Chapter 25

Resting bitch face saves me from having conversations.

-Lark to Baylor

Lark

They liked me! They really liked me!

It sucked.

Really, no joking, it sucked.

It was like they were forcing me out of my shell, and I didn’t want to be forced out.

I was like a turtle—I needed my shell to survive.

But they weren’t thinking that as they pulled me into their loving arms.

And God, how many loving arms there were.

It was like a fucking plague. One hugged, they all fucking hugged.

Travis. Evander. Fucking Tate Casey.

They all hugged me each time I saw them, and it was starting to creep me out.

Hannah hugged. Hennessy. God, would it ever end?

“You look mighty uncomfortable,” Rafe said, sounding amused.

I looked up from where I was hunched into as small of a ball as I could get while still being comfortable, and shrugged.

“This is a huggy lot,” I informed him. “It gives me heartburn.”

We were at yet another company function. Travis said something about it being ‘team building.’

I called bullshit. This was an excuse to drink beer and nothing more.

But I couldn’t complain.

Every last one of them had taken turns watching over me the last week since Sal had finally shown his face, and they deserved to let loose.

Rafe started to chuckle and took a seat in the chair that I was currently sitting on the ground beside.

I was positioned between two large chairs with a bonfire blazing in front of me, making it difficult for anyone to see me.

It was hot. God, I was so hot.

But it was either sweat my proverbial balls off or have to deal with more hugging.

Hannah, Hennessy, and the rest of them were all great, don’t get me wrong. But Jesus, they acted like they never got to see each other, whereas it was every day that they spent this much time together. I didn’t even like seeing myself that much, why would I want to see them?

“They mean well,” he said. “But it’s like when you’re invited into their fold, they feel the need to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m okay,” I muttered.

He snorted.

“I am.”

He didn’t sound sure. He sounded like he thought I was lying, but he didn’t want to call me on it.

That would be one of them that didn’t try to pry my feelings out of me.

They thought since I was married to Baylor, that I was one of them.

And I wasn’t.

I’d never be one of them.

These people, although nice, made me want to cut my arm off so they wouldn’t try to shake my hand.

They were nice, caring and loving.

I was appreciative of that…but I was a homebody. I didn’t like big parties—I’d had enough of being forced to those in my lifetime. I didn’t like being in huge crowds, and although the one I was currently in was intimate with only the people of the club and the Recovery employees, it wasn’t a small gathering. I estimated about fifty people in attendance.

We sat in silence after that comment, and I realized rather quickly that Rafe was just as uncomfortable here as I was.

I didn’t point that out to him, though.

Instead, I continued to stay huddled against the huge pine that I was leaning against, tucked nicely between Rafe’s big body and the empty chair.

We sat like that for over an hour before Baylor found me.

He circled around the fire and came to sit next to me, not saying a word.

He just stretched his legs out, closed his eyes, and dropped his hand.

I took it and brought it in close to my face and closed my eyes, too.

My face was hot, but as the night continued on and the air chilled, I finally cooled off.

It wasn’t until almost another hour later that I was spotted by the women I’d been avoiding all night.

“There she is,” Hannah said loudly, causing me to open my eyes in sleepy confusion.

“Leave her alone,” Baylor muttered without opening his eyes. “She wants to sit here in peace and quiet, and not gossip about whatever the fuck y’all were talking about earlier. Oh, and no, she doesn’t want more wine.”

Hannah snorted. “How do you know?”

“Because she came over here and dropped down between two chairs so you couldn’t see her, instead of sitting in the chair.” That was Rafe this time. “Sometimes the quiet is needed to process what went on throughout the day.”

Hannah’s lip kicked up in a small smile.

She winked at me and walked away, and I closed my eyes again.

“You okay?”

I didn’t answer Baylor aloud. Instead, I squeezed his hands and shut my eyes again.

All was right in my world.

Ish.

If only my pesky ex would stop following me around, making me overthink freakin’ everything and wonder when the next shoe would drop.

Baylor assured me that he wouldn’t stay here forever.

Once he saw that they weren’t going to let me go, then he’d leave.

Only, I didn’t quite believe him.

I should’ve known that Sal would lose his patience.

He always did.

And damn anybody that was caught in the crossfire.