Stay with Me (Wait for You, #3)(124)

For a crap ton of girlie reasons, I’d taken my time as I got ready for my shift as Roxy waited for me. I put waves into my hair, expertly applied my eye makeup, and glided on a shade lighter than crimson on my lips. I knew the guys from the bachelor party would probably hit the bar at some point; meaning Jax would be with them.

I hadn’t tried getting a hold of Jax until I’d gotten into my own car and Roxy was in hers. I’d sent him a quick text saying that I hoped I’d see him tonight. Then, because I’d been scared like a little girl with a monster in the closet, I’d dropped my phone in my purse and turned the music up. I didn’t check to see if he responded until I got to the bar.

No response.

“Not a big deal,” I’d told myself as I climbed out and headed in, but my heart was pounding.

There’d been no response at six.

There’d been no response by nine.

And to make everything all the more screwed up, Aimee was conspicuously absent from the bar. Granted, she could’ve finally gotten the message, but my heart hadn’t slowed down, and I was beginning to think that maybe Roxy had been wrong this morning. Maybe he’d changed his mind.

“You feeling okay?” Roxy asked after I handed over an appletini I wasn’t sure I made correctly.

I was feeling totally paranoid. “Yeah.”

She watched me carefully. “You haven’t heard from him, have you?”

Clamping my jaw shut, I shook my head.

“Calla, I didn’t—”

The door opened and my gaze swung toward it sharply and my heart jumped like it had done every time tonight. It wasn’t Jax.

Katie strolled in, rocking heels that could double as stilts. She didn’t teeter in them. Nope. She sashayed herself over to the bar, tapping a woman on the shoulder. “You’re in my seat.”

I sighed.

Roxy laughed softly.

The woman must’ve been accustomed to Katie, because she muttered something under her breath as she exited the seat. Katie dropped down, hitching the sparkly tube top up over her breasts. “Whiskey. Straight up.”

My brows rose. “Bad night?”

Her eyes rolled. “June—one of the girls—is trying out a new routine. Belly dancing. The girl can’t even grind to hip-hop without sending men running through the door like their wives just showed up.”

“Then how does she strip?” Roxy asked.

Even Nick appeared to be listening from where he stood a few feet over, on the other side of the ice well.

“Who knows? She’s got great tits and a nice ass. Anyway, I just can’t deal with it.”

I grinned as I poured her the shot and then slid the glass toward her. Not a drop spilled.

“Aw, look, you’re like a real bartender now,” Roxy remarked.

Nick snorted.

I shot them both a look and then the door opened. My head swiveled toward it so fast I was surprised I didn’t get whiplash. My breath caught and I almost dropped the whiskey bottle.

Reece was the first one in, wearing worn jeans and a button-down shirt, looking fine.

“Damnit,” groaned Roxy. “Seriously. I thought for sure that tonight I wouldn’t have to deal with looking at him.”

I glanced at her.

Katie snorted as she raised her glass. “I’d take several long nights with him.” Then she downed the whiskey in one gulp. “Holy guacamole,” she gasped.

Damn.

A couple of other guys strolled in. I saw his older brother, and I was surprised to see Colton with them, but it made sense. The husband-to-be was a cop. My heart was really dancing now, because Jax had to be with him.

Katie looked over her shoulder. “See! Even June ran them out!” She threw up her hands.

The door swung closed and the laughing group of men moved to an open table near the pool tables. My heart sank to my stomach.

Jax wasn’t with them.

“They were at the club, right?” I heard myself ask.

“Yep. Didn’t get out of hand.” Katie inspected her nails for a moment and then she looked up, her blue eyes filled with sympathy.

Oh no.

I took a step back, bumping into Sherwood, who, like a damn ghost, had gotten behind the bar and was doing something with the glasses.

Roxy watched me, brows knitted. “Calla . . .”

I seriously doubted that Katie had fallen from the pole and developed super-stripper abilities, but she was staring at me like she knew exactly what I was stressing over.

“Jax was with them,” she said.

Not a surprise. I knew he would be.

Roxy moved closer as she scanned the bar. Her gaze caught Nick’s and he moved to help a customer.

“Okay,” I whispered, and I wasn’t sure how she heard me over the noise.

Katie sucked her glossy pink lip in. “The guys were having a good time, but Jax didn’t look too happy and then maybe a half an hour before I came over, Aimee showed up.”

The worst kind of feeling erupted in my chest.

“It was really different, because Aimee has never stepped foot in the club.”

Of course not, because Aimee was there, because Jax was there.

“About ten minutes after she showed up, Jax left.” Katie’s eyes met mine. “And Aimee left, too, right behind him. I’m not saying they were together. But she was literally right behind him.”