Page 32 of Finding Hayes
“She doesn’t seem to hate you, that’s for sure. She walked in here with you and looked like she was having a good time,” Nash said.
“And you did, too,” Kingston added, raising a brow as if he were testing me.
“Hey, our boy is happy. Let him be. He’d missed her, and we all knew that. They’ve got a history, and clearly, they’re picking up where they left off.” River took a pull from his beer. He was setting things up.
Always the lawyer.
The song stopped, and Ruby, Demi, Peyton, Saylor, Emerson, and Savannah came walking toward us with big smiles on their faces.
My gaze locked with Savannah’s, and she held it this time.
She’d had a few drinks, so maybe she was more relaxed.
Her guard was definitely down, and I didn’t mind it.
“Hey there, friends and fans.” Scotty’s voice pulled my attention to the stage. “We’re getting ready to take the stage, and I know a lot of you are here tonight to hear The Disasters perform, so I want to let you know that we plan to give the crowd what they want.” There were very few cheers and a few groans, and I glanced over at Savannah, giving her a knowing look.
She surprised me when she smiled so big it had my chest squeezing. How long had it been since she’d smiled at me like that?
Too long.
“Does anyone else think that naming your band The Disasters is sort of like setting yourself up for failure?” Romeo asked.
Everyone chuckled.
“Yeah, not the wisest choice,” Kingston said, his eyes on me as Savannah took the stool beside me.
Scotty was back at the mic because the dude couldn’t help himself. “All right, we’re going to kick this off with an oldie. This one is for the girl that got away. She knows who she is.”
His eyes were staring right at the woman beside me, and her shoulders tensed. “Dear God, what is he doing?” she whisper-hissed, leaning close so only I could hear.
I leaned down, my lips grazing her ear as the smell of vanilla and lavender flooded my senses. “I don’t know, but maybe it’s time we make sure he realizes you aren’t available. Well, that’s pending how you want to pull this off.”
Her eyes widened when she pulled back, and she gave me the slightest nod. She leaned against me, and I wrapped an arm around her on instinct.
It was so easy.
Far too easy.
I’d never been an affectionate guy. I believe that was Kate’s big complaint after I’d found her riding my coworker like she was a professional jockey.
She’d blamed me.
“You’re cold, Hayes. You have zero emotion. You give me nothing.”
It was easy to believe because I was closed off. I wasn’t looking to let anyone in more than necessary, and I’d always been that way.
With the exception of Savannah Abbott. She was the one person I’d always let in.
I was surprised how easy it was to fall back into that comfort, especially after the way she’d left. Maybe I was just playing along, doing my part to make it believable.
Hell, I didn’t know.
My thumb ran up and down her arm over her sweater, and I kissed her cheek, lingering there a little longer than necessary.
I noted everyone at the table watching us, but I forced my attention back to the dickhead on stage singing about how his woman left him, and he wanted her back.
Irritation seeped in because I’d never liked the dude.
