Selena closed her eyes. She thought she''d be tossing and turning all night, but exhaustion crept in, blurring her thoughts. In that dreamy state, she thought she heard a car driving away or maybe it was just her imagination. But honestly, who cared?


    Another rainy night hit Newport, dropping the temperature dramatically. The chill was mixed with dampness, leaving a cold and mmy feeling that was hard to shake off.


    When Jaime walked into the bar''s private room, Everett''s striking face stood out, colder than the rain outside, sending a shiver down his spine. He brushed the raindrops off his leather jacket, found a seat, poured himself a drink, and took a sip to warm up before daring to lean closer.


    ...


    With a cheeky grin, he asked, "Everett, why the long face?"


    Everett, swirling his drink absentmindedly with his slender fingers, replied, "Who said I was down?"


    Everett sat silently in the corner, contributing to the room''s chill. You''d have to be blind not to notice. Jaime decided to go with the truth. He widened his eyes dramatically, "I noticed instantly."


    Jaime felt a chill run up his spine, as if Everett''s gaze was a dagger poised at his neck. Realizing he should tread carefully, he quickly backtracked, "I must''ve been seeing things. My bad, seriously, I should''ve kept my mouth shut."


    Everett didn''t say a word. He leaned back,zily lifting his eyelids to cast a lukewarm nce at Jaime.


    Jaime downed three drinks in quick session to show he was sorry. As the alcohol warmed him up, he shrugged off his jacket, hanging it nearby. Drinking alone with someone who was practically an ice block wasn''t exactly fun.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    So...


    Jaime propped his chin on his hand.


    and tried again, "Everett, did you have another spat with your wife? thought you rushed back to help out? It was prime time for some


    bonding, right? What went wrong?”


    Why else would Jaime leave thefort of his bed and a stunning woman if not for some juicy gossip session?


    Everett''s angry re hit the mark, and he set his ss down with a thud. "So, even good alcohol can''t keep you quiet, huh?"


    Jaime paused for a couple of seconds but decided to push on, "Come on, drop the act. Whatever''s bugging you, spill it. I''m here to help!" Jaime was determined to be a bit of a pest today.


    A flicker of something crossed Everett''s eyes, and as he was about to push Jaime away, he hesitated. "Cough." He crossed his legs elegantly, downed his drink, and then spoke quietly, "I have a friend..."


    Jaime nearly spat out his drink, barely holding it in. Oh, the ssic "I have a friend" story.


    Stifling hisughter, he encouraged, "Alright, let''s hear about... your friend."


    Everett seemed genuinely bothered. He rubbed his temples and continued, "His... girlfriend used to be all about him, but out of nowhere, she turned cold. She''s been


    el?


    sarcastic and harsh, and even when I-mean, he tried to be nice, she


    just wasn''t having it."


    He nced at Jaime. "You''re supposed to be the expert with thedies. So, tell me, what''s up with my... my friend''s... girlfriend?"


    Everett thought he had Selena


    figured out ever since they tied the


    knot. For her, nothing was more


    important than money and her beloved uncle. As long as she had plenty of cash to burn and her uncle was living the good life, she seemed perfectly content.