Just as I began to wonder if I should say something to him before he made a mistake and married her I heard laughter. I paused and listened. It was both of them. Their voices mingled as they laughed. Setting down the dress in my hand I walked quietly over to the door. It was wrong to eavesdrop but I did it anyway. They were laughing and that seemed so out of place after watching them together.

“I love your stories,” Octavia said with a hint of amusement still in her voice.

“It’s a gift,” he replied.

“Hmmm, one of the many reasons I love you,” was her response then the distinct sound of kissing followed. It wasn’t loud. It was just the sound of bodies pressed close. Breathing erratic and choppy, and silence when there had been talking.

I stepped back. Eavesdropping was never a good thing and those who did it deserved to be punished. This was my punishment.

Nate Finlay

I MADE EXCUSES to stay away from Octavia’s for three days. The more distance I could put between Bliss and I the better things would be for all three of us. Octavia was back and that was enough to remind me what I needed in a life. What fit me and was safe, because being near Bliss was not safe. Just being in a room with Bliss wasn’t safe. She tempted me with a life I didn’t want.

Each evening I listened to Octavia talk about Bliss’s ideas for the store. I took her out to dinner to the places she chose and was supportive without intervening. I did the things I normally did. However, when she asked to go listen to a band on Friday night at Live Bay I paused. That was a bad idea. More than likely Bliss would be there. Dating Octavia with Bliss watching wasn’t okay with me. If the situation were reversed it wouldn’t be easy for me to watch her with another guy. I didn’t think it was fair to Bliss. Even if she’d moved on and was over what we had or what we thought we had in the past, rubbing the other’s face in that history seemed cruel.

I tried talking Octavia into going somewhere else. She was dead set on Live Bay and checking out the local scene. Octavia said she needed some “down time,” like there was any real stress heaped upon her. Mixing with the “regular people” here would help her “release the tension that comes with being a success.”

There was a chance Bliss had other plans. That’s what I held onto until Octavia shot that to hell. We were entering Live Bay when Octavia stopped. She scanned the crowd like a Secret Service agent: “Bliss said her table was to the left near the bar and that she’s saving us a spot.”

This was one small piece of information that Octavia failed to mention. She must have not considered it important. I gazed at Bliss’s table and there she was, sitting in some guy’s lap, laughing with a drink in her hand. That was nothing like Bliss and he was older than me. What the fuck? Why was I here?

“There she is,” Octavia announced. She then slipped her arm through mine. Drug me towards the pair like a child.

I then tried to think of a logical excuse to get me the hell out of there. Trusting myself not to do something stupid wasn’t easy with Bliss flirtingly drunk and lap wiggling on older guys. Where was fucking Eli? Jesus!

“Y’all came!” Bliss beamed and jumped up. “I hoped you would but I wasn’t positive. Here, take those seats.”

She didn’t sound drunk, but was too damn happy about this unfolding before her. “Everyone, this is my boss Octavia and her fiancé Nate Finlay!” She then looked back at us. “That’s Jimmy,” she pointed to the guy whose lap she’d been perched on wiggling and laughing. I glared at Jimmy who returned a smug smile then drank from his whiskey glass. “That’s Micah, Daisy May, James and Crimson” Bliss said, going in a circle, like we were at a book study group. Oddly, none of them appeared to be couples, which was weird and wasn’t lost on me.

“I’m just here to take care of Saffron whenever she appears,” said the girl Crimson, with an annoyed look and a huff.

Bliss added “Saffron is a bit of a handful. What do y’all want to drink?”

“Grey Goose martini,” Octavia replied.

“Maker’s Mark is fine,” I told her.

She waved her hand towards the bartender. “Larissa, we need a Grey Goose martini and a Maker’s Mark, please.”

The red head shot her thumbs up and went to work. I knew she looked familiar the last time I was in here. Hearing Bliss say her name I remembered why that was. Larissa was the girl who brought Bliss to the beach that summer long ago. Glancing around at the others, I wondered if I’d met them before.

As if he could read my mind Micah pointed his beer at me: “Nate Finlay? Damn, you look familiar!”

We’d met once, I remembered his face as well, but he didn’t need to figure that out right here in front of Octavia. We’d have a shit ton of explaining to do. Octavia knew nothing at all. The less she knew the better, as far as I was concerned.

“His grandfather is famous,” Octavia replied. “When he was younger Nate’s father was in the media a lot. They look like twins I swear. It’s freaky to see them together.”

Micah started to shake his head no. Bliss walked over, grabbed his hand, and blurted out “Micah, you promised me a dance. Let’s dance now . . . right now.”

Micah looked confused, but he didn’t turn her down. I doubt any man would. He stood and stretched like he’d be jumping hurdles: “I like it when you’re bossy and shit. Do it more. Make me mind.”

He was grinning like it was a joke. It really pissed me off. Bliss, however, laughed and tugged his arm, so he followed her willingly to the dance floor.

“Drinks are ready,” Jimmy said, nodding his head toward the bar. I needed an escape so I took it. “I’ll get them,” I replied, before bolting the scene, getting away from the pack and keeping my eyes off Bliss, especially while she danced. That seemed an important task. Not to watch her body move.

When I got to the bar the gorgeous red head stopped mixing and looked directly at my face. “They don’t remember Nate, but I do.”

Shit. What do I say to that? She sat down her shaker, walked over to me, until she was as close as she could get. Still, she leaned aggressively forward, only the bar separating us. “She’s been through a hell we can’t imagine. You hurt her and those guys over there will rearrange that pretty face. We don’t care who your daddy is. Got it? Are we clear?”

I was being threatened. Interesting. That didn’t happen to me. This was a first. I felt very normal. I said what came naturally.

“I’m engaged.”

Larissa didn’t look convinced. “Don’t hurt her,” she repeated, before walking back over, to continue working her shaker.

“She works for my fiancé. I didn’t come looking for her. That was seven years ago.”

Larissa paused, her icy green eyes, lifting to meet mine in space. “Your reasons and excuses mean nothing. That girl is special. We all love her. We’ll protect her at any and all cost. She didn’t have a normal teenage life, those years robbed by that damn disease. You were the last real memory she had before it all went to shit. She’s strong in many ways but her heart is innocent, fragile and please don’t forget that.”

“I realize that, but I’m not going to date her, it isn’t like I can hurt her.”

Larissa rolled her eyes and muttered a curse. “You’re the only one who can dumbass. Didn’t you hear what I said?”