Chapter 163 (1/2)

If only I had known what was to come.

Chapter ninety-six

Nervousness overtakes me as I walk through the smoky bar. Why did I think this was a good idea? Hardin is going to be furious with me, and Steph may just think I’m insane.

When she sees me, a big smile fills Steph’s face and she practically shouts, “Tessa, what the hell are you doing here?” before pulling me into a hug.

“I . . . well, I was looking for you,” I say.

“Is everything okay? Or did you just miss me?” She laughs.

“I just missed you.” I decide to go with that for now.

“I haven’t seen you in ages, Tessa,” Nate teases and then hugs me. “Where has Hardin been hiding you?”

Tristan appears behind Steph and wraps his arms around her waist. By the way she leans back against him, I know they have worked through the fight over Molly.

She smiles. “Come sit with us—it’s just us for now.”

For now? I wonder if she means that Hardin will be here soon? I follow the three of them to a booth, dreading the answer to that question. A question I choose not to ask, and instead order a burger and fries. I haven’t eaten all day and it’s past three in the afternoon.

“And I’ll make sure there is no ketchup,” the waitress says with a knowing smile and walks back to the kitchen. Clearly she remembers the scene Hardin made the last time I was here.

I pick at my manicured fingers as I wait for the waitress to bring me my Coke.

“You missed one hell of a party last night, Tessa,” Nate says. He lifts his glass and gulps down the remainder of his beer.

“Yeah?” I smile. The most frustrating part of my relationship with Hardin is that I never know what I’m allowed to tell people. If I were in a normal relationship, I would respond with “Oh yeah, we had a great time last night at his father’s wedding.” But since my relationship is far from normal, I stay quiet.

“Yeah, it was wild. We went out to the docks instead of the frat house.” He laughs. “We get away with more at the docks and we don’t have to clean up after.”

“Oh. Does Jace live at the docks?” I try to keep my tone neutral.

“What? No, the docks are boat docks. He works there during the day, though. He lives close by them.”

“Oh . . .” I chew on my straw.

“It was freezing, and Tristan here was plastered and jumped into the cold-ass water.” Steph snorts, and Tristan flips her off playfully.

“It wasn’t too bad; my body was numb the second I hit the water,” he jokes.

My food arrives along with Tristan’s wings and a round of beers for the three of them.