Page 66 of A Little Secret
“Who is he?” Ophelia prods.
Raine hesitates. “Pretty sure that’s Pax.”
“Pax?” Dylan asks. “As in…?”
“My brother’s guitarist,” Raine finishes, though her eyes stay glued to her phone, her expression pinched. “It looked like his bike anyway. Hmm.”
“Pax has a bike?” I ask.
“The whole band has bikes,” Raine answers.
Ophelia shifts in her seat, the corners of her eyes creasing in concern. “Is Pax…trouble?”
“Pax is…Pax,” Raine finishes.
“Us Taylor girls.” Ophelia shakes her head and gives her sister a reassuring smile. “Seems we’re suckers for bikers.”
Leaning forward, Tatum glares at her big sister. “Trust me. Our tastes arenothingalike.”
I grimace and settle back in the front seat.Yikes.Don’t get me wrong. I get it. Tatum was most definitely in love with Maverick’s twin, Archer, before he passed. And even though Archer and Maverick were identical twins, they were pretty much opposites in every way, other than their love for hockey and a certain strawberry-blonde goalie who’s currently sitting in the back seat trying not to burnup on the spot from Tatum’s blazing glare. Yeah, Ophelia’s part in the whole…situationis a little complicated, and that’s putting things lightly. It’s also why Tatum’s been so distant since Archer’s death. Living in your sister’s shadow is one thing. Being in love with a ghost who was in love with said sister is an entirely different—and much more excruciating—story.
Dylan pulls into Rowdy’s parking lot and cuts the engine, leaving the rest of us drowning in a silence so thick I swear I could cut it with a knife.
Well, I was right about one thing. I was looking for a distraction from my own shitshow of a life, and apparently, I found it in spades.
CHAPTER TWENTY
FINLEY
As one of my coworkers sets glasses of water in front of everyone, Dylan drags her drink closer to her chest and asks, “So, Rory. It’s been a while. I haven’t seen you at my brother’s lately. How’s life?”
Ophelia blanches and shakes her head, confirming my theory about our dear, sweet little Squeaks making a move on Jaxon Thorne.
Dylan cocks her head, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. “What?” she asks.
“Anyway,” Ophelia drags out. “Who’s gonna ride the bull later?”
There’s a mechanical bull named Bruce who’s basically famous at this point, yet isn’t half as interesting as Ophelia’s weird response or Rory’s pale complexion.
“Squeaks, you good?” I prod.
“Yup,” she mutters, avoiding everyone’s gaze like her life depends on it.
Interesting.
Especially because Rory’s basically been Jaxon’ssidekick and biggest cheerleader since before she could even walk. Yeah, there’s quite the age gap, but he’s the only one she’s been able to stand being around since Archer’s death, and the fact that she hasn’t been around Jaxon much lately is…really strange.
“Did something…happen?” I question.
“Nothing’s happened,” Lia rushes out. “I’m sure Jax has just been busy, you know?”
“I thought Squeaks was the one who’s been ditching Jax,” Dylan interjects.
Ophelia’s head falls forward in defeat, and Squeaks juts out her bottom lip, her eyes welling with tears.
It’d be surprising if Squeaks wasn’t…Squeaks. The girl’s been a crier since birth. Seriously, I almost feel sorry for her. Not because I think she’s weak but because Iknowshe thinks she’s weak due to her inability to tamp down her emotions like the rest of us. Honestly, I kind of envy it. The way she’s so genuine, wearing her heart on her sleeve come hell or high water. So much so I’m pretty sure the girl could be a mermaid for how often the waterworks hit her.
She sniffs and wipes angrily at her eyes. “It’s nothing.”