have dragged her away kicking and screaming from that party, but I didn’t,” he says.
I can almost hear the tears in his voice. He looks up at me and doesn’t have to say a word for me to know exactly what he wants to say.
I wrap my arm around his shoulder and squeeze tight. “This whole thing sucks. I had no idea you were going through the same emotions I was. I’m so sorry, Kevin.”
“No worries. I’m stronger than I look.”
“That’s for damn sure,” I comment, making him smirk.
“So tell me about this Parker guy. I remember you two having a history, but I also know it’s a rocky one.”
“That’s actually a topic I’m not too keen on discussing at the moment. You really don’t want to open that Pandora’s box,” I reply, patting him on the back.
“Fair enough. I just hope he realizes what he has,” he says. I won’t lie, I did smile inside when he said it, but I also became hyperaware that he still has feelings for me.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out between us like you wanted, Kevin.”
“You’re not the only one,” he replies, standing up and giving me a peck on the cheek. “Car should be fixed.”
“Thanks again, for everything,” I say, giving him a kiss on his cheek, as well.
“Have fun tonight and be safe, okay? Call me if you have any more problems with Lexi.”
“I will, don’t worry.”
Sitting in my car, I look into the rearview mirror to see his truck lights turn on. I put the key into the ignition and turn. A huge grin appears on my face when the engine purrs. No flashing lights, either. As Kevin starts to pull away, I wave to him.
I put the car into drive and pull back onto the road. A sense of happiness comes over me because I finally talked to Kevin—like, truly talked to him. It was long overdue. Even though the subject matter wasn’t the most enjoyable, I was reminded of how much I do miss talking to him. I still don’t know if our conversation made me feel any less guilty over Janice’s disappearance, or that I don’t feel the same way toward him, but I think in an odd twist of fate, it brought us back to renewing our friendship.
Chapter Twenty Five
By the time I arrive at The Brick House, I’m already fifteen minutes late. Damn. Parking in the first spot I see, I rush from the car, only to find there’s a line leading up to the entrance. As I wait, I hear the band playing one of my favorite songs, and I grumble to myself.
Reaching the front of the line, the bouncer checks my driver’s license and Sharpies the back of my hand with a big fat X so everyone inside knows I’m a minor. I murmur my thanks before heading into the club.
This place is a huge step up from Larry’s bar. It has a very trendy feel to it with red-bricked walls that have been spray-painted by local graffiti artists. The house lights are low since the band is on stage, but there’s a lot to love about the look of this place. One of the big differences between The Brick House and Larry’s is this bar is clean. Thankfully, it’s warm inside, which means I can ditch the sheriff’s jacket.
There’s a variety of costumes on display, but I notice something strange. Numerous people are wearing black-and-red skeleton hoodies along with a bright red skull mask. I guess I missed the morbid memo on that one.
“Do you want a red reaper costume?” a guy just inside the club asks.
“What’s that?”
He shows me a plastic bag that contains the hoodie and mask. “It’s for people who didn’t come in a costume.”
“No thanks, I’ll stick with the one I’ve got on,” I reply.
“Suit yourself,” the guy states before asking the person coming in behind me the same question.
“Dani? What are you doing here?” someone in one of the skull hoodies asks, coming up beside me. The person’s voice is muffled behind the cheap-looking plastic skull, so I can’t really tell who it is. Parker pulls back the mask, which is actually attached to the hoodie, revealing his face.
“I might ask you the same question.”
He laughs. “This bar is right around the corner from my school. Where do you think us college students go? Besides, I saw your friend’s band was playing here tonight and decided to stick around.”
“I called you earlier, but you didn’t pick up,”