the end of the bar, Law was beside me, Remy on the other side of him, followed by Chase. Josh wasn’t there, but that wasn’t unusual. He often came later or went off to find a hookup or something.
“How’s everything going?” Law asked softly as I nursed my beer. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to know he was talking about Cal.
“Same.”
“You still haven’t talked to him?”
Shame curled my spine as I shook my head. Christ, what was wrong with me? I was acting like a child. I was going to stop seeing the guy because we kissed once? Someone who meant something to me? Someone I missed?
“Oh, I didn’t know they were hanging out,” Griff said suddenly. “Not that it matters.”
I looked up to see Callum, Josh, Kellan, and Natalie walk through the bar toward us. Josh and Natalie were smiling. Callum had his head tilted back, laughing. When he put a hand on Josh’s shoulder, something caught in my throat.
He was wearing a short-sleeved, blue button-up shirt, left open. He had a white tee beneath it, tight enough that I could see exactly how slender he was, maybe even make out the muscles of his abs. He had on a little bit of eyeliner and looked happy and confident, not knowing or caring that a few guys looked at him in disapproval as he moved.
I felt Law’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t look at him, couldn’t turn away from Callum, and then suddenly his gaze caught mine and held. There was something there, something I couldn’t fucking read, but I really wanted to know.
He gave me a small smile, then turned away.
“If it isn’t the three musketeers, back together again. Is it four now?” Griff asked.
“Maybe,” Josh replied.
Maybe? What did that mean? Was Callum going to start hanging out with them more? Not that he shouldn’t. Why the fuck not, but there was a question in the back of my head that I wasn’t proud of. What about us?
Josh leaned over the bar counter. “You miss me?” he teased Griff.
“No. Why would I miss you?”
“Aw, I’m crushed, Griffy. I thought we’d grown so close,” Josh countered, and everyone but me and Law chuckled.
“How was dinner?” Chase asked Kellan.
“Good. We spent the whole time talking about how much some men suck.” He blew a playful kiss at Chase. “Not you, of course.”
My pulse shot up at that. Had they spoken about me?
“It was nice to be there for Natalie,” Callum said, then risked a quick glance at me that didn’t hold. Was that his way of making sure I knew it wasn’t about me? Fuck, I’d never been the type to assume the world revolved around me, and I felt like shit that I was acting this way now.
“I can’t believe I got dumped,” Natalie said.
“His loss, sweets.” Kellan wrapped an arm around her.
“This is why my life is easier than y’all’s. Relationships make everything hard—not that kind of hard,” Josh said to Kellan, who had opened his mouth. “It’s why I just fuck my way through life.”
There were more chuckles, then a scoffing sound from Griff, but I wasn’t sure anyone noticed it.
Kellan said, “Callum and Josh are going to Richmond next weekend. We should go, Chase. I haven’t been dancing in a while.”
There was an unfamiliar buzzing in my ears, a rush of blood, a tightness in my chest. This unexpected feeling of possession made my fingers twitch to grab Callum and pull him to me, to tell him I wanted him to be mine.
Law’s hand came down on my shoulder in support. Callum’s blue gaze landed on me again as confusing thoughts and feelings twisted and turned in my head and chest. I had no right to feel this way. He should go wherever he wanted and sleep with whoever he wanted, but even the thought of it made me feel like I was cracking apart inside.
“I’m gonna head out. I’m not feeling so great.” I tossed some money on the bar and stood.
“Remy and I will go with you, make sure you get home okay.” They both went to stand as well, but I shook them off.
“Nah, I’m fine. I didn’t drink. Just feeling like I’m coming down with something.” It was weak of me, an easy way out, but I felt like my world was spinning and I couldn’t figure out which way was up or down.
I was jealous, that much was clear, but the tightness in my chest and the need in