always be in my heart.” I sat on the couch next to him and cried like a baby.
I felt the burn in my chest as I remembered how I felt the moment my father entered my home last night. The entire night rushed back as I looked down at the picture my brother had forwarded.
My phone vibrated once again, and I read the next message.
Jackson: Looks like someone is moving in on your girl.
Another picture was attached, showing Booker and another rival of mine Eric sitting at the table in Roger’s Bar with the girls. I tightened my grip on my phone. Eric had tried more than once to come between Claire and me. Seeing him so close to Amber only fueled my already unstable mood. I sent a text back.
Me: Come get me. I’ve been drinking.
No way did I belong behind the wheel.
My phone vibrated, but this time Jackson was calling me.
“You on your way?” I didn’t even bother saying hello.
“Nope, I walked to the bar from my loft. I got here a couple hours ago,” he said. “Drinking too. Call Noah and have him come to get ya.”
“He’s on duty.”
“Well then, he’ll be sober. You can stay in town tonight at my loft,” he offered.
Jackson knew where things were with Olivia right now. He understood my struggle. It hurt like a bitch fighting with my little girl. My stomach was in knots knowing we were so far apart right now, emotionally.
I hung up with Jackson and called Noah. I didn’t give him the chance to deny me a ride; he owed me. I had saved him on more than one occasion, and he knew one day he would need me again, so he better just do as I asked.
The moment his headlights came into view, I was jogging down my driveway to meet him. I quickly crawled inside and slammed the car door.
“Have you talked to Olivia yet?” he asked as we drove toward town.
I shook my head and continued to stare forward. I had tried to call her twice today, but both times my mom told me she was wasn’t ready to talk.
“She’ll come around, Ry. She’s just a kid, and she just needs a little time,” he assured me as we pulled into the parking lot of Roger’s Pub.
I knew he was right, but I didn’t like waiting. Which reminded me, I didn’t like competing either.
I was a man on a mission as I slammed the door to the cruiser and walked toward the front entrance of Roger’s. I tilted my head in Jackson’s direction as I walked by, offering him a quick nod before I sought Amber out. My gaze landed on the gorgeous, brown-haired beauty with big, brown eyes. She hadn’t seen me approaching, but the girl I hadn’t yet had the chance to meet looked up just before I stopped at the edge of the table.
“And you must be Ryan,” she said with a grin.
The fact she knew me already made my stomach tense with excitement. It meant Amber had told her about me. I shifted my gaze to the girl that had my insides all tangled up. “Hey, beautiful,” I said as I leaned over and placed my lips against hers. Her surprised intake of breath only made my heart beat faster. “Dance with me,” I whispered before taking her hand, lifting upward, and leading her toward the dance floor, not giving her the chance to turn me down. I caught the irritated look on Eric’s face when I spun her around in front of me and pulled her in tightly against my chest. The sweet scent of her body engulfed me as I buried my face against the side of her neck.
“I thought you were mad at me,” she confessed with her face tucked against my chest.
I pulled back and looked down at her. She worried her lip between her teeth, and I hated how seeing that made me feel. I was torn between what my body wanted and all the emotions running through my mind.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I dipped my head and placed my lips against hers. She fisted her hands in my shirt, trying to pull me in even tighter. There was no room left between us, yet I felt like I needed to be closer.
We swayed from side to side in time with the music as we continued to kiss and taste the sweetness of each other. My heart was racing, and the