ask, bumping her shoulder with a grin on my face, blaming the question on the five beers I’ve had since I’ve been here.

Gia’s eyes meet mine, but before she can reply, one of the girls at the sink whispers to her friend loud enough for us to hear, “Did you know Lisa and Colton had lunch yesterday?”

Turning to look at them, I blink then feel my jaw clench when the other one answers, “I know. Lisa said she’s so happy to be wearing the ring he gave her again.”

“No,” I mutter to myself. I feel completely invested in Colton’s life, like it’s a daytime TV show and he’s the leading man, and Lisa is the conniving bitch who is secretly sleeping with his brother. Not that he has a brother, or that I know him at all, but after hearing his story from Evan, I know if he gets back with his ex, I’m going to kick his ass myself.

“Who are you?” the brunette asks, sliding her eyes from her lips, which she’s applying lip-gloss to, to mine in the mirror.

“Colton did not have lunch with her,” I say, not answering her question and really having no idea if he did have lunch with her yesterday or not. For all I know, he could have, but judging by the way his eyes followed Gia all around the bar, I didn’t think that was true.

“He did. Lisa told us,” the blonde says, turning to face me.

“Well, Lisa is a liar and a dumbass,” I tell her, looking to my side and seeing Gia glaring at both girls.

“Who are you?” the blonde asks again, turning to face me and crossing her arms over her obviously fake boobs.

“Who I am doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah, if you’re calling Lisa a liar, it does matter,” the brunette states, turning to stand by her friend.

“Why are you guys even here?” Gia asks, looking between the two of them. “This isn’t your normal hangout, and last I heard, you weren’t even supposed to be in the bar.”