"You have to be freezing in that," Kade says, pulling his lower lip between his teeth as he takes me in.
Damn. Why did he have to do that?
"Um, not too much. I didn't want to look like a marshmallow."
He lets a laugh free, and the small spell is broken. He leads me to the others, just as Tag gets called away by a group of girls who've apparently been admiring him. I hope they don't call Kade away.
"He won't be back until after Christmas," Mel says, just as we sit down.
"Who won't be back?" Kade asks as he pulls me closer to his side and wraps his arm around me.
The leather couch hasn't been touched by the heat of the fire, and damn it's cold. My ass really isn't ever going to thaw.
"Billy. He's with his friend Ash for the holidays. I think he likes them a little better than us sometimes," she says with a sad smile.
"Ash?" Kade asks.
I've heard her mentioned before, hasn't he? Does he just tune them out when they talk?
"Yeah, Bity's bestie," Wren jokes. "I need a drink."
Kade frowns as Wren gets up, and he offers a cold glance to Erica for a second before giving his attention back to Melanie.
"She's really a sweet girl. I love her like a daughter. Billy's lucky to have that sort of friend," Melanie says.
Kade's arm tightens around my shoulder and he looks into my eyes as he says, "I can't blame him for needing a good friend."
A good friend. That's what I am. I knew it was foolish to expect more, but now I know it's the Mount Everest I'll never climb.
I lean up just slightly as the waitresses on the far side stay too busy to notice us.
"I need something warm to drink," I mutter while standing up, planning to use my fake ID for the first time ever.
"I'll order it, Raya," he says, standing with me. "I was just waiting on them to come to us."
"It's fine. I'd like to go check out the bar anyhow while I'm up there."
"I thought you wanted cocoa," he says, bemused.
"I think I need something stronger," I grumble before walking away, feeling like an idiot.
Tag sidles up beside me when I reach the bar, seeming amused for some reason. "Hitting the hard stuff early?" he asks, prodding.
"It's almost dark."
"There're still two hours of daylight, Raya. I'm not judging; just curious."
"About?"
His eyes lift to go to Kade, and I follow them. My heart slaps my throat when I see him hugging some random girl I've never seen before. I can't hear them, but I see the animated conversation going on with the whole group as Kade releases her from the embrace to shake the hand of a guy.
Is she with the guy? Please, God, let her be with that guy.
"Ah, so Courtney and Lyle are here," Tag says, an enigmatic grin on his face.
"Courtney and Lyle?" I'm praying I sound nonchalant and casual, but even I can't dismiss the bitter hint of my words.
"Yes. Courtney and Kade dated a couple of years ago, before he went off to college. Lyle is her brother."