Page 112 of Worth the Fall

“Well, yeah. You know that when guys get scared, they get angry and mean. It’s their stupid defense mechanism. And Thomas didn’t do that. He kept a level head. That’s downright impressive. You should go jump his bones as a thank-you and give him more babies.”

Okay. My best friend is clearly drunk.

“So I can lose all of them too?” I asked, sounding like an asshole, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“Enough of this self-loathing already,” Bella ground out as she finished off her drink as well.

We were all going to be hammered if we kept this up. It would be like the first day I’d run into Thomas’s rock-hard chest all over again.

“Thomas loves you. He’s a grown-ass man. Instead of sitting here, whining about the fact that heisn’tmad at you for something you didn’t do, you should be thankful for his maturity. I think you’re used to being in relationships with immature guys. Time to get on Thomas’s level and step the hell up.”

This freaking twenty-two-year-old girl just gave me a verbal ass-whooping I hadn’t expected. Heck, I didn’t think I’d ever heard Bella swear before.

“I agree with Bella.” Lana was texting furiously on her phone nonstop.

“I hate you both,” I said because their words rang so true, and they hit me square in the guts, causing my entire body to tense up. “Who are you texting anyway?”

“Sven,” she said, but I could tell she was lying. Lana couldn’t stop smirking. Whenever she texted her husband, she typically had a dopey grin on her face. This was different. She was up to something.

Bella walked away to pour a few drinks for other customers before coming back to us. She was shaking up another concoction, but this time, she only poured out two glasses’ worth. One for me and one for Lana.

“Quitter,” I teased.

“I can’t drink another, or I’ll pass out behind this bar, and you’ll never see me again.”

I inhaled, feeling better than I had when I first arrived. Just in time to see all four O’Grady men sauntering into the saloon like they owned the place, little Clara and Jasper trailing behind.

A few older men shouted, and I watched as Mr. O’Grady peeled off from his sons and headed toward a table filled with men he must know.

“You can’t bring Clara in the bar, Thomas.” Bella’s eyes grew wide like she might get fired for having an eight-year-old inside this establishment that was literally monitored by no one except the owner, and I highly doubted he cared.

“It’s only for a second, Bella. Promise,” Thomas said as his eyes latched on to mine.

“And, Patrick! The dog. Come on.” Bella sounded exasperated, like she was about to throw in the proverbial towel.

I watched as Clara’s wide brown eyes took in the saloon from every angle, like it held magic and mystery in its wooden slats. I swore I’d never even seen that look on her face before.

“Told you she was here.” Matthew bent down as he pointed to where I was sitting, and Clara’s attention suddenly focused on me.

“Mama!” she shouted before running and hopping up in my lap. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Then, how come you weren’t at our house whenever I woke up? I like it when you’re there.” She cocked her head to the side and waited for me to answer.

“I think Brooklyn likes being next door to me better,” Matthew said with a laugh, and I watched as Thomas shot him a menacing look.

These two.

Thomas walked up to Lana and thanked her for the texts.

Traitor.I had known she hadn’t been talking to Sven, but I’d never thought she was communicating with Thomas. I hadn’t even realized she had his phone number, but I should have known how resourceful my best friend could be.

“It’s about time you got here. I think we fixed her for you. She breaks sometimes, but you just have to put her back together with logic and stuff.” Lana waved a hand toward me like this was something I did all the time.

Was it?

“Are you all fixed, baby?” Thomas asked before adding, “Done hating yourself for something you didn’t do?”