Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
She turns.
“It’s good to see you,” I say. “And I’m sorry I accused you.”
She smiles sadly. “It’s good to see you, too, Lizzie. You really do look amazing.”
“So do you.”
She snort-laughs. “You’re full of shit. But thank you for lying.”
I smile. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything.”
Twenty minutes later, I slow my car and turn into the parking lot of Liars Pub. I park the car, shut it off, and scan until my eyes find what I’m looking for.
A red pickup. Noah’s red pickup.
CHAPTER
16
Iglance up at the tattered vinyl sign hanging over the door as I reach for the handle. “Ladies drink half price and free hot wings.”
I suppose it explains why the parking lot is so packed, compared to last time I was here.
Three steps inside the bar, my eyes lock on Noah. He’s on the other side of the room, but he looks up, spots me, and a slow smile spreads across his face. He’s talking to a blond girl wearing a yellow sundress—well, she’s talking to him—but she seems to have lost his attention as his eyes follow my every step. I wonder if she’s the one—the one who wants the white picket fence and a yard full of kids.
I make my way to the bar, ignoring men whose eyes rake up and down my body, definitely ignoring the guy in the trucker hat who drawls, “Damn, is it hot in here, or is that just you?”
Noah’s waiting by the time I push the rest of the way through.
There must be a speaker overhead, because in this corner of the room, the music is deafening. Noah leans to my ear and yells over Luke Combs. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”
I sense eyes still watching me. Glancing over to where Noah just came from, I find Little Miss Sundress looks irritated. To her credit, when our gazes meet, she stands taller, doesn’t look away. Good for you. I ignore her anyway.
“I think someone else might not be so thrilled I’m here.”
Noah’s brows pucker. I lift my chin in the direction of the woman, who is still staring.
He waves her off. “That’s Ginny. We’re just friends.”
I’m not sure Ginny got the memo on that. “She’s very pretty.”
“Doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
The bartender walks over, a different woman from last time. Same half shirt, though. Must be the uniform. “You need something, Noah?”
He looks to me. “You want Hendrick’s again?”
I shake my head. “I’ll just take a water.”
He grins, then turns back to the bartender, holding up his Miller Lite. “Another one of these and a bottle of water, please, Kiki.”
“You got it.”
Noah reaches out, tugs at a piece of hair that’s fallen in my face. “If you didn’t come for the alcohol, then you came for something else?”
I’d driven here with the intention of chatting him up, seeing what I could get out of him. But this close, information isn’t what I feel like taking anymore. There’s real chemistry here. It lights up my body, makes me feel like a sparkler on the Fourth of July.
I tilt my head. “Maybe I came for the free hot wings.”
His lip twitches. “Would you like me to order you some?”
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.”
Noah’s playful dimples make an appearance. He reaches forward, puts a hand on my hip, and my skin tingles beneath his touch. I remember how those fingers dug in not long ago, how good they felt on my bare skin.
“Is this where you spend all your free time?” I ask.
“Not usually. I prefer the Big Devil Bayou on the north side of town. Do you know it? I fish off the old dock.”
“I do. Though I’m surprised that dock is still standing. I haven’t been there in decades, and it was rotting back then.”
Noah sips his beer. “I replaced the decking a few years back. Not too many know I did it, so I usually have the place to myself. I go there to calm my mind.”
“Why aren’t you there now?”
He grins. “Because I met you here, and I was hoping I’d run into you again.”
I feel heat rise within me. He’s an irresistible temptation I can’t ignore.
Suddenly, the music blaring through the shitty speakers cuts mid-song and a woman’s voice comes overhead. “Hey, everyone. We’re about to get started. Our first brave soul for the evening is Tonya Woodsman. She’s going to be singing ‘Before He Cheats.’ Let’s give her a warm welcome.”
The bar erupts in applause, a bunch of whistles and hoots and hollers. Unfortunately, the only thing I hate more than country music is karaoke country music. Though a few seconds later, the woman takes the mic and starts to belt out something about bleach blondes, and she’s actually pretty good. Her deep, raspy voice sounds better than the stuff that was playing a few minutes ago. Noah and I watch her for a moment. Halfway through the song, he leans over and says something, but it’s so damn loud in here now, I have to cup my ear.