What Happens on the Fourth

THURSDAY

I rode back to the site with Matt when they finally returned from the restaurant, ignoring the look that Alex sent me when I pulled myself into the lifted, black truck instead of his.

I also ignored him the rest of the afternoon, which Max noticed, but thankfully didn't ask me about it. I assumed he had asked Alex what had happened between the conversation we had with him this morning and now to change the dynamic so drastically between us.

I told Amanda about The Cabin and that I'd be there tonight, subtly suggesting we make it a girl's night, but she- to my disappointment- had gotten the whole group to agree to go instead, although Alex said he might not join. It didn't surprise me, and he thankfully took the motorcycles out with the rest of the guys upon returning, so I didn't need to have another strained conversation with him. I think he knew I needed my space, and he was willing to grant it to me. I wondered if he would sleep in the tent tonight or opt to crash in Max's camper.

Not wanting to spend more time than I needed to at the site, I began getting ready once the sun began to set and took Kate's car to head over to the bar before the guys returned. The parking lot was already packed when I arrived, despite it being only half past six in the afternoon.

"Miels!" I heard Jake yell my name seconds after stepping through the door. I turned in his direction and saw him approaching with an Old Fashioned in each hand. He was wearing a simple black V-neck and jeans and his hair was once again pulled into a bun, a few stray pieces floating around his face. "You made it!" He handed one of the glasses over before giving me a single-armed hug. "No plus ones?"

"Everyone else is on their way. I guess I just beat them here," I took a sip of the boozy drink. It was quite possibly the best Old Fashioned I've ever had.

"Cool, I look forward to catching up with Kate again. Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone." He placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me to the bar.

"Everyone this is Amelia. She's a friend from college. Amelia this is... everyone," he said, and I raised a brow at him with a small, close-lipped smile.

"Hey... everyone," I said with a light laugh.

"Right-" Jake leaned in a bit closer so I could hear him over the music and began pointing to each person at and behind the bar, shooting off names I knew I wouldn't remember.

"Nice to meet you all," I said politely. "Call me Brooks. Jake is the only one who actually calls me Amelia." A few of them gave me friendly smiles in return.

"I'll be right back, I just need to grab a few bottles from the back for my folks," Jake said, and I nodded as I watched him walk away. I sat at a nearby open stool and took another sip of my drink.

"So, you and Jake went to school together?" The man next to me- Mateo, I think- swiveled his stool to face me.

"Yup. I met him at freshman orientation and then we ended up having Spanish together."

"Well, I hope your Spanish is better than his," he joked.

"Not by much," I smiled and the look that crossed his face matched the one on my own. "How do you know him?"

"High School. We played baseball together. So did-" he turned to the rest of the group and began pointing at people, "Lucas, Liam, Deion, and Noah." Each of them waved when they were introduced but returned to their own conversations shortly after.

"So, I'm drinking with the town's entire baseball team?" I cocked a brow and he chuckled.

"Yea, pretty much. We all stayed pretty close- and all come back home for the fourth. You from around here?" Jake reappeared with a crate of glass bottles, setting them on the bar before us. He began unloading them, placing each bottle in its rightful spot on the shelves behind and beneath the bar.