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She grins. “I guess it’s poker time then.”
She ushers us to the poker table, which I notice is set for six people. Any hope I had of Flynn showing up late evaporates.
What happened? Why is Flynn ghosting me? Did Weston order him to stay away from me? Even if my big brother did, why is Flynn listening to him? He knew Weston wouldn’t be happy we’re together. Why the change of heart now? Why isn’t he fighting for me?
Flynn obviously doesn’t have the strong feelings for me that I have for him. And here I thought the strings tethering us together were strongandreciprocal.
Paisley places a shot glass in my hand. “I’ll drive you home if necessary.”
I’m shocked by her words. Her big brain is usually working overtime on some experiment which prevents her from realizing what’s happening in the real world. If Paisley noticed I’m suffering, it must be obvious.
Shit. I’m not ready for the round of questions from my friends. I force a smile on my face. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
Mom lifts her shot glass in the air. “To smugglers, bootleggers, rumrunners, and the mermaids who loved them!”
“Mermaids!” My friends yell in response.
I scowl. I will not be some mermaid who waits for her man to return from the sea. I’m not letting Flynn ghost me as if what we had was nothing.
Be ready for a wake-up call, pirate man.
Chapter 32
It’s not a ruse if you have an excuse for the deception.
Flynn
Irub a hand down my face as I listen to Gary give me an update on all of our current projects. The summer is always busy on Smuggler’s Hideaway, but this summer is exceptionally busy and I’m exhausted.
Although, the exhaustion might be the result of spending the past week avoiding Sophia while living in the same house as her. I’m a fucking wimp and I hate it.
But what else can I do? I can’t lose Weston. He’s my only family. He was there when my mom died and my dad left. When all of my other friends were too busy with sports or school to be there for me, he forced his parents to allow me to live with them so I wouldn’t be alone.
But ending things with Sophia doesn’t feel right either. She brought the sunshine into my life. She makes me laugh when I’m down. She brings passion to my nights.
Fuck. This is an impossible situation. I can’t blame Sophia for running away when she was eighteen since I have the hankering to run away now.
Can you come to the brewery? I am concerned with the rafters.
I frown at the message from Paisley. If it were any other of Sophia’s friends, I’d assume the text was some lure to get me to come to the brewery. But not Paisley. She doesn’t involve herself with reckless schemes.
On my way.
I grab the keys to my truck and storm toward the exit. “Sorry, Gary. We’ll have to resume this later.”
“You weren’t listening anyway, boss.”
He’s not wrong. I flick two fingers at him in goodbye.
I make sure to drive the speed limit to the brewery. The last thing I need is Weston pulling me over for speeding while I’m on my way to the brewery.
I haven’t spoken to Weston since last week either. I expected him to call me out for missing poker night but apparently, he didn’t go either. Instead, he went out fishing with his dad. Usually, they invite me on their fishing trips.
I rub a hand over my chest when it begins to ache. I’m being torn in two directions and it fucking sucks. And hurts.
I don’t want to lose my only family, but I don’t want to lose the woman I’m falling for either.
Damn it! I pound my fist on the steering wheel and the horn goes off. Several people on the sidewalk stare at me. I wave at them in apology. I need to get my shit together.
