Chapter Eight

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Wes~

Lucky's Bar was packed with people that night, and by some miracle Chad was able to score us a table.

I perched my large body on a stool and started scanning the crowded bar, hoping to find someone to take my mind off of Gracie and distract me enough to forget about her. My eyes swept the room landing on a few random women who piqued my interest, but it only took a second or two for them to become dull and lackluster.

I huffed out an irritated breath and stood, deciding to take a lap around the crowded room with my beer in hand. I passed several beautiful faces that undressed me with their eyes as I passed, but I couldn't bring myself to care. A few of them easily grabbed my attention, but none of them couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds before I became completely uninterested.

Why am I being so damn picky tonight?

After my unsuccessful trip around the perimeter of the room, I reclaimed my seat next to Blake, trying to hide how pissed I was at my mind's betrayal and refusal to cooperate. Blake's voice pulled me from my angry haze and refocused my attention

"Blondie at the bar has been eye fucking you since you walked in, Wes." Blake said with a grin, tipping the mouth of his beer in the direction of a girl that was leaned against the bar, giving me an unapologetically seductive stare.

"She's cute, I guess." I said unenthusiastically without any intention of going to talk to her.

"Just cute?" Chad asked, looking over at the blonde again, who was typically the exact type of girl I'd be pursuing.

"Are we looking at the same girl? What's wrong with you?" Chad was in complete disbelief at my response.

I brushed off Chad's question, but saw a wide grin stretched across Blakes's mouth that made me want to punch him square in the face.

"What he means is, she's cute...but she's not as cute as Gracie," Blake sneered, taking a sip of his beer.

Dammit Blake. Always runnin' that mouth.

"Gracie?" Chad asked, raising his brows at me in surprise.

"He let her sleep in his bed last night." Blake added cheerfully, throwing a playful elbow into my side.

"No way. Who the hell are you and what have you done with Wes?" Chad joked, looking me up and down as if I were an imposter

No shit. I'm trying to figure that myself. But Blake is making it seem like I fucked her and that definitely didn't happen.

"Woah woah woah, Slow your damn role. She slept in my bed after I had already left for work. Nothing happened."

"Whatever you say, man." Blake said, exchanging a knowing glance with Chad as if I wasn't sitting right there.

Jackasses.

I tipped my beer back, chugging the contents when Maggie appeared in my peripheral vision with Amanda standing at her side.

"Hey strangers." Maggie said sweetly.

She patted me on the back as she made her way over to Chad, planting a kiss on his lips before turning to place her drink on the table alongside Amanda, who was eyeing me a little harder than she had the night before.

Trying to act as casual as possible, I slowly swiveled my head from side to side, looking for the only face that I wanted to see - the face that I had been desperate to see all day, but too much of a chicken shit to admit.

"Where's Gracie and Laura?" Blake asked on my behalf as if he could read my mind. Blake was a jackass, but he was one hell of a wingman.

"Laura is still hungover from last night and Gracie was at a study group in the library last I talked to her."

I felt my shoulders slump slightly as Amanda explained that Gracie wasn't with them, but quickly gained control over my posture and schooled my disappointed expression.

"What's she studying for?" I asked, with genuine interest.

"Neuroanatomy exam. She's been studying her ass off all week." Amanda said proudly.

Damn. Beautiful and smart.

"Have you talked to her anymore about last night? I didn't get the chance to ask her about breaking up one of Colt's fights." Blake asked both of the girls.

I leaned in, bracing my weight on my forearms against the table as I listened intently, wanting to know everything I could about Gracie and her toxic relationship for reasons that didn't make sense to me.

"She only came home to grab a bite to eat so we didn't talk long, but she said she managed to get his drunk ass back to his place and hadn't heard from him since."

There was so much disgust in Amanda's voice that no one had to read between the lines to figure out how she felt about Colt. It was evident in her tone and facial expressions that she despised him and she wasn't afraid to show it.

"So let me get this straight...Colt proposed to her, then he went out to a strip club, got so drunk that he got in a fight and thrown out of the place, then called Gracie to come pick him up and hasn't seen her since?" Chad said, visibly angry on Gracie's behalf.

"What a fucking dick." Blake muttered.

I had a lot to say, but couldn't comment as I sat there barely holding on to my self control. I rolled my shoulders back in a circular motion with my jaw firmly locked in place, trying to hold my tongue and control the absolute rage that was coursing through my veins, from my tensed jaw down to my clenched fists.

"Why'd she agree to marry such an asshole?" I managed to spit out with a little more anger in my voice than I had intended.

Amanda and Maggie exchanged quick glances before Amanda tipped her head back and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp indicating there was much more to the story, but that she had no intention of sharing it with me. I guess it made sense, it wasn't their story to tell, but my curiosity was getting the best of me.

What am I missing here?

There was a knot growing in my stomach as an awkward silence settled over the table. It was obvious that there was so much that they weren't saying and I was practically coming out of my skin, wanting to know every detail that had been left unsaid. Whatever it was, it had to be bad or it wouldn't have been such a big secret.

"I think you have an admirer." Maggie said, changing the subject and interrupting my train of thought as she pointed at someone behind me near the bar.

Turning my head to the right I eyed the tall beauty whose eyes were locked on to me from across the room, before shrugging my shoulders and returning my focus back to my drink.

"Not interested." I muttered.

Maggie's eyes went wide and she leaned over to press her hand against my forehead as she pretended to take my temperature.

"You feeling okay Wes?" Maggie laughed.

Not really.

All I gave Maggie was a laugh in return, not waiting to admit that I wasn't feeling like myself at all that night. I went there to pick up women to get my mind off Gracie, but none of it was working and seemed to have the opposite effect which pissed me off to no end.

"I need another beer." I huffed as I stood and made my way toward the bar.

It was crowded and stuffy around the bar top, but I managed to sift through the mob and trade my empty beer bottle for a full one. Leaning back against the bar on my elbow, I decided to make one last sweep of the room, surveying the local talent for anyone who could catch and hold my attention, but failed yet again.

My frustration grew as my eyes wandered, when suddenly they settled on a small familiar brunette who was making her way across the room toward Maggie and Amanda. I straightened my stance immediately and focused through the crowd to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. But sure enough, there she was, the girl who'd been distracting me all damn day.

Gracie.

I watched her weave through the crowded bar, making her way around the outskirts of the dance floor and stopping every so often to say hi to people that she knew as she passed. Her eyes were tired, but her smile was still bright and genuine.

The sight of Gracie's petite frame and perfect smile pumped me full of energy and I immediately started my journey back to the table with misplaced excitement racing through my veins.

What are you so excited about, you big idiot? Yes she's here, but she's not here for you.

Gracie reached the table a few seconds before I did and I slowed my pace, trying not to seem too eager and wanting to appear more casual and relaxed than I felt. The truth was I was buzzing with excited energy at the sight of Gracie in the same room. The feeling was confusing and unfamiliar but it felt...good.

Blakes eyes shot to me, giving me a grin as I appeared behind her, causing her to follow his gaze and turn over her shoulder. She looked up at me and blessed me with a smile that went all the way up to her tired eyes, wrinkling her nose and exposing her perfectly white teeth.

"Hey Wes." She said brightly as she moved in to give me a side hug.

I immediately extended my arm, letting her tuck herself against my side with one of her small arms gripping my torso. She fit perfectly beneath my arm and I could almost rest my chin on the top of her head as we gave each other a quick and innocent squeeze. I released my hold on her small shoulders, but my body immediately disliked her absence as soon as she moved away.

"What's up Gracie? Thought you were studying." I said as I pulled the bar stool out for her so she wouldn't have to stand.

"Thanks! I was, but I think my brain might be full. I needed a break." she admitted with a smile that was happy, but tired as she climbed up onto the seat.

She joined in the conversation with the rest of the group and I tried my best to pay attention to what was being said, but I couldn't. My thoughts were solely focused on Gracie despite my inner protests and better judgement.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she leaned forward on the table and let out big drawn out yawns that she covered with her hand.

Jeez Darlin, did you sleep at all today after you left my house?

Gracie's eyelids were actively fighting against her the longer she sat at the table, but she was a damn trooper. She laughed and joked with the group despite how exhausted she was, but her long yawns and slow blinks didn't go unnoticed, especially by me.

"Tired Gracie?" Blake laughed as she let out another yawn.

"Oh don't you even start with me. You're on my shit list." Gracie sassed back with a grin at Blake who clutched his chest as if her words had wounded him.

"Me?"

"Yeah you, I got your snap this morning and I can't believe you took a picture of me sleeping you weirdo!"

Gracie crumpled up a napkin and playfully tossed it across the table at Blake who wouldn't stop laughing.

"I came in to wake you up for class, but you were zonked. I mean out. Took me three tries to actually wake you up. It was too funny not to send," Blake said.

"Well excuse me if I'm a little behind on sleep. I had to clean up after the puking princess over here." Gracie said, shooting a playful look over at Amanda who was hiding her face behind her hand feigning embarrassment and laughing before she shook her empty drink and headed for the bar.

"You need a refill Mandy? I'm buyin" Blake asked as he watched Amanda move toward the bar.

"Well in that case make it a double." Amanda laughed as they walked away.

A few seconds later a preppy looking frat guy approached Gracie from the side. His close proximity to her grabbed my attention immediately, but it took her a second or two to notice him.

"Can I buy you a drink." he said as he entered her personal space without asking her name or introducing himself.

What a fucking amateur.

"No thanks, I'm okay for now." Gracie said politely.

"How about a dance then?" The clueless douche bag persisted.

"I'm a little too tired to dance right now, sorry."

Gracie let out a chuckle and kept her smile, but it was obvious to me and everyone else that she wasn't interested. The only person who hadn't picked up on that fact was the moron standing cluelessly in front of her, practically begging to take her home.

Give up man, she's not interested.

"Come on baby girl, just one dance."

I watched Gracie's expression go from kind and polite to pinched and annoyed in a matter of seconds, with Maggie recoiling her head in disgust as well.

"Oh no, I'm not your baby girl." Gracie corrected him with her face scrunched and her sweet voice laced with irritation.

"Fine, I'll call you whatever you want."

How about her fucking name?

"Listen, I'm flattered, but I'm also exhausted and just trying to have a conversation with my friends."

Gracie's tone was firm and polite, but the asshole was annoyingly persistent, stupid, and unable to take no for an answer.

"If you're so tired, why don't you let me take you home then?"

Absolutely fucking not.

That comment crossed the line and the tone of the guys voice dropped enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

"She said no. So fuck off." I said coldly, taking a step forward.

My deep voice and sudden advance made him take an immediate step backwards, retreating a few paces to put space between us.

Gracie whipped her head around to look at me with wide eyes and mouthed a quick "be nice" in my direction.

"Sorry. Fuck off...please." I corrected myself sarcastically, eliciting an eye roll and a laugh from Gracie who dropped her head into her hands.

The douchebag followed my instructions almost instantly which was no surprise, but Gracie's shoulders were still bouncing with laughter once he'd gone.

"You don't have to be so mean." she said playfully slapping at my shoulder.

"And you don't have to be so nice." I countered, leaning against the table next to her with our forearms nearly touching.

"I know, I can't help it though, I kinda felt bad for the guy."

"Don't feel bad for him, he was an asshole. When you say "no" the only thing guys should hear is "no." I said flatly as I took a swig of my beer.

"You know this from experience? Because I get the feeling you don't hear the word "no" a lot."

Her voice was sassy and playful and my ears couldn't get enough of it.

"I'm used to getting what I want..." I said in a low voice, keeping my eyes glued to hers as I continued.

"...but I have heard the word "no" once or twice before." I added with a grin, shooting her an effortless wink that put a blush on her cheeks.

Usually it's a "No - don't stop - give it to me harder" and it's moaned into a mattress, but I'll leave that part out.

Gracie's cheeks flushed with heat and her eyes flicked to my lips for a split second before she snapped them back down toward the table and swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure.

I saw that Grace, but your secret's safe with me.

Her reaction to me put an uncontrollable smile on my face, but our little moment was short lived as Amanda and Blake returned to the table from the bar with drinks in hand. Amanda snaked her arm between us placing a drink directly in front of Gracie while shooting me a look that said "back off".

Putting some space between us, I made room for Amanda, giving up my seat as a peace offering as I stood and joined Blake on the other side of the table.

"Drink up and let's talk." Amanda said happily to Gracie, but kept her eyes on me.

Glares from protective best friends were nothing new to me and I smiled back at Amanda, completely unfazed by her sudden attitude toward my proximity to Gracie.

Don't worry Amanda, I'm reading you loud and clear and know my cue to leave when I see it.

"You up for a game?" I asked Blake, motioning toward the dart board in the corner.

"Only if we put a little money on it. I'm feeling lucky tonight." Blake answered with a cocky grin as we both started walking toward the dart boards.

"Sure I'm always down to take your money." I taunted.

It took every bit of my self control not to look back at Gracie over my shoulder as I walked away, leaving her at the table with Amanda. But I kept my eyes trained on the dart boards in front of me, fighting the urge to turn around and go back.

Once we got to the boards I positioned my body off the side, giving me the ability to subtly keep Gracie in my peripheral vision. Why I suddenly felt like that was necessary was a mystery to me, but that was starting to become the central theme of the night. I didn't understand my own behavior or the weird ass feelings that clouded my mind and blurred my judgement that day. But one thing was for sure, Gracie did something to me - something that was both intriguing and infuriating all at once.

Get your shit together Wes, she's engaged.

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