Crazy for Your Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 5)

“I have to return to the bachelor party,” I tell my sister.

“Godspeed,” she says, winking.

“Everything okay?” Liam asks when I return to the group.

“Yeah. I think it’s all worked out.”

“Was she an ex, or . . .?” He looks concerned, and I can’t blame him. If a woman had acted that way with him, I’d feel like I had to get that information to Saanvi somehow.

“You don’t have to look so tormented. Teagan knows Myla, and I’ll tell her about what happened.”

“I think Rich might beat you to it.”

I follow Liam’s gaze to the front of the bar, where Rich is pushing through the doors. When he hits the sidewalk, he turns right, not getting a cab but heading down the street—toward the dance club where the girls are supposed to be spending their night. He’ll be able to tell Teagan whatever he wants while I’m stuck here. Fucking fantastic.

But maybe it doesn’t matter if Rich is going to the girls’ party.

I turn to Liam. “You know what I want to do?”

“What?”

“I want to find our women and spend the rest of the night with them.” I arch a brow. “Can you honestly tell me you want to sit here and play cards when your fiancée is dancing at a club only two blocks away?”

“A man after my own heart.” He smacks me between the shoulder blades. “I’ll tell the others.”

Teagan

My sister is a happy drunk. Not that she’s unhappy sober, because frankly, the girl never stops smiling, but alcohol somehow magnifies that happiness. She lets her guard down after a few drinks, like most of us do, but instead of being sloppy and obnoxious, she exudes joy I want to soak up.

Tonight has been all dancing and booze and laughter. In truth, I wasn’t looking forward to the bachelorette party. The only bridesmaid I really know is my cousin Sabrina, and she and I don’t exactly have a great relationship. Maybe it’s a good thing she’s not arriving until tomorrow morning. I can give my attention to Saanvi and enjoy myself without feeling judged by Sabrina.

Saanvi comes up to me on the dance floor and swings one arm around my shoulders. “This is the best weekend ever.” She means it, and I couldn’t be happier about that. “Do you know why it’s the best ever?” she asks, swaying.

I grin. “I don’t know. Maybe because you’re marrying the love of your life?”

She snorts. “I would’ve done that on the dreariest day in the ugliest courthouse in America. And it does make me happy. But you know what makes that happiness even more awesome?”

Everything, it seems. “What?”

“Seeing you and Carter!” She groans. “Oh my gosh. You guys are so cute together! Even Mom is loving him, and she wasn’t sure about it, because you know how she feels about Rich.”

How everyone feels about Rich, I think, because Saanvi likes him nearly as much as my parents do.

“But Carter. Damn, girl. No one, and I mean no one, is worried about how fast this thing happened between you two now that we’ve met him.”

Guilt is a dull blade twisting in my gut. “You guys were worried about my relationship?”

“Of course we were! Come on, falling for a pseudo-celebrity who has women chasing after him? Yeah, we were worried. Not now, though.” She waves a hand, as if what she said shouldn’t matter. “I like him. I like that you like him, and I like the way he looks at you. I remember the first time Liam looked at me like that. I’m pretty sure that was the moment I fell in love.”

I laugh. “And how exactly does Carter look at me?”

“Like you’re the first starry night he’s seen in a decade.” She sighs dreamily, hanging on me a little. “Like you’re the moon and he’s the sun.”

“That’s poetic.”

She grins. “I figured you’d rather hear that than the truth.”

I frown. I kind of liked the idea that Carter looked at me like that. “What’s the truth?”

“Like he wants to lick every inch of you and make you come.”

I smack her arm. “Saanvi.”

“You two haven’t done it yet, have you?”

“Saanvi!”

“I can feel the tension. I know you haven’t. Is it him? Does he have like religious reasons for waiting, or . . .” She narrows her eyes. “Or is it you? Maybe after everything . . .” The joy seems to drain out of her in a rush. “Maybe you’re scared to be with someone again.”

I roll my eyes. “I’ve been with men since Heath.”

“So why not Carter?”

Why not, indeed? I don’t have a good answer. Not one that doesn’t involve more lies. “We want it to be special,” I finally say, because that feels like the truth.

“Oh my God.” She throws back her head and tugs on her hair with both hands. “That is so hot. But you do other stuff, right?”