His Second Chance (Love Comes To Town)

“Or run over by a truck several times,” Josie chimes in helpfully.

“Aren’t I supposed to be the morbid twin?” I point out.

She just shrugs. “Your wearing pink has me all mixed up.”

“Do we have a deal?” Sierra says forcefully.

“Why do you even care?” I ask.

“Nolan mentioned that Emerson’s been having a rough night,” Sierra explains. “Anyway, you weren’t there when he overdosed some months back.”

“He what?!?” I find myself snapping with way more concern than I should.

“Never mind,” I add quickly. “Don’t tell me.”

“Okay,” Sierra says with a shrug, her gaze steady on me. “But we have a deal?”

“Depends.” My gaze is steady back on her. “Am I allowed to say no?”

Sierra grins. “Nope.”

The sound I make is part chuckle, part sigh. “Fine. Then sure. I won’t glare daggers at him.” I sigh again. “But I’m not going to go over there and make up, either.”

Sierra nods, wobbling upright. “That’s all I ask. As for me, I have a husband to dance with.”

“You sure you don’t want us to help you—” Josie begins, already half up.

“Nope,” Sierra says firmly, placing the bottle beside us. “I’m drunk, but not so drunk that I can’t make it across the dance floor. I love you. Goodbye.”

We chuckle as she sashays off, albeit a little tipsily.

“She really seems happy,” Josie says.

“She does,” I agree. “I’m sure having a destination wedding on a tropical island helped.”

“That and marrying the love of her life,” Josie adds wistfully.

“Now, aren’t you relieved you finally told her?” she says, turning her gaze my way.

“Yeah,” I say. “I am. But do you know what tonight needs?”

She perks up beside me. “What?”

“Sleep,” I say, getting up and offering her a hand.

“Sleep,” Josie repeats slowly, as if the word might mean different things to each of us, staring at my hand without moving.

“Yep,” I say, and catching her dumbfounded expression, I add, “I know, I know. Not exactly my normal MO, especially after a breakup. But as we both know, normal hasn’t really been working out for me.”

“Except as far as work, money, and dogs are concerned,” Josie points out drily.

“You forgot my ‘gymspertice’, as you and Sierra call it,” I shoot back just as drily. “But you know what I mean. I go through a breakup, then I drink and mope about until I get a new guy. Rinse and repeat. Maybe I’ll keep doing that tomorrow, but right now, all I want is some sleep. And to go to bed before I’m so drunk off my face that I do something I’ll regret.”

“Like hook up with Emerson?” Josie quips.

“I was thinking more like kill my evil twin on the beach with the foul-tasting liquor,” I say, hefting the bottle. “But that’ll do.”

Josie takes my hand. “I’d rather not die tonight. Nor have my death have any tie-in with the Worst Game Ever.”

As we stroll along back to our rooms, I roll my eyes. “Overdramatic much?”

“Nope, just realistic. Clue was practically impossible to win!”

I can’t help my self-satisfied smirk. “And yet I managed to, practically every time.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Josie stops. “Hold up. I’m gonna grab one more of those cupcakes you murdered for the road.”

As she heads over to the banquet table, I glance around. The party is winding down. Sierra found Nolan, and they’re slow dancing, forehead to forehead. Talk about couple’s goals.

Even the music seems quieter, the crowd more somber.

One thing Josie used to say to me was that I always knew when to leave a party. Am I right in this case?

Part of me wants to stay, to have a fun, funny night to blot away my encounter with Emerson. But a bigger part of me is just plain tired.

Ahead of me, some guy with a handsome back surveys the crowd sadly.

He turns my way, and his eyes snap away.

Shit.

Of course.

Who else would have a handsome back other than Emerson Storm?

“It’s okay,” I call over just as he’s turning away.

Mid-step, he freezes.

“We’re on a truce,” I call again, regretting it already.

With one step he swivels to face me, eyeing me like I’m a pipe bomb that could go off any second. “You’re sure?”

He takes a few steps forward.

“No,” I say with a chuckle, “but I don’t want tonight ending on a bad note.”

“You’re going?” he says.

“To sleep.” I nod. “Josie and I had a fun time, but it’s time to turn in.”

“Early flight tomorrow?” he says.

I shrug. “Not really.”

He chuckles. “You’re right. Even if you did, you’d probably get there on time. You always were good at that, I remember.”

Catching my expression, he frowns. “Forget it.”

“Okay,” I say.

I swallow, craning to look around for Josie.

But damn the woman, she’s found her new beau—the hot tall guy manning the food counter! Kill me.

“I shouldn’t have followed you,” he adds. “I get why you wouldn’t want to talk to me.”

“And yet, here you are,” I say ruefully.