Page 47 of Truck Me

Ricky is the local law enforcement around here, and our resident Elvis impersonator. He lives for karaoke night.

“We’ve been here for an hour and so have they,” I say, surprising everyone at the table. All eyes turn to me. “Ain’t no one fighting, so I guess you can keep your warnings to yourself.”

Ash and Chase snort. Christian pushes to his feet, gives Charlie one last look of disgust before he heads to the back room where the pool tables are located. Liam crosses his arms and glares.

“Come on, Red,” Mac says as he takes Sophia’s hand. “Let’s go pick a song to sing before we miss out on karaoke.”

“No way.” She jerks her hand back. “I am not singing.”

“You don’t have to.” He pulls her to her feet. “I’ll do all the singing. You can just sit there and look like the beauty that you are.”

My brothers make a series of gagging noises, I groan, and Charlie gives us one more nod before he leaves.

“Fucking douche,” Liam mumbles after he’s out of earshot.

“Once a piece of shit, always a piece of shit,” Ash says with a huge grin.

“Here, here!” Chase raises his beer.

“Boys.” Clara rolls her eyes like we’re all acting like children.

“Don’t look at us like that.” Ash narrows a playful stare at her as he makes to stand. “He’s all those shitty things and more.”

“Maybe so, but what good does it do to get into little pissing contests with him? He’s never gonna let you guys win. Like ever.”

“Because it makes me feel better knowing it pisses him off,” Liam says as he lifts his beer bottle up in salute.

The music shifts to a slow song. Mac is on the stage with a microphone in his hands, ready to sing the sappy love song to his girl. Ash walks around the table and holds out his hand to Clara. “Come on, bestie. Let’s dance.”

Clara looks up at him like she’s going to refuse. Instead, she sighs, takes a big gulp of her drink, and pushes to her feet.

My baby brother is such a dumbass. He and Clara have been best friends since they were toddlers, but everyone with eyes can see she has been crushing on Ash for years. Everyone except Ash, that is. He seems to be oblivious to her feelings.

Within moments, the dance floor is overly crowded with couples, and I’m left alone at the table with Liam and Chase. We’re quiet as we watch the couples dance. I’m glad for the reprieve in conversation but being left with my thoughts while I watch other people dance is not doing me any good. All I can think about is Charlotte and what it would feel like to hold her close like that.

I can’t say I’ve ever really danced with a woman. Not even in high school at dances. I never went to prom or homecoming, and as an adult, I’ve avoided these things like the plague.

I bet Charlotte can dance. She was into all that shit back in school. Knowing her, she’s gone to plenty of events as an adult, where dancing was the highlight of the night. She’d probably feel soft and warm and glide across the floor like a damn angel while I’d be more like a tumbling boulder dragging my feet around the dance floor.

But oddly enough, I want to know what it’s like. With her. I want to hold her and kiss her and make her cry out my name again.

And now my fucking dick is getting hard.

I swallow my groan and take a long pull from my beer as I adjust myself. These thoughts are going to cause me nothing but trouble.

Chapter 11

Even backwoods country folks read the tabloids and act like it’s the gospel.

Charlotte

I stare at the blank space next to item number seven on today’s list, tapping my pen against the page. For the life of me, I can’t think of another reason I should stay clear of Garret. I should be able to fill up a journal with all the reasons he and I are wrong for each other.

Because he is wrong for me. Right?

I keep telling myself he was right when he said I should date someone more like me. More like Brad. Brad shared my interests and fit the professional mold I thought I wanted.

My Chicago life fit me well. It’s what I’d always dreamed of having—a great job, designer clothes, a busy social life, and a successful life partner. And for a short time, I had all of that and I was happy.