Shaking the crazy thought from my head, I swallowed hard as my chest ached at the sight of her perfectly drivable car. A car that she could get in right now if she wanted and drive away from here—and me—forever.

Shit.

I wasn’t ready for her to leave my life yet. No matter how much I fought her or myself on it, I didn’t want her to go. I’d tried to push her away, tried to keep myself from her, but it wasn’t what I wanted. Nothing about Paige being away from me was even remotely close to what I wanted.

What I did want was that perfect little mouth against mine, that bikini-clad body in the swimming hole with me, and every single thing that Paige would let me have. But how could I tell her that after the way I acted last night? When it came to this girl, I acted like a complete asshole ninety percent of the time. The other ten percent I acted like a pure idiot.

I didn’t know what to do, so in typical asshole fashion, I decided I’d head over to the bar after dropping Buster off at Mama’s. I’d drown my sorrows in some good old-fashioned moonshine.

A One-Bar Town

Paige

After last night, I knew things had changed between Tatum and me. I had convinced myself that we were making progress and that his defensive wall was lowering, but then Brina opened her big drunken mouth and made him worse than he was before, if that was even possible.

Side note: It was.

When I walked into the living room, I heard Mrs. Montgomery on the phone with someone. “Oh yes. You’ve raised a wonderful daughter. She’s such a joy. You too. I’ll go get her.” She turned to yell for me, and I smiled knowing my mom was on the phone.

I practically ran to grab the receiver. “Hey, Mom!”

“Emily seems nice. I’m so relieved,” my mom said.

“She is,” I said with a smile. “Super nice.”

“I have to admit, Paige, I feel so much better knowing that you’re in one place rather than driving across the damn country all alone. I had to talk your father off the ledge more than a few times.”

“What do you mean? Is Dad okay?”

“He is now, but he wanted to get in the car and drive until he found you. He’s been really concerned.”

I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry, Mom. Tell Dad I’m sorry too. And tell him not to worry. I promise I’m okay. Actually, I’m more than okay. I sort of love it here.”

“We’re your parents, Paige. We’ll always worry. It’s our job. But I’ll tell him, and he’ll be as relieved as I am. Talking to Emily was a huge help.”

“I’m glad,” I admitted, hating that my family was feeling stressed with my absence. My fame caused them enough issues without my adding more.

“So, how are you doing? Are things okay? What’s going on with your work and stuff?”

“Honestly…I don’t know. I haven’t answered any e-mails except for yours and Quinn’s, and I haven’t turned my phone on since I left. Has anyone tried to call you?”

“Jayson’s called here once, but I convinced him that I didn’t know where you were or how to reach you.”

“Did he believe you?”

“I doubt it. But who cares. It’s not like he can get anything out of me that I don’t want him to,” she said with a laugh.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome. By the way, Stacey accepted the offer from NYU. You might want to congratulate her when you have a chance.”

My stomach clenched. I was happy for my sister, of course, but there it was, that old jealous feeling rearing its ugly head again. “Is she there?” I asked, knowing that my feelings had nothing to do with my little sister and everything to do with my own personal issues.

“No, she’s at work.”

“Okay. Well, tell her I said congratulations and I’m super excited for her. I’ll call her when I can.”

“I will. And Paige?”

“Yeah?”

“Try and relax a little while you’re there, okay? Enjoy this time away. Lord knows when you’ll get it again.”

I sighed. “I will. I love you. ’Bye, Mom.”

“Love you too, honey. ’Bye.”

When I hung up, Mrs. Montgomery looked up from where she was sitting at the table, sipping some tea and working on a crossword puzzle. “Your mama sure seems like a nice woman.” She smiled, her accent once again noticeable in comparison to my mom’s voice.

“She is. She’s been really great since my career started.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister. What were you congratulating her for, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, she finally picked a college,” I said, “NYU. I’m really proud of her, actually.”

Mrs. Montgomery slapped the table with her hand. “Well! If that isn’t just the greatest news. How wonderful for her!”

“It is. She’s worked really hard to get in.” I was truly proud of my sister. She deserved this, and she deserved my support.

“I bet you miss her,” she said softly.

“I do. But I started working when she was little, so we didn’t get the chance to be really close the way some sisters are, you know? And then she pretty much grew up without me.”

She waved a hand, dismissing my concerns. “None of that matters, Paige. You’ll be as close as two peas in a pod as adults if you both allow it. It’s the grown-up stuff that really counts. Marriage and kids and all that. You’ll see.”

I smiled, strangely comforted by the notion. “I hope you’re right.”

• • •

Mrs. Montgomery let me borrow her car, and she gave me directions to the one and only bar in town.

“Don’t be scared about how the bar looks on the outside, okay? It’s incredibly old and it’s a little farther out near the railroad tracks.”

I raised my eyebrows and made a face, pretending a fear I didn’t feel. “It sounds perfect,” I said, knowing full well that getting out of this house and away from this property for a little while was just what I needed.

“Aren’t you worried about people recognizing you?”

“After last night, I feel like I’ve already met half the town, and the rest probably know I’m here by now. No sense hiding anymore.” I paused. “I mean, I still don’t want anyone to say anything about me being here, but I keep telling myself I want to do normal things. I need to follow through.” I smiled, and she gave me a quick hug before shooing me out the front door.

The bar was a little farther out than anything else in town, just like Mrs. Montgomery said it would be. When I walked inside, I immediately spotted a group of people I’d met last night at the field party. Celeste’s fiery red hair caught my eye as my hopes for a peaceful evening dissipated with my assumption that Brina had to be nearby.

Celeste caught my eye and waved me over, giving me a hug as I joined their group. “Brina’s not here. She’s nursing a wicked hangover,” she said, and I immediately felt better.

I grinned. “Is it bad that I’m happy about that?”

She gave me a knowing look. “Not at all. I’m really sorry about everything she said last night. She had no right, and she was way off base.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know, but she’s my best friend so I feel responsible for her.”

I nodded, knowing I felt the exact same way about Quinn. If she ever did anything crazy, I’d want to apologize for her too. I missed Quinn so much. She’d know exactly what to say and do in this situation, and if she’d been there last night, she would have sent Brina home in tears from the verbal lashing she would have given her.

“But that one’s been here for hours.” She pointed over at the other side of the bar where I caught sight of Tatum’s muscular frame.

“Have you been here for hours?” I asked with a laugh.

“I dropped someone off earlier and noticed Tatum’s truck. When I came back about an hour ago, his truck was still here.”

“Probably avoiding going home since I’m there.”

“Looks more like he’s trying to drink his problems away.” She looked between us. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink.”