(2) Allison

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The rest of our friends came at the cabin by nightfall. Nancy has been giving me concerned glances the entire evening. I don't know which irritated me more: the fact that I was blindsided. Or that she had to look as if I'm about to break.

The guys had set up a campfire by the lake. Rarely do I ever find the urge to dig a hole and bury myself in it. However, I knew better. If I don't show up at the campfire, the more I'd get haunted by consoling smiles and looks that I'm too fed up with. So, I brush my hair into place, squared my shoulders and showed up with the biggest smile.

They were all gathered around, bottles of beers in hand. Grace patted the seat next to her. Kelly was just jabbering away about one of her summer flings in the past. Luke sits next to her, Melissa on his side. His gaze brushes with mine. I turn away.

"How's everybody?" Nancy enthused, flopping down next to Lily. "Any love life updates?"

Grace shots up her hand. "I met Josh's grandparents. They're all expecting grandkids, can you believe it?"

"They're just excited to meet you." Josh draped an arm over her shoulders. "She's terrified of having kids."

Lily shakes her head. "I'm terrified too. Ever since I've been engaged with this guy here, all I've been hearing about is babies." She jabbed a thumb to Gab next to her. "What about you, single ladies?"

"No man at the moment." Nancy scrunched her nose.

Her short answer led all eyes to me. Then there it was again. Only this time, there was Luke's apologetic gaze too. I shake my head and plastered on a chirpy smile that hurt. "Nope. No man. How about you, Kelly?" I did an admirable job keeping the smile in place.

Kelly, who's been out of town in the past few months, obviously hadn't heard about the classic teenage drama straight out from the 90s movie that I got mixed up in about six months ago. And one is never too old to get involved in it.

She waved a prettily manicured finger. "No eye-candy at the moment." Her eyes flitted over my shoulder, rounded appreciatively, then she shook her head. "No, I take that back. There's an eye-candy at the moment. Who invited Colson Gray?"

"Oh, we did," Josh answers, standing up to greet the newcomer.

Colson Gray has never been entirely in on our circle since his parents move a lot He'd been in and out of the circle for quite some time. And will probably stay that way. His whiskey-making business has pretty much rendered him a fleeting acquaintance to me. Not that it was a bad thing. I met him on a few occasions and wasn't impressed with the vibe he gave out. I would like it a bit if I were into a cocky smile, and an outrageous hair color that screamed 'I break rules.'

I look over my shoulder.

A man stood four feet away, a sculpted shadow behind him. I narrowed my eyes in an intent perusal. It must have been a while since I last saw him because I'm only noticing the broad shoulders, lean waist and nice, long legs just now. I didn't know he has a soot black hair too.

No more brazen highlights. No more tattered jeans.

The guy was in button-up shirt and pristine dark jeans. He looks laid-back, but tamer than I remembered him.

I feel his eyes on me. He was doing some assessment of his own.

Maybe, he grew out of the cocky attitude.

The corners of his mouth tugged upward, a boyish grin freezing in place.

Or maybe not, I thought. I turn back around to the crackling campfire and locked my gaze on it. There were welcoming hugs passing around while I stayed on my seat. We were not in bad terms. I'm simply indifferent toward the guy.

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