I look over at Grace, who’s standing with her arms crossed and sporting a grin.

Well, no more hiding for me.

Wyatt shows up with some chick I’ve never seen before. “If it isn’t Mr. and Mrs. I’m-so-stupid-I-think-I-had-the-whole-town-fooled.”

“Shut up, asshole.” Zach jokingly punches his brother.

Wyatt rubs his shoulder. “I’m hurt. I go through all the trouble of makin’ you both realize how dumb you are, get you back together, and you punch me? Dick.”

“You did this?” I ask with a smirk.

“Well, yeah, Cowgirl. How else did you think you’d wake up?”

I love that, even with all the crap between us, Wyatt would never make me feel uncomfortable.

I lean in and kiss his cheek. There are so many things I want to say, but not here. Wyatt is the reason that I’ve been able to see past my own pain. “You’re a good friend. You’re going to make some woman very happy someday.” I glance over at the girl he brought with him. She basically has a bikini top on and shorts that are more revealing than my underwear. “Hopefully someone else,” I say offhandedly.

He laughs. “I think you’ve been drinking already.”

“Not a lick.”

“Well, then maybe you should, because no one can tame the wild beast that is me.”

His humor is his defense. I see through it, but we all need our armor. I’ve hid behind walls for a long time, and honestly, if it weren’t for him, I still would be. Safety is a luxury that should never be taken for granted. When my world kicked me in the teeth, the vulnerability I felt was unnerving. It rocked me to my core. While Wyatt hasn’t had that type of horrific experience, he hurts.

“The only thing wild about you is your hair.” Zach nudges him.

Wyatt flips him off, grabs his drink, and throws his arm around his bimbo of the night. “Peace, suckers.”

Zach and I both grab a drink. He drinks his beer while I sip my Jameson until Grace drags me away and onto the dance floor. We giggle and dance, like old times. Songs continue to change, but we keep steady where we are. I love to dance. I love knowing that I also won’t look like a fish out of water when we line dance. I can handle numbered steps.

“Man.” Grace laughs. “Zach is about to pummel that guy staring at you.” She spins me around and I see him watching someone.

My eyes dart to where he’s watching and I giggle. It’s the guy who I danced with the last time. “He’s oblivious to the fact that I was making out with Zach before, huh?”

We continue pretending like I don’t care until I see Zach bang his bottle on the bar and start walking toward him. “Shit.” I rush off, Grace following.

I catch Zach before he can reach him. “Where you off to, Cowboy?” I smile.

Zach immediately thaws. “Going to set the record straight with someone.”

“Not worth it.”

“You’re worth everything.”

“A” I kiss his lips. “You’re so cute.”

“I like you like this,” Zach says as he keeps walking.

“Like what?”

Zach leans down, the warmth of his breath tickling my skin. “Happy.”

I like it too, but God if I’m not scared that this could end quickly. There’s no more secret Presley and Zach. No chance of us going slow, because everyone knows. This town will probably hold a damn parade tomorrow. My kids will need to be told right away, and who the hell knows how that will go.

The song morphs into one of my favorite two-step songs. “Dance with me,” I command.

His arm glides around my back and he lifts me, carrying me toward the dance floor. He places me down and grabs my hand. I love this. Right here. The way he holds me when we dance. His hand grips the back of my neck so he can lead me while the other wraps around my fingers against his chest.

Without a word, we move in harmony. The song is about falling and how he’ll catch her. I can’t help but imagine his voice as the lyrics speak to my heart. It’s something that Zach would do. He’d be there if I fell.

Zach spins me around the dance floor, all the while never moving his gaze from mine. He leads me effortlessly, and I am completely mesmerized. He mouths the lyrics and tears form in my eyes. The bar melts away as he serenades me with words that speak to both of us. The music stops, but we stand here in each other’s arms.

“I love you, Presley.”

My heart stops as I look at him and know. I’ve fallen completely head over heels in love with Zachary Hennington, again. The boy who stole my heart as a child has done it once more. Only this time it’s stronger. I knew it the night we made love. Hell, probably the minute I laid eyes on him again that there’d be no chance of resisting him. We were always Presley and Zach, and we always will be.

My eyes fill with moisture. “I love you too.”

He tugs me close and kisses me.

Clapping erupts, and I push back, laughing.

I look around as one person continues to clap. I glance over, expecting to see Wyatt being his normal self.

Instead, my eyes meet a pair of green eyes I haven’t seen in months.

Angie stops, wipes her face, and walks back out the door.

“I’ LL BE RIGHT BACK,” I tell Zach as I rush out after her. Dammit. I knew this wasn’t going to go over well, but I didn’t think it would happen like this. I never could have imagined that this was how she’d find out.

I push the door open and look around. She’s walking quickly away from the bar, shaking her head. I’ve known her half of my life and she doesn’t typically avoid a fight. She’s the girl who will stand toe to toe until she feels heard. Angie only runs when she’s hurting.

“Angie!” I yell. She halts and then turns, giving me a look filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. Instead of waiting, she takes off, moving even faster. “Angie! Stop!” I rush toward her, but she keeps going. “Dammit! Quit walking away from me.”

Angie spins and glares at me. “You’re kidding me. You’re going to tell me to stop? How about you stop!” Here’s the girl I know.

“Don’t you dare.” I stand ready to defend myself. “You don’t know what I’ve been through and you don’t get to judge me.”

“Zach? Zach is who you’re dating?” As angry as she is, I hear the hurt mixed in her voice. She saw it all. Every horrible thing that I endured and all the nights I spent sobbing in her arms. “Really, Pres? After everything? Zachary fucking Hennington? I mean, why don’t you go back in time and be a damn kid again. Oh, well, you kind of are. So, really?”

I don’t know what to say. There’s so much that is fucked-up about this scenario, and I don’t know which part to avoid. I’m not wrong though. This isn’t seventeen years ago when I was a kid. We’re adults, we’ve taken our time, talked, worked through any past issues. This isn’t a fling. I love him.

“Yes. Really,” I say with care. “We’re not the same people, Angie.”

“No?” She laughs. “He’s not the same guy who left you when you needed him most? Or are you not the same girl who married my brother? Because that girl wouldn’t go back to him.”