Chapter 8

8

T he Copper Barrel décor was as interesting as Pete's Pasty Hut. Set in a log cabin with thick pine furniture—including barrels for bar stools—and large fish trophies with a collection of vintage fishing rods, it was certainly distinct. A huge American Flag covered almost an entire wall, and it also had a busy pool table, a dartboard, and an upright piano that had seen better days.

I sipped on a Moscow mule in a traditional copper cup. Bar specialty. Not so much because they made a great mule—they used Vernors instead of an actual ginger beer—but because of the mugs. The Keweenaw Peninsula still had large chunks of float copper on the ground and lots of abandoned mines and even some ghost towns.

"T, maybe you should slow down," Rory pointed to the two empty mugs in front of me as I threw back the contents of the third.

Okay, so "sipping" was a bit of an understatement, but whatever. I didn't drink much since I didn't relish dealing with a hangover. And these days, I never knew what would end up online. Wish I were joking. But out here in the Keweenaw Peninsula, I decided to cut loose for an evening. Just a little.

"Okay, Mom, I'll do that." I rolled my eyes and continued to gulp my drink.

"So protective, little laird. Let him sulk," Ali said, as he flagged down the server and ordered another round of drinks, including one for me.

"I'm not sulking." I was sooo sulking.

"Nothing wrong with a good sulk," Poppy said.

"Except I'm not sulking."

And my "friends"—I use the term loosely—chuckled. Fuckers. They were supposed to let me keep my illusions. But nooo, I couldn't even not-sulk in peace.

When the server arrived, Poppy grabbed my drink and winked. I didn't protest.

"Spoilsport," Alistair scowled.

"Do you really want him messing up his lines on our first group scene? I don't know about you, but I'd like to do it in as few takes as possible." Poppy made a show of drinking the mule.

"I only have like three or four lines. I'm there for eye candy."

Ali reached over with his drink and clinked it against mine. "Mission accomplished."

Rory stiffened next to me. I winced internally. He'd had more than one guy he dated come on to me in the past. Too many, unfortunately. Not that he and Alistair were dating. Still, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Rory had a serious crush on the vamp. And I didn't plan to make my bestie feel second best to anyone.

Before I could let him know Alistair had no interest in me that way, Rory grabbed his drink, hopped up, and headed to the piano.

"Was it something I said?" Ali grinned.

Poppy elbowed him, just as I snapped, "Stop being a jerk."

Alistair's forehead furrowed. "How, pray tell, am I being a jerk? I flirt with everyone. I'm equal opportunity."

"Well, don't flirt with me in front of him. There's history there."

To the vampire's credit, he looked at me, and then Rory, then back to me.

"Ah, I see." He sighed. "He has nothing to worry about. You're beautiful, but . . ." he shrugged. "My ego couldn't take being with someone prettier than me."

"Rory's pretty." I glared.

"The word you're looking for is adorable. Exactly my type. Besides, he has to realize you and I have no chemistry."

I threw my drink coaster at him. "Does he? Well, maybe you could let him know that. Or if you're not interested in him, at least not rub it in his face."

"Hmm," was all he said, before he grabbed his drink and followed Rory to the piano. The first notes of Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by the Eurythmics filtered our way, and in another moment, Rory's powerful voice—still with the Scottish accent—belted out the tune. I swear the entire bar fell quiet to listen. Alistair joined, his voice a nice counterpoint, then the bar erupted into song. Impromptu karaoke. Leave it to Rory.

Poppy nodded to the piano. I shook my head. She shrugged and slid out of our booth to join them.

Instead, I continued sipping on my drink and not sulking. Because why would I? So Hyde was probably even now poisoning Kade against me. So what? It's not like I was planning to date the guy. And I already had two new friends. Adding a third would have been too many for me to manage. Greedy. Right. I was better off.

And if I didn't understand why simply shaking Kade's hand had practically been orgasmic, well, I'm sure it was the excitement of meeting a former crush. Now that I knew what a jerk he was . . .

Okay, I'd officially become a downer. Time to pay my tab and head out. I wouldn't ruin the night for the others. I reached into my pocket to snag my wallet.

No. Way.

I pulled out the coin. Dragon side up. I'd left it on my dresser on purpose. Rory had to be messing with me. Or Ali. Poppy said he liked to pull pranks. They might be in on it together. That had to be it.

"You don't like karaoke?" A familiar rumbly voice said.

I jerked my gaze upward and gawked. Kade Savage stood before me, looking hotter than the last time I saw him. How was that possible?

Stuffing the coin back in my pocket, I stammered out, "No, I have a terrible voice. I'm doing everyone a favor." I wasn't quite tone deaf, though it was a close thing. So, yeah, they'd be better off with me keeping my voice to myself.

He leaned against the booth. "Me, too. Can't carry a tune to save my life."

"Wait! That wasn't your real voice in season two in the episode where your friends entered you in the talent competition, was it?" Did I . . . OMG.

I thunked my head on the table. Why was I like this? After a couple of seconds, I peeked up to see if he was still there or had run away in horror. Nope, still there.

He grinned. "You really are a fanboy. You weren't blowing smoke."

"No, you absolutely were my first crush. I watched every episode." I mean, why not admit it? Couldn't get much worse.

"That's . . . sweet. May I join you?" He nodded to my booth yet didn't sit.

He wanted to sit? With me? I just stared. Why was he so magnetic? I couldn't take my eyes off him and had the urge to press my body against his. Not even in a sexual way. Just skin to skin. Like a guy in the desert who's offered a glass of water, there was a desperation to it that unnerved me.

"Is that a no?" he asked, taking a step back.

"What? Oh! No. I mean, yes. You can join me." I waved at the booth like there was any question where he'd sit.

His lips twitched.

Dammit, was he laughing at me? I wanted to bang my head on the table again. I didn't do flustered. Well, not often. Ugh.

He slid across from me, and I grasped for something to talk about. What was he doing here? Was that rude to ask? Why was I second guessing myself? He was just a guy! Still, I couldn't seem to unstick my tongue from the roof of my mouth. So I stared. Like a creeper.

"To answer your question, that really was my singing voice in the episode. I wasn't faking it. Yes, it's that bad."

I snorted. Couldn't help it. I'd assumed he'd had to fake having that terrible of a voice. Not that I could say anything, since my voice wasn't any better.

"However, for the record, I'm a hell of a dancer and halfway decent at the guitar." He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. "I, uh, came here because I wanted to apologize for my poor behavior earlier. I had a lot going on, but it wasn't an excuse to be rude. You said you'd like to start over, and I wondered if you'd be willing to do that beginning now."

He held out his hand.

I hesitated, then took it so I wouldn't leave him hanging. Fire couldn't burn hotter than his palm against mine. Warmth shot through my limbs, and it took everything I had not to crawl over the table into his lap. What the hell? I didn't throw myself at guys.

I expected Kade to pull away like last time. He didn't. If anything, he held on a little too long, his chest rising and falling in quick shallow breaths and his eyes glowing even brighter. When he finally let go, it was like all the joy was sucked out of the room, and I wanted to whimper. What was wrong with me?

He swallowed, the movement drawing my eye.

"So, great. A new beginning." He smiled, but it looked forced. Waving the server over, he ordered a beer.

And wasn't that fake smile a bucket of ice water? I needed to set my hormones aside and use my brain. Was he playing me? He wouldn't be the first asshole to think it was funny to punk "Teremie the Cheater." And he had been hanging out with Hyde . . .

"Something wrong?" Kade shifted on the booth seat, a gesture that seemed unusual for a guy like him. Was he nervous? He leaned his elbows on the table, which brought us closer. This near, I could see the faint stubble on his chin and the different colors of gold swirling in his irises.

"Just wondered what made you change your mind. I heard what Hyde said about me, and it wasn't exactly a glowing endorsement." I shrugged like it was no big deal though I probably didn't fool him.

This time, he granted me a small tilt of his lips that looked a lot more genuine. "Truthfully? Hyde's an entitled asshole and a shitty actor. I've met a thousand guys like him. His poor opinion only works in your favor. Besides, Alistair likes you, and I trust his judgment."

He placed an emphasis on "judgment."

"I sense a story there." I swirled the dregs of my drink in my cup to keep my hands occupied.

"Hyde or Alistair?"

"I don't give a shit about Hyde. He's been a dick to me since day one. No, I meant Ali."

Kade chuckled. "I like a guy who's as blunt as I am. Humans usually have a need to be tactful. Wolves don't bother unless we absolutely have to."

Truth was, I could be tactful, and in the past would never have been as direct about my dislike for Hyde. This last year had changed things. It had broken who I'd been, and from those pieces I had to glue myself back together and make something new. There were places where the cracks were still pretty noticeable, but I was learning to like my new shape a lot better than the old one.

The server dropped off Kade's beer, and I waited for him to take a sip before prompting, "Ali?"

"When I was a tween, my parents brought me to a party. One not appropriate for a kid. In those days, no one cared. Least of all my parents. They'd left me to my own devices, even knowing there were some predatory guests. Alistair Buckborne showed up at my side just as a well-known producer—and, at that time, not so well-known pervert—was trying to lure me away from the party. He sent the guy packing and stuck by my side the entire evening. He knew everyone and gave me an education you couldn't pay for. The vampire has uncanny instincts." Kade pointed his beer in my direction. "And like I said, he's taken a shine to you."

"How do you know that?" Poppy mentioned something similar, only how was everyone so sure?

"He never would have brought you to my cabin if he wasn't invested." Then he raised a dark brow and pulled out his phone. "Plus, he sent me a text."

He tried to hand the cell over. I blanched, then covered by saying, "I don't feel comfortable delving into anyone's phone. I had that done to me and I try to respect everyone's privacy. What's it say?"

He stared at me for an uncomfortable beat before reading:

Ali: WTF was that? R u rly friends with Hyde the D-bag? I thought u were better than that. U owe Teremie an apology. Come 2 bar. Don't fuck this up.

"Subtle." I shook my head and tried not to grin like a loon.

"Like a sledgehammer."

After that, we traded small talk, while Rory, Poppy, and Alistair sang Sweet Caroline with the rest of the bar joining in. Kade didn't mention my Only Fae performance for which I was grateful. I wasn't embarrassed or shy about having an account, but considering how he found out, I really didn't want to revisit that memory. Plus, it would likely make me hard as stone, and being this close to him was already making that difficult to avoid. Not only was he gorgeous and interesting, he also smelled like someone had bottled lust. Or maybe that was just my reaction to him.

"How did you get into acting?" Kade asked, taking another sip of his beer.

"I didn't really see myself as an actor. I came to L.A. because Rory and . . . my ex wanted to come." I tapped my fingers on the table. "I was happy being a YouTuber. We'd already had a successful gaming channel, but my ex wanted to give L.A. a try. Kankakee, Illinois, wasn't exactly exciting, and once my mom passed, I didn't have a reason to stay if Rory and my ex were leaving. Plus, I wrote most of the content for our channel. So, here I am." Well, I dictated most of the content, though he didn't need to know that.

He seemed to consider what I'd said. "I'm sorry for your loss. Were you close?"

"My mom was the best. She raised me alone. We didn't have a ton of money, but she was always there for me. She used to work at Renaissance festivals on weekends and would take me and Rory. She was a seamstress and would make these incredible costumes to sell. That's how we got into cosplay and acting. My first costume was Spock, and Rory dressed as Kirk. From there, we tried more fantasy themes, and both of us can sew a mean tunic. Though we're not in her league."

"Do you by any chance have any wolves in your ancestry? Your mom or maybe your dad?"

He leaned forward as if he hung on my answer.

Huh? Never been asked that before.

"Wolves? No, I don't think so. Certainly not on my mom's side. I never knew my dad. My mom met him at a Ren Faire and he just sort of disappeared afterward. Why? Do I smell like a wolf or something?" Wouldn't that be a mindfuck? And why was he asking?

"No." He didn't elaborate.

Okaaay .

"And Rory's your best friend? Or a relative?" He leaned back, and I got the impression I'd failed some sort of test. Not that anything showed on his face. And he still seemed politely interested, so maybe I was imagining it?

I gazed in Rory's direction. He was in his element, his fingers flying across the piano's keys. My heart did a happy thump. I hadn't seen him that carefree since Matt crashed both of our lives. "We're not related, though we might as well be. Rory's one of eleven kids. He's number six, so the literal middle child. He practically lived with me growing up. My mom was his mom, too." What I didn't say was that Rory's parents and siblings had disowned him when he came out at fifteen. Not my story to tell.

Kade studied Rory for a moment. "He's really talented. He explained about the accents. You pull off a British lilt well. I was always shit at accents, though I can do a passible Irish one."

"Rory kicks my ass every time, but it's fun." I wanted to ask Kade about his family, only I also didn't want to pry. No secret he never appeared on their reality show. I settled for, "You have a sister, don't you?"

His face closed off. "I do."

Dammit. I should know better—

"We're not close. She's . . . like my parents. Have you ever watched Savage Nation ?" His lip curled.

"I've seen clips. I'm not much for reality TV. I have gaming streams I follow." I leaned back in the booth. "Rory probably has. He's a lot more interested in pop culture than I am."

Kade noticeably relaxed. "It's just more entitled assholes behaving badly. Nothing to waste your time on."

"So tell me what you really think?" I winked, trying to lighten the mood.

He gave me a wolfish grin that made my knees go weak. Good thing I was sitting.

"Like I said, wolves don't sugarcoat."

"So, why did you become an actor?" I asked. After all, turnabout was fair play. I ran my finger along the rim of my copper mug, wiping off the condensation. Kade's gaze followed like a cat watching a mouse, and my belly did a little flutter. Focus. He's straight .

He blinked and looked away. "Originally? I didn't have a choice. My parents were actors, my grandparents were actors. I did my first commercial before I was even a year old."

"You didn't want to be an actor?"

He pursed his lips and ran a nail over the label on his beer bottle. "That's a surprisingly difficult question. I love acting. It's what I know. Though when you're a child, you aren't given many choices. It's . . . a lot. And the term ‘Hollywood parent?' Pretty sure my family coined it. It didn't allow me a normal life. And for as long as I can remember, there was always someone wanting something from me. It made friendships difficult."

I couldn't imagine what that must be like. We hadn't had much, but my mom loved me and tried her best to give me a good childhood. And I'd had Rory. And at one time, Matt. He hadn't always been the asshole he was now. We'd had a lot of good times, even with my challenges in school.

I settled for saying, "That sounds tough."

He sighed. "It was. I was honestly glad my show got canceled, since it allowed me to attend high school and be a normal kid for a bit. Or as normal as one can be with a family like mine. Hyde and I went to school together."

I wrinkled my nose. "I'm going to guess he wasn't much nicer then."

"You'd be correct. He was always concerned with being popular."

The server came by with another beer for Kade, but I passed on another mule. I'd already had too many, and it made my tongue loose. Rory and the others broke into You Give Love a Bad Name .

"So why get back into acting now? I looked you up on IMDB, and you haven't done anything since your show." I paused, then thumped my palm against my forehead. "Damn, that makes me sound like a stalker again."

Kade laughed, and tiny creases appeared at the corner of his eyes, making him even sexier. How was that possible?

"It's okay. I get it." He took a swig of his beer. "I guess I have something to prove to myself. As much as I loved not constantly being in the spotlight, I was groomed to be there. I miss being on a set. I miss working with a cast and memorizing my lines. Child actors rarely get respect for their work once they're adults. I want that respect. That sounds shallow when I say it, doesn't it?"

I reached out and squeezed his forearm before I thought better of it. That zing of attraction had me yanking my hand back.

"S-Sorry. I'm a little, uh, drunk. Didn't mean to invade your space. I was just trying to empathize because I don't think it's shallow. We all want to be good at something and have it acknowledged."

We shared a look that was full of understanding and something more. Heat? Had to be my imagination. But I couldn't tear my gaze away. My toes curled, and a bolt of lust shot straight to my cock.

"Thanks for saying that. It's a generous interpretation of my motives." Kade leaned forward, and so did I. "Also, a little secret about wolves. We're very tactile. We enjoy touch and aren't offended by—"

"Kade! So pleased you could join us," Alistair called before sliding into the booth next to him, effectively breaking our moment. He yanked Rory in after him, all but setting him on his lap.

Poppy sat with me, giving Kade a wave, and resting her head on my shoulder. I tried not to be disappointed that Kade and I didn't get more time alone. We'd started a tentative friendship and I should count that as a win.

"Since you essentially summoned me in your oh-so-subtle way, how could I resist?" Kade shot back.

Alistair looked completely unrepentant when he held up his drink. "And aren't you glad you did? Is Teremie not as amazing as I said? Name notwithstanding, of course."

I stuck out my tongue at him, though suddenly the night was looking a lot more enjoyable. Maybe things were finally looking up.

Famous last words, right?