“Keep it open!” I shout before dragging Lilly to the dance floor with me. The dance is easy to follow, and I force her to do it with me, until I’m done with my drink and it’s time for another. Lilly asks for some time off, so I return solo to the dance floor to live my best life.
I don’t stop until I’m sweaty, tired, and my hair is stickier than honey, brushing against my lower back. The music shifts dramatically, and all the solo dancers start leaving the dance floor as couples join in, ready for the slowest Two Step I’ve ever heard.
I don’t make it completely off the dance floor before a hand is holding mine, pulling me back to the center. I look up to find—wait, Griffin?
“Griffin?”
“Can I have this dance?” he asks with a smile on his face.
Griffin, Lilly’s ex, whom I adored until one day he disappeared from her life and mine.
“Sure,” I say, following along with the song and letting him lead me.
“How have you been?” he asks as if no time has passed. I search the room for Lilly, but I don’t see her.
“Peachy!” I reply, not meaning to sound as annoyed as I am.
“She went to the bathroom, I think.”
Ah, so he knows I was searching for her.
“She won’t be very happy if she sees us dancing, you know? You broke her heart.”
He nods, traveling forward before turning me inward. “I am truly sorry for what happened.”
“I’m sure you are. Everyone is.” I don’t know what thewhatis, but in between my barrel racing years, my parents’ deaths, and him and Lilly breaking up, I would be sorry about any of those too.
He stops talking, flinching at my harsh words. I’m pissed at Dom, mostly for being busy and not acknowledging whatever thisis between us, and I’m taking it out on him. That’s not fair to anyone. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. It’s been a long day.”
His smile is showstopping but sad all the same. There was always something behind his eyes, like he could haunt you in your sleep. The only time the sadness disappeared was when he was with Lilly. Same with her—always in a good mood when near him.
Oh my God. Riley, you genius child. “Hey Griffin?”
“Yeah?” He eyes me suspiciously, placing his hand on my upper back, always so respectful towards everyone. This man has the reputation of being the town’s bad boy when we all know that’s not true. Griffin is just a sweetie boy trapped in a rough life, which I hope has only gotten better for him through the years.
“Are you working right now?”
He shrugs, not answering beyond that. This is even better.
“You know…camp starts Monday, and we need extra hands. Maybe you could come over and do some things?”
Griffin visually stiffens, searching the bar until his eyes land on a now very tipsy Lilly. Of course she’s tipsy. And she drove here. It’s going to be a bitch finding a ride home this late.
“I don’t think I’m welcome at the ranch,” he replies. Oh shit, I was in the middle of a conversation. Focus, Riley, focus.
“Oh please, it’s all water under the bridge. We need extra hands, and we could use you. Just come, and we can talk more.”
“Riley…” he hesitates. “I don’t know.”
I shrug. “If you don’t want to, that's fine.”
We continue moving, as if this conversation didn’t come to a stop. The music starts drifting, as he dips me, and brings me back to say, “I’ll think about it, okay?”
“Thank you.” He squeezes my arm, holding my hand to guide me out of the dance floor, when a hand touches my lower back, making my skin break into goosebumps.
“Can I borrow Riley for a second?” someone says over the music, making it hard to recognize the voice, but the minute my eyes clash with ocean blue ones, I tense.
Hawke guides me back to the dance floor, but where Griffin was all respectful and kind, this man smiles like he’sgetting laid tonight. I really, really wish he knew he’s getting closer to getting kicked in the balls.