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June’s leg rests against mine, and I clench my jaw at the contact. I have to focus on her face rather than the things I want to do to her.
“I never thought this would happen,” she says.
“Me neither.” And that’s the God’s honest truth. “I’ve wanted you for so fucking long, I never thought this would happen.” She’s broken me down in the best ways. She’s made me whole again. “What do you want out of life?”
June presses her lips together, considering. “Peace. I want peace. And I want the freedom to be myself. I want to feel like what I want matters, and that what I do with my life brings meaning.”
“Hence the teaching.”
“What about you?” she asks. “You don’t have your daddy’s bar to work on anymore, and I know Alex is everything to you, but what about you, Cash?”
I still get royalties from my music, but I know what she means. She means what am I passionate about. What do I see myself doing. “I’ve been treading water for so long, I don’t know what that looks like,” I say. “I wanted to give Alex the best life. That’s been my purpose. Then it was to make sure Dad didn’t collapse in on himself after Mom died, and now…”
“Now?”
I wet my lips. “It was always music.”
“But it’s not anymore?”
“It might be,” I say. “Funny thing is, I feel a lot more like singing now that you’re around.”
June rubs a hand over her chest, blushing again. “Then you have to do it. You have to go for what you want.”
“Hmm.”
“Seriously, Cash. You’ve been so encouraging to me, it’s my turn to be the same to you. You can’t let your dream die because of an asshole.”
It catches me off guard, and I chuckle. “Yeah, both of ’em were assholes, and you’re right. But I can’t see myself leaving Heatstroke. Alex has her whole life here.”
“There must be a way.”
The server returns with our drinks and a bread basket, and June tucks her feet underneath herself. She eats two slices of bread, which I butter for her, liberally, and I love the way she eats. Like she can’t get enough.
I excuse myself, walk to the restroom, splash water on my face, and put in a quick call to Ganny to check on Alex. She’s having a blast watching Frozen and is attempting a rock rendition of all the songs. I say goodnight to her then head back to the table.
I’m halfway across the dance floor when I see June, standing on the beach with another man.
He’s blond, shorter than me, wearing an arrogant expression with a weak chin. He’s got one hand on her forearm.
June’s eyes are wide, and she tugs away from him, but he grabs her again.
Red heat washes over me, and I charge across the sand toward them.
“Let go of me, Braydon!”
Braydon. This was the asshole who cheated on her. This was the dumb motherfucker who spoke to her with disrespect.
“You think—”
“Hey!” I bark it out, and Braydon turns toward me.
He squares up like he stands a fucking chance.
I whip my fist back and right hook him square on the jaw. He hits the sand like the sack of shit he is. “I warned you,” I say, standing over him. “I warned you not to contact her again.”
Braydon cowers in front of me, choking on sand, his hand on his jaw. He’s wearing one of those rich boy suits, and I reach down and grab him, lifting him up by the front of his shirt and holding him there.
“I warned you,” I growl.
