“I didn’t dump him. We weren’t together,” I said.

Sage spoke up. “He’s sure been moping around the last two weeks. I don’t think I’ve seen him so miserable.”

Jojo looked at me with sleepy, glazed eyes and jutted out her bottom lip.

“Stop,” I warned.

“Chief said he’s going to let you back next season,” Liam said.

“Really?” Jojo asked, her eyebrows lifting so high they threatened to skim her hairline.

“Yeah,” Liam said. “The poor bloke heard about it every day from twenty crewmen.”

“Are you and Jack going to the airport tomorrow?” I asked.

“Nah. We’re gonna do some sightseein’. You should come.” He looked to Jojo. “Your photographer should do a feature on the Great American Road Trip. She could cover your travel section.”

“We’re not that kind of magazine,” Jojo said, annoyed with Liam now that he wasn’t flirting with her.

He turned to me again. “You should come.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I have a job, and bills, and I can’t just pick up and leave. I’ve seen the States. Most of them, anyway … and the rest of the world.”

“Oh. World traveler, are ya?” Liam said. He was beautiful—even twenty pounds leaner, cheekbones more pronounced and eyes a bit sunken in—but the part of me that wanted to act on attraction had been stolen by Tyler, and he wasn’t giving it back anytime soon.

“Yes.”

“Her dad owns Edson Technologies, genius,” Jojo said.

The men at the table all covered their mouths and said Oh! in unison. I wasn’t sure why. Her comeback wasn’t that great.

“Your father is Philip Edson?” Liam asked, shocked.

“You’ve heard of him, huh?” I said, twirling the straw in my tall glass.

Jack laughed. “We’ve had Paris Hilton following us around in the woods all this time?”

I wrinkled my nose. “Take that back, fuck-knuckle. Right. Now.”

Everyone at the table but Jack and Liam looked confused. They’d heard the term plenty in Australia; it was my favorite Aussie insult.

“I’m … I’m sorry,” Jack said.

Liam burst into laughter. “Ya soft cock! You’re just gonna take that from her?”

Jack pouted. “Maddox takes a helluva lot more from her than I do.”

I sunk in my chair, blown back by equal parts guilt, shame, and humiliation.

“For fuck’s sake, Jack!” Cat chided.

“No, he’s right,” I said. “I don’t know why.”

“I do,” Jubal said with a knowing grin. “But you can be damn sure he wouldn’t do it for anyone else.”