Teague (The Family Simon 4)

“Sabrina, don’t push him away without having that conversation. You don’t want him to be the one who got away. Not if he’s meant to be the one to stay. The one to heal your heart.”

Sabrina shrugged. “Am I crazy? We’ve known each other for less than a month.”

“So,” Allie reached into her purse to grab a bag of Jolly Ranchers. “You’re not a teenager and neither is he. I’m pretty sure you’ve both been around the block a few times, at least enough to know what it is you want or don’t want.” She shoved a handful of watermelon Jolly Ranchers into her mouth. “So have that fuck-buddy conversation and figure it out.”

“You just like saying that word.” Sabrina stood up.

“What word?”

“The F-B word.”

Allie giggled. “I know. There’s something insanely naughty about a pregnant woman saying fuck buddy.”

The older woman turned around again and this time her eyebrows were arched at an imperious slant and her mouth was pursed in disapproval.

“I’d better go before you get the both of us kicked out of this game.” Sabrina kissed her friend on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Allie grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You deserve to be happy, Sabrina. That’s it. All of it. Happy. He could be that guy. You just need to find out if he is and figure your shit out.”

Sabrina’s kids didn’t bat an eye when she told them they’d be going home with Caleb’s parents. In fact, she barely got a kiss out of them. She said goodbye to Paul and, nervous as hell, pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. By the time she got to the cottage, she was strung so tight her shoulders ached, and her stomach was twisted into all kinds of knots.

As it was, it turned out that her trip hope had been for nothing.

Sabrina killed the motor and glanced over to the Simon cottage, feeling let down and relieved all at once. The place was in darkness and Teague’s truck was gone.

Chapter Nineteen

Teague wheeled in to The Rocking Saddle around eight and he’d been drinking steadily since then. He glanced at his watch, squinting a bit because he was either tired or drunk—probably both—and realized it was nearly midnight.

“Shit,” he muttered. The place was packed and he was just thinking that he should call a cab because there was no way in hell he could drive, when Candace slid up beside him. Her red hair was loose, her mouth set in a sexy pout, and that body of hers was shown to perfection in a little black dress that barely covered her ass.

He gazed down at her and felt…nothing. She was beautiful, but she sure as hell wasn’t Sabrina. He winced at that thought. Christ. He was pathetic.

“Okay Mr. Simon, I’m going to assume that you have a good reason for ignoring me? I don’t even want to know how many times I’ve texted you and you didn’t bother to reply.” Candace held up her glass and signaled the bartender for another drink. “You want one?”

Teague shook his head. “Nah. I’m good.”

Hank the bartender handed her a vodka and soda.

“Can I have a slice of lime, Hank?” The bartender cut a fresh piece and plopped two into her drink. She took a sip, resting her elbows on the bar and studied Teague just a little too closely for his liking.

“What?” he barked. Not giving a damn that he sounded like a complete asshole.

Candace took a sip of her drink, eyes never leaving his. “You’re in a mood.”

“I’m not—” he shot back but then stopped. He was wound up and pissed off and halfway to drunk town. Not a good combination.

“Something’s got you ticked off,” she responded, taking another sip of her drink. “Why don’t we go back to my place and I’ll help you relieve some of that anger?”

“Not gonna happen.” There was no hesitation on his part and her eyes widened a bit.

“Wow. That’s cold.”

Man, he was making a mess of everything. She was a nice girl and it wasn’t her fault that his day had been shit.

“Look—”

But the girl didn’t give him a chance to explain. She cocked her head to the side and interrupted him. “You’ve met someone. That’s why you’ve been ignoring me.”