It's Our Time (Carolina Rebels 3)

He shrugs.

“Come on, Z. You should go. It’ll be fun. Everyone else is going.”

In the end, I’m unable to talk him into going. I have a feeling it has something to do with Deanna. He should break up with her already. It’s going to end badly for him. I’m not sure how, but it looks like he cares too much and she cares too little. Not to mention, she’s for sure sleeping with other guys. Well, at least one other guy. Open relationship my ass. It’s not going to work. It really won’t work when Zane doesn’t like the idea of it, but he’s in it anyway because he doesn’t want to give up what little he does have. Damn. That almost sounds like part of my relationship with Sydney. I don’t think it’s the same.

“About time you got here.”

I look around the box. Sydney’s the only one left. “Sorry, gorgeous. I got held up. You could’ve headed out without me.”

“I didn’t know if you would check your phone first, so I didn’t want you to freak if you came and I wasn’t here.”

I take her hand and start leading her out of the building. “You cut your hair.”

“And messed with the color. Do you like it?”

“Yeah. Still up for going to the bar?”

“Actually, can we go home? There’s something I want to talk to you about and then I figured…” Her voice fades as she slides a hand up my chest.

“Home it is.”

“Really? No convincing?”

She seems so surprised that I wonder if maybe I’m better off going to the bar instead. I replay what she said in my head. “Well, maybe that depends. What did you want to talk about?”

“Nothing serious. Just something about Savannah’s birthday.”

We’ve reached her car, so as soon as she unlocks it, I open the door for her. She smiles to herself.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I’ll see you at home.”

I grab her hand before she can slide into the driver’s seat. “Tell me what you’re smiling about.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve always liked you opening my door is all.”

“Oh. Yeah, well, my dad taught me good—” I abruptly stop. Talking about Dad and giving him credit for my abilities to be a gentleman is not something I want to do anymore.

“We should talk about that too,” Sydney says quietly.

“Not tonight. I’ll see you at home.”

She nods, and I see her off before following after her. Instead of thinking about my father, I wonder what she wants to discuss about Savannah’s birthday. That is much more interesting than the issue of my father.

Sydney beat me home with enough of a lead to already be inside when I get there.

“Babe?” I call out when I don’t see or hear her.

“Don’t come back here yet!” she shouts from the bedroom.

“Why?” I ask as I start walking that way.

“Because I said so! Just wait! I mean it, Ian!” Her voice grows louder the closer I get. “If you so much as peek in here, no sex!”

That really gets my attention. “What the fuck are you doing in there?”

“Stop talking to me or I’ll change my mind!” she yells. I lean against the wall and wait. Not five seconds later, she changes her mind. “Talk to me, Ian. I’m done, but now, I’m second-guessing myself, so talk to me while I make up my mind.”