The Ex Files (Ocean View #1)(17)

“Hey, man!” I shout over the sound of the crowded pub’s raucous laughter. There’s something about the sound of a crowded bar, overflowing with laughter and talking and glasses clinking, that is comforting. Ahead of me stands one of my best friends, Chris. He grew up down the street from me before he moved up north. He still comes down pretty regularly, and earlier today, he asked if I would be free to meet up. Next to him stands a pretty redhead I don’t recognize.

“Dawson! You made it! Good to see you, man!” We hug and pat backs in the way good friends do when they’re trying to pretend they don’t actually like to embrace.

“Yeah, man. We were close by. This is Cassie, my date.” Cassie is standing there, her arms holding her coat closed in front of her, shoulders lifted high and clearly not comfortable. I throw an arm around her shoulder and pull her to me, the fit perfect. I should be surprised, but I’m not. Everything about her makes sense. “Cass, this is Chris, an old friend.” I look to the redhead. “This your girl?” Chris laughs before putting an arm around her.

“Oh yeah, this is my girl, Jordan.” When her eyes bug out, and I don’t recognize her name as one of the many he’s always bragging about, I’m admittedly confused. But then a hand slaps Chris’ head before another guy tugs the woman into his chest, where she instantly makes herself more comfortable.

“Fuck off, Jacobs. Find your own woman or you’re fired.” The woman, Jordan, lets out a sweet giggle before turning to put an arm around the man’s waist.

“Come on, Bossman, Let me live the dream for a moment.”

“You better shut the fuck up, Chris, or Tanner will beat your ass. You know he’s protective,” a man to Chris’ left says, and my eyes shift to him, dark hair and tattoos creeping under the rolled sleeves of his shirt.

“Hey, Ben, how’s it goin’?” I reach a hand out to shake his, keeping Cassie at my side.

“Good to see you, Luke. Do you remember my brother, Tanner?” He gestures to the other man, tall and broad with dark hair with sun-bleached tips. The Coleman brothers grew up north of Ocean View, both working their family construction site where Chris works now. Ben left before he could be forced to take over, following his dream of becoming a tattoo artist, while his brother got the business. Ben and I are close friends, so I’ve heard stories about the undue stress their father puts on Tanner and how completely consumed by the family business he’s been. But, as I shake his hand and take in his less stressed appearance, it’s clear Tanner has figured things out, and the woman next to him is probably the reason.

“Hey, I’m Luke, and this is Cassie,” I say to the woman.

“Jordan,” she says with a sweet smile, and now the story kind of comes back to me. She used to date some sort of country star before she moved to the town Chris works in. It turns out the guy was abusive, and when he followed her back to Springbrook Hills, Tanner stepped in and kept her safe. So now she lives there with Tanner and works as the office manager.

“Nice to meet you,” Cassie says quietly, her nervous voice just barely able to be heard over the noise. It sounds… strange on her. This confident, professional woman. Like being in an unplanned, causal atmosphere is her kryptonite. Her hand on my shirt is gripping tight, bunching the fabric. My hand on her arm squeezes marginally before rubbing my thumb up and down in what I hope is a calming manner. She relaxes a fraction, and something about that pleases me, the ability to calm this force of a woman.

“So it’s trivia night?” I ask once introductions are over and we’re settled at the small table, each with a drink.

“Yeah, man, Team Firecrotch—” Chris says, but before he can finish his sentence, Tanner smacks him upside his head as Jordan glares on.

“I told you we’re not callin’ it that.”

“Right, right, Team Masterminds? Boring,” Chris grumbles, and beside me, Cassie giggles and relaxes just a fraction. It’s going to be a good night.





Hours, and what feels like 100 trivia questions, later, we’re on the last question, tied with two other teams. Cassie has finally relaxed, giggling with Jordan, who’s just about as gone as her, and elbowing Chris every time he makes some kind of semi-rude wisecrack, which is basically every five seconds. Gone are her strange propriety and perfect etiquette, and in their place is this beautiful, hilarious woman.

“Okay, teams, one last question for the win! Who said this famous line: ‘Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?’” the announcer asks, and teams across the bar huddle their heads.

“That’s Clerks, right?” Chris asks, and Ben rolls his eyes.

“Is that the only movie you know?” Cassie snorts a quiet laugh to my left, and I look over at her. She’s on her second drink here, plus the one at the restaurant, and she’s finally relaxed. She looks at ease and happy. Beautiful.

“What’s Clerks?” Jordan asks.

“Jesus, Tan, you’re with a woman who’s never seen Clerks?” Ben looks at his brother with disgust on his face.

“Cut her some slack. She was raised in Vegas. Ask her trivia about Elvis or Sigfried and Roy and we’re good.”

“The Breakfast Club,” Cassie says quietly.

“Oh shit, yeah. But who said it?” Chris asks.