by Toni Aleo
Markus didn’t know what to say, so he just stared up at the TV as people started to arrive. Suddenly, though, Jace caught his attention. “But also, if you’re going to go after her, go after her. Don’t play around. Tell her what happened, tell her the truth about how you feel, how you’ve always felt, and do it, you know? Make it work. Don’t think it will work. Fight for her, because her confidence is gone. She lost that when everything went down, and I can’t have anything else ruin that girl, okay? Avery is too close to her, and I’m too close to you. And if that happens, then I don’t even know what will come next. I know you shouldn’t have to think of me or our relationship, but I need you to. Okay?”
He held out his hand, and Markus took it, shaking it before wrapping him in a one-handed hug. “Yeah, bro, I hear you.”
“Cool,” he said, coming off the barstool and slapping him on the back. “My wife is here, looking too damn hot.”
Markus turned just as Avery stopped in front of Jace, a grin on her face. “Oh, hush.”
But even Markus could tell she loved it, and she did look beautiful. She had on a really cute loose-fitting black dress that was long in the back but short in the front with black boots to her knees. Her hair was down, and her makeup was very dark and dramatic.
“Yo, Avery, you got me down for a duet tonight, right?” Markus called over to her, and she gave him a dirty look.
“You know I can’t. Mekena will be here,” she said softly, and he shrugged.
“So? Don’t be like that. We’ve been practicing this duet for months.”
That made Avery laugh, and he smiled. “We have not. I don’t even know what we’re singing.”
“Your pick. Come on, I can’t sing with Jace.”
She made a face of horror. “No one can,” she teased, and Jace glared. “But fine, if she cusses me out, I’m gonna beat you.”
“That’s fine. Send her my way.”
She eyed him. “You mean that.”
“I do.”
Slowly shaking her head, her shoulders fell. “Have you tried talking to her?”
“Kind of, but she keeps running from me.”
“Sounds like her,” she said, looking around the room. “Do you still care for her?”
Markus gazed at Avery’s profile. “Yes.”
“Are you gonna tell her what happened with Skylar?”
When she looked back at him, he looked at Jace, feeling a little betrayed. “You told her?”
“I tell her everything. She’s my wife,” he explained, and Markus glared.
“Either way, I know, and I haven’t told her because I don’t want to hurt her by telling her that her sister is a fucking backstabbing whore. Though, she may know that already. But if you’re going to try to talk to her and whatever, then you need to make sure you are completely honest with her. Explain everything because she thinks you did it because you didn’t want her.”
“That’s not true.”
“Which is what I told her, but I couldn’t tell her what I knew ’cause I promised Jace I wouldn’t. Also, it wasn’t my place. So if you’re gonna do it, do it.”
He nodded, knowing he had no choice. He wouldn’t let Mekena walk around thinking that. No, he’d tell her the truth. He’d make her listen. “I will.”
“And don’t hurt her again!”
“I promise,” he said and then he smiled, taking her hand in his. “I promise, Avery Sinclair, I will never hurt your best friend again. I just gotta get a chance to prove that.”
Using the hand he was holding, she punched him lightly in the chest. “You better not.”
“Hey.”
Markus froze as he looked over to see Mekena standing only feet from him. Like always, he was stunned by her beauty, and his hand ached to touch her. Wearing a short flowy blue skirt, she had a darker blue sweater tucked into it. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she looked fresh and fun, especially with her little white sneakers. She looked like a schoolgirl and not of the naughty variety. The kind you begged for the answers to the test. But it wasn’t just the answers that Markus wanted. No, he wanted all of her.
“Hey,” he said before Avery and Jace could. They both looked over at him, and so did Mekena, her eyes narrowing before she rolled them, looking back to Avery.
“Where are we sitting?”
“Over there somewhere. Let’s go find a spot,” she said before they walked away together.
Watching as she walked, he saw Mekena’s skirt flirting with him, showing little peeks of the back of her thighs and the insides to the point where Markus’s hand came to his chest as he let out a breath.
Jace, though, he laughed. “Man, you got some work to do.”
“Yeah, I do,” he agreed as he watched the ladies sit before they moved their heads together. As he watched them, knowing darn well they were talking about him, all he could do was smile. He knew it would take work to get her back, the kind of work that terrified him, but that wasn’t a problem.
Markus had no difficulty working for the things he wanted.
Or loved.
And Mekena was both of those things.
“What is his deal?”
Avery leaned forward, inches from Mekena as she met her gaze. “Whose?”
“Markus. Why is he talking to me? Earlier at the rink, he caught me from falling and called me beautiful and shit. What the hell?”
Avery’s eyes widened. “No, he didn’t.”
“He did! Like, what in the world? You cheated on me, you broke my heart, and you’re trying to talk to me? No way.” Tearing her gaze from her best friend’s, Mekena looked to where Markus was watching them, leaning against the bar, a beer in his hand. He was wearing a pair of slacks, his green shirt tucked in loosely with his tie barely tied. It was disgustingly hot, and she needed help for being turned on by his messiness, but she couldn’t help it. He was delectable. “He needs to go on somewhere with that mess. We both know he is just trying to fuck with me.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Avery said, and Mekena met her gaze. Avery wasn’t laughing, but she wanted to.
“I hate you.”
“Mekena, you still get that gooey look in your eyes when you look at him. You don’t have to lie to me, I know you like that he caught you and called you beautiful. I know you, and I also know you don’t want to like those things. That you want to hate him, but you can’t ’cause you don’t hate anyone.”
“I hate my sister.”
“No, you don’t,” she said simply, shaking her head. “You’re mad, and I don’t know if you’ll forgive her, but you don’t hate her. If she were to fall and break an ankle, you’d make sure she was okay before you fist-pumped.”
Mekena rolled her eyes, grumbling as she looked away. “Whatever.”
“You know I’m right.”
“I know I’m about to start not liking you,” she warned, and Avery laughed.
“Yeah, okay,” she said between her chuckles as she leaned back in her chair. Mekena knew Avery thought she was right, but in a way, Mekena was pretty sure she was talking about “Before Mekena.” Before Mekena hadn’t ever been a spiteful girl, nor was she ever a grudge-holder. She usually let things roll right off her back. But then everything happened with Markus and Skylar, and well over a year later, “Now Mekena” was still upset about it. But maybe that was normal. She went from idolizing her sister, believing she ruled the world, to thinking her sister was the biggest whore this side of the Red River. With Markus, she’d seen and talked to him every day, and then it was over. She never got the closure God and everyone kept saying she needed, and maybe they were right.
But how could she stand there and listen to him tell her that she wasn’t enough? That she didn’t give it up quick enough? She didn’t think she could. But she didn’t like the person she was now. She wasn’t happy; she was just going through life because she had to. Maybe she would grow to be a bitter cat lady, angry like Mr. Right. Maybe she’d get really overweight like him and hiss at people for snacks.
As she sat there staring into her best friend’s eyes, she really considered it.
But then, when would she have time for her gorgeous best friend?
“You look really pretty tonight.”
Mekena’s cheeks reddened as she waved Avery off. “Don’t do that. I was thinking about being an overweight cat lady and hissing at people for snacks.”
Avery’s brows rose, and then they both started laughing. Leaning back in her chair, Mekena realized it felt so damn good to laugh and be goofy with her best friend. “I’ve missed hanging with you like this, Avery.”
Avery grinned, reaching over the table to take Mekena’s hands in hers. “And I’ve missed you. But really, let’s not be an angry hissing cat lady and maybe roll with it.”
“Roll with it?”
“See what he has to say,” she said, and silence fell between them as they stared into each other’s eyes. They had been friends for a long time. Mekena knew things about Avery probably only Jace knew. And Avery knew just as many things about Mekena. But Avery’s words scared her. She knew Avery would only want the best for her, but didn’t she remember how bad off Mekena was? How much she cried, how she couldn’t leave her room, how she basically ran away? She didn’t want to be that girl again. She couldn’t be that girl. But was she even the kind of girl she liked now? Something had to give, but the only option she saw was talking to Markus.
Which she wasn’t sure she could do.
But maybe she could listen.
Or maybe she’d be an angry cat lady with lots of snacks since she’d buy them and no one could tell her no.
“Hey, girls!”
Mekena looked up to see Elli Adler standing beside her, pulling a chair out. “Is this seat taken?”
“Of course not, take it,” Avery said as Elli sat. She held her hand out to Elli. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Avery Sinclair, Jace’s wife.”
“Yes!” Elli said, holding her hand and shaking it earnestly. “It’s so good to meet you. I think the last time was Baylor’s wedding, and we all know how crazy that day got.”
Mekena’s stomach dropped a bit from the memory of it. She wasn’t there but she arrived a couple days later, and she could still remember the look on Jayden’s face as he retold almost losing Baylor. His love for her was so beautiful, so strong, and he had looked white as a ghost still, three days later. It was obvious it had shaken his core good.
“Yeah, it was,” Avery said, shaking her head. “Thank God everyone is okay.”
“Oh, I know. Lord, I couldn’t imagine.”
“Me either,” Mekena added, and Elli smiled as she looked over at her.
“Enough with that, I can’t handle it all again. Tell me we’re still good for Monday?”
Mekena smiled. “Yes, we are.”
“Oh, good. I was worried.”
“Worried, why?”
“’Cause I tried to set you up with my nephew when I knew from the beginning you wouldn’t be interested.”
Mekena’s face darkened with color. “It’s not that I’m not interested, it’s just not a good time for me.”
“And he’s young.”
“Only about a year,” Mekena said, though, in her head, Ryan Justice acted like a fifteen-year-old. So not her type. He was beautiful, but not her type.
“Either way, I shouldn’t have done that when we have a business meeting,” she said with a forgive-me smile, to which Mekena waved her off.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Business meeting?” Avery asked, and Mekena looked over at her as Elli beamed.
“I cornered Mekena.”
“Cornered? Hardly,” Mekena laughed. “She asked for a meeting for potential work with the Assassins.”
Avery lit up. “Oh, my goodness! That would be awesome for you. She loves Nashville, and I know she misses it.”
“I do,” she agreed, and being home in the fall made her realize that more than ever. She didn’t want to go back. She wasn’t sure how she was going to tell Libby that, but she would have to if she got this job.
“Oh! Well, good for me, then,” Elli exclaimed just as someone started hitting the mic, stealing her attention.
Mekena looked up to see Markus standing on the little stage, a mic in his hand. “Testing, testing? Can everyone hear me?”
“Yeah, loser, we can hear you,” someone called from the back, which everyone laughed at.
“Cool, so I figured I’d emcee this little shindig since I’m the one with the most musical talent in this room,” he said, and people laughed, especially Avery. “We don’t have any songwriters or former Broadway stars or guys who play guitar and think they’re awesome or anything. Nope, just me, and I’m amazing.”
Elli laughed and leaned into Mekena. “That Markus Reeves, have you met him?”
Mekena just smiled timidly. “Yeah, I know him.”
“He is so funny, such a great hockey player too.”
“Yeah, he is,” she agreed as Markus waved his hands in the air.
“Okay, enough, enough. Let’s get this going. So here is what you’re going to do. There is paper in the middle of every table, sign up to sing what you want to, and bring it up to my main man, RayJay the DeeJay, and he’ll get you set up. But first, let’s get the bride and groom up here!”
A round of applause filled the room as people pushed Benji to the front while he laughed and joked around. “I don’t sing!”
“Come on, babe, let’s get this over with,” Lucy called to him. He met her halfway, taking her in his arms before dipping her back and kissing her hard on the mouth. Everyone cheered, raising their glasses as they smooched, and Mekena couldn’t hide her grin. They were so adorable.
“Come on, you lovebirds!” Markus called to them, and finally, they made it up to the stage. Wrapping his arm around Benji, Markus grinned up at him. “You two will start us off with a classic, true love song.”
People aww’d, and Lucy laughed as Benji shook his head. “I can’t sing.”
“It doesn’t matter, because, bro, come here,” Markus said, bringing him in closer as everyone laughed and catcalled at them. The room was full of people Mekena didn’t know personally but recognized from the Assassins. “Chicks dig when dudes make a fool of themselves.”
Wasn’t that the damn truth? The ladies in the room cheered while Benji rolled his eyes. Mekena, though, she was taken back to all the times Markus had done just that, made an utter fool out of himself and never cared. All he did was smile. Which is why she fell so hard and fast for him.
“Fine, whatever. Give me the mic,” he said, taking it as Lucy took the other one from RayJay. When the music to “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease started, everyone cheered as Lucy did a little wiggle and Benji’s head fell back. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Laughing, Mekena rested her elbows against the table as they sang together—terribly—but no one cared because the two lovebirds were having a blast. Soon, the whole room was singing along with them as Avery leaned toward Mekena. “I’m so happy for them.”
She was, Mekena could tell, and it was for good reason. Lucy was Lucy, and to find someone like Benji, someone who was basically a dream… Yeah, that was something to be happy for. When they finished, Benji picked Lucy up, kissing her, and Mekena clapped loudly as she laughed. Markus came on stage, taking the mic. “Okay, okay, let’s give it up for the bride and groom!”
The room erupted as they laughed, going off the stage. Markus said something, but it wasn’t on the mic. And then he was talking to the DJ as Benji slapped hands with his teammates.
“I don’t know if everyone knows this, but those two will be getting married Saturday morning—unless someone steals the bride away,” Markus teased, and Benji glared.
“I’ve got your number, Reeves,” he called out, and everyone laughed.
“Me? Never. Promise,” he said with a laugh, and then he looked over to Mekena. His eyes met hers.
What in the world?<
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“I should do one.”
Mekena looked to Elli and smiled. “You sing?”
“She’s the Broadway star, Kennie,” Avery said.
Mekena grinned excitedly. “I didn’t know that!”
“Yup, and back in my day, I used to do some killer karaoke,” Elli said, taking a long sip of her wine as she reached for the pencil and paper. “Shea, baby!”
Shea, who Mekena hadn’t even seen standing at the table beside them, turned to her. “Yeah?”
“Should I sing?”
“Duh.”
She laughed. “‘Before He Cheats’?”
Shea closed his eyes, shaking his head as Elli almost fell out of her chair with giggles.
“I feel there’s a story that goes along with this,” Avery mused, and Shea laughed, coming to their table.
“Oh, there is,” he said as his wife continued to laugh. “I came home from a game or something, I don’t remember, and she was out at the bar. I went to pick her up since she was drinking. I walk in, and she’s on the stage giving Carrie Underwood a run for her money, singing, swinging her arms, and acting like she was the star of that music video.”
“Mrs. Adler!” Avery gushed.
“You have to,” Mekena cheered.
“Yes, do it. But let’s not throw up the whole way home, okay?” Shea asked, and Mekena grimaced.
“Ack.”
“Yeah, it was horrible, but I’m gonna do it!”
As she filled out her sheet, Markus’s voice pulled Mekena back up to the stage. “All right, now let’s get some real dueting up here, huh?”
“Here, Mekena,” Avery said, placing a glass in front of her. Taking a sip, Mekena’s eyes widened. “I know, I brought a flask.”
“You’re awesome.”
“Ah, maybe at this second. But in the next, you might be a little upset.”
Mekena’s brows came in and she almost asked why, but then Markus said, “Avery, let’s do this.”
As Avery rose, biting her lip, Mekena glared. “You’re singing with him?”
“I love you,” she sang as she made her way to the stage, but then Elli stopped her.