CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX
ETHAN

The list of things I’d rather do than spend a weekend with my ex-best friend and the redheaded troublemaker was long, and frankly, it was grim.

It included, but wasn’t limited to, feeding my hand into a woodchipper, eating a pound of raw maggots, and watching Glitter on repeat with my eyes held open.

But—and this was important—it was Ava’s birthday, and the resort had a triple black diamond.

I had never skied one before, and the thought of the challenge made my blood race. I’d be a fool to turn down such an opportunity.

"Ethan."

My back stiffened when Alex’s voice cut through the noise. He appeared next to me, holding a glass of Coke and whiskey that mirrored my own.

"Alex."

I didn’t look at him, keeping my gaze on the dance floor where Ava and her friends were having the time of their lives.

We had all moved away from our table, and now the crowd had stopped gawking at Bridget and had started sneaking glances in between the songs.

Ava’s security had taken everyone’s phones for now, but I knew someone had to have snapped a picture of her, and by tomorrow, those images would likely be all over the gossip sites.

"Surprised you’re not out there with everyone else," Alex said, leaning against the wall. His eyes, though, were on Ava. "You were always the first on the dance floor."

"Well," I drained my drink in one go. "A lot’s changed since college."

The unspoken words hung heavy between us, sharp and thick like a guillotine waiting to fall.

Once, Alex and I had been close friends.

Now, we were strangers, connected by only one thing.

If it weren’t for Ava, I’d never speak to Alex again.

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

"Vermont wasn’t my idea," Alex said, avoiding the tension in the air.

"I know. Ava’s not as clever as she thinks."

She’d been trying to get Alex and me to patch things up for over a year. She’d forgiven him for deceiving us in order to get closer to my father, whom Alex had thought was behind his family’s murder. But the betrayal still cut deep for me.

Ava and Alex had only been dating for a few months when Alex discovered his uncle was the real culprit and revealed the truth about his revenge plan. But Alex and I had been friends for eight years.

I had opened my home to him, treated him like family. We’d shared secrets and personal things I hadn’t even told my own family. And through all of that, he’d been lying to me. Using me.

The whiskey left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

"She misses you," Alex said, his voice quiet.

"I’m right here," I said, glancing toward the bar. "We text all the time."

"You know what I mean."

"I don’t, actually."

His jaw tightened. "You’ve been acting different lately. Ava’s worried—"

"Dude, stop." I raised my hand to stop him. "If Ava’s worried, she can talk to me. But don’t act like we’re going to be best friends again. We’re not. Friendship requires trust, and you lost mine a long time ago."

I moved past him before he could reply and headed straight for the bar, my chest tight. He didn’t follow, and I didn’t expect him to. Alex didn’t chase anyone except Ava. That’s why I hadn’t made a bigger deal of their getting back together.

Despite everything, Alex did love my sister. If she was happy and safe with him, I could swallow my pride and be civil for her sake.

That didn’t mean I had to engage in deep conversations with him on the sidelines of the dance floor.

"Hey, man." I nodded at the bartender. "Tequila shot. Make it a double."

I needed something stronger than whiskey to get me through the rest of the night.

"You got it."

Just as I tucked a couple of dollars in the tip jar, I was interrupted once again by someone I’d rather not deal with.

"Trouble in bromanceland?" The smooth, teasing voice sent a ripple of irritation through me—and something else, something I couldn’t quite place.

"Beat it, JR. I’m not in the mood." I didn’t turn to face Lena, but I saw the flash of her distinct red hair and the gold sparkles of her dress from the corner of my eye.

"Your nicknaming skills leave a lot to be desired, Ethany."

Lena slid up beside me and smiled at the bartender, who paused in making my drink to return her smile. "I’ll have a Sex on the Beach, if that’s not too much to ask." She tapped her nail against the menu, which listed only basic drinks like screwdrivers and cranberry vodkas—not exactly a Sex on the Beach type of place.

The bartender’s eyes gleamed. "For a beautiful girl like you, nothing is too much to ask."

The line was so cliche I almost snorted.

"Thank you." Lena's smile widened.

If another group of guests hadn’t arrived to order, I was sure I would’ve been subjected to more of that nauseating flirting.

Luckily, the bartender got distracted, quickly finishing our drinks before dealing with the half dozen other people clamoring for his attention.

"Slumming already?" I feigned disappointment. "I expected better of you."

"Why? Because he’s a bartender and not a doctor?" Lena raised an eyebrow. "Your snobbery is showing."

"No. Because his lines are as pathetic as your attempt to slander me." I downed my shot without a chaser. "But hey, whatever floats your boat."

"Don’t try to deflect from your own failed relationship."

"I’m not in a relationship." And I had no interest in being in one anytime soon. Sex was just that—sex. Not some prelude to dating or matching outfits or whatever else people were into. I always made sure every woman I slept with knew the deal. I wasn’t about leading people on or giving them false hope.

My residency took up almost all my time. And even if it didn’t, my desire for a long-term girlfriend was almost nonexistent. Commitment? That wasn’t for me.

I always got bored after a few weeks, and the whole couple thing seemed exhausting. Constant dates, phone calls, checking in... just thinking about it made me shudder.

Good for the people who were happy and in love, but that wasn’t me. I wasn’t interested, and I never would be.

"I’m talking about Alex." Lena received her drink from the bartender with another flirty smile before turning back to me.

"I remember when you two were practically inseparable."

A stone fist squeezed my chest, but I kept my voice light. "Didn’t realize you were so interested in my personal life, JR."

"I’m not, unless it happens to affect my personal quality of life." Lena took a delicate sip of her cocktail. "And since we’re all going on an overnight trip together, this stupid grudge you hold against Alex directly impacts me and Ava."

I tightened my grip around my glass, imagining it was Lena's throat. "Stupid?" A sharp edge cut through my words, dripping with venom.

"Stupid is arguing over what movie to watch. Stupid describes whatever poor schmuck ends up marrying you. But what happened with Alex? That’s not stupid. Don’t talk about things you don’t understand."

Lena didn’t flinch from my glare. "I may not have been personally involved in your...situation," she said, her tone more tactful than I thought she was capable of.

"But I am best friends with Ava. I know what happened, and it happened almost two years ago. She's forgiven Alex. He's apologized. It's time to grow up and move on."

For once, I didn't detect any snark, just straightforward advice, but that didn't stop my muscles from bunching with tension. "Easy for you to say." God, I needed another drink. "Come back to me when you've been betrayed by someone close to you."

Something dark flickered in Lena's eyes. "How do you know I haven't already?"

I stilled.

How do you know I haven't already?

I didn't know much about Lena's past. Hell, I didn't know much about her at all beyond what she showed people-the brash attitude, the brazen flirtatiousness, the strange mix of ruthless ambition and reckless partying.

But I did know that one sentence she'd just uttered rang truer than anything else I'd heard in years.

My gaze locked onto Lena, whose wide eyes and slightly parted lips revealed her surprise at the words that'd just left her mouth.

I swallowed the urge to ask her what happened while the air between us thickened with...not camaraderie, exactly, but a hint of understanding that eased some of the pressure in my chest.

We didn't have the type of relationship where we discussed our problems with each other. Even if we did, I doubted Lena would answer my question. It wasn't in her nature to display vulnerability.

She straightened, a shutter falling over her face and erasing all traces of her previous softness. "Whether you forgive Alex or not is up to you. Just don't ruin everyone else's fun with your sulking...though your mere presence may be enough to achieve that goal."

With that, she swanned off, her hips swaying and her

head held high.

A low growl rose in my throat before I caught myself. There was no use wasting energy fuming over her. I needed to save every ounce for ensuring I didn't kill her in Vermont. As satisfying as it would be, I wasn't throwing away my future for a moment of extreme satisfaction.

I shifted my attention back to the bartender, eager to order another shot, only to find him staring at a certain spot on the dance floor with a besotted expression.

No, not spot. Person.

Lena raised her arms over her head and rolled her hips to the music in a way that had every man around her drooling. She looked over her shoulder and winked at the bartender before shooting me a smug stare.

I did the most mature thing I could think of: I flipped her off.

She laughed, her expression growing smugger, before she turned her back on me.

"She's so hot." The bartender's eyes glinted in a way that sharpened my already raised hackles. "Please tell me she's single."

I masked my irritation with a tight smile. "You know what a succubus is?"

He scratched his chin. The group from earlier had rejoined the party, leaving just us at the bar. "Are those the little plants? My sister loves those things. Got a whole windowsill full of 'em."

"No, man. Those are succulents." I lowered my voice. "A succubus is a demon that appears in the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men and suck the life force out of them. They're supposed to be mythical, but..." I gestured in Lena's direction.

"She's a real-life succubus. Don't fall for her trap. There's a vicious demon lurking beneath that pretty face."

It was impossible for an actual human being to have hair that red, eyes that fierce, and curves that lush. Supernatural hijinks were the only thing that made sense.

"Oh." The bartender's eyes widened. "Does that mean she'll sleep with me?"

Oh, for fuck's sake.

"You'll have to ask her." I leaned closer like I was telling him a secret. "Here's a tip. She loves when people compare her to Jessica Rabbit. Tell her how much you've always wanted to bang a real-life JR and you're in. Bonus points if you call her JR. It's her favorite nickname."

He frowned. "Really?"

"Trust me." I rubbed a hand over my mouth to hide my shit-eating grin. This was like taking candy from a baby. "I've known her for years. The comparison really gets her going."

"Sweet." The bartender's skeptical expression cleared, replaced with a delighted smile. "Thanks, man." He

clapped me on the shoulder and poured me another shot.

"On the house."

It was a free open bar so all the drinks were technically on the house, but I didn't point that out. Instead, I lifted my glass in thanks and grinned harder when I pictured Lena's reaction to being called JR by the bartender.

She was so predictable. She might as well mark all the buttons I could push with giant, glowing X's.

And yet...

How do you know I haven't already?

My glass paused at my lips for a fraction of a second before I shook my head and welcomed the fiery burn of tequila down my throat.

Still, her words echoed in my mind and drove me crazy with their ambiguity.

Who could've betrayed Lena? She'd never had a big fallout with Ava, Bridget, or Stella, nor had she had a real boyfriend in the years I've known her. Our aversion to committed relationships was one of the few things we had in common.

Was it a high school boyfriend who broke her heart? A family member who fucked her over?

My eyes drifted to the dance floor again. Lena was still dancing with abandon to a remix of the latest pop hit. Ava said something to her, and she threw her head back, her throaty laugh carrying over the music.

Sparkling dress. Sparkling eyes. Looking for all the world like any beautiful, carefree girl with the world at her feet.

How do you know I haven't already?

I wondered what secrets Lena was hiding beneath that

party girl exterior.

And, more importantly, I wondered why I cared.