Chuckling, he looks around as if he doesn’t want others to hear. “Busy. Like you. Heard you wrecked a Mercedes a while back.” He’s not asking, so I’m not sure I feel the need to answer.

“What can I say? It’s been a shitty couple of years.”

Shaking his head, another low chuckle punches his chest. “Must be nice to be rich.” When his eyes meet mine again, he adds, “I’d be sitting in county jail if I’d pulled that stunt, but you—”

“What about me?”

His expression tells me all I need to know—the smarmy grin sitting arrogantly on his face. “It’s a party. Lighten up.”

I take a sip of the drink, the entertainment value of this reunion worn off, like my kindness. He’s right, though, but it’s not just any party. It’s a fundraising event. I won’t be the reason people leave or don’t support the cause. One thing I’ve learned about this town is you either spark division or don’t give a damn. I knew where he stood before, but he reinforced it. No use hanging around where I’m not welcome. I may be on my home turf, but I’ll give him this bar to run in peace. “Thanks for the drink.”

Stepping off to the side, I find the captivating beauty so easily in the crowd. Lark couldn’t be farther away, but she still steals the attention from every other person here.

“She’s off-limits.” The sigh that follows warrants my interest.

I glance back at Dane behind me. “Who says?”

“I do.”

Turning back, I make a concerted effort to riffle through her thoughts or read her expression at a bare minimum, as if that’s possible from this distance. I only have what she’s given me so far, and that impression didn’t appear to include dating someone. “What would she say?”

“She’d tell you to fuck off.”

I balk in laughter. She just might, but she hasn’t so far. I glance back again. “You sure about that?” When he pauses too long, I start to walk away. “That’s what I thought.”

“Don’t fuck with her. She’s been through some shit,” he says to my back, his tone caught in some form of big brother protectiveness like he just might give a shit about Lark.

Maybe he has the right. I have no fucking clue. I stop again, standing there, my back still to him with my eyes locked on Lark. When I look back this time, I set my stare on him. “Haven’t we all.” I cross the lawn to the other side of the pool.

Unfortunately, I lose the next two hours suffering through office gossip and endless questions about my plans, serving my time at the party just as I promised my dad.

I finally use my empty cup as an excuse to escape. Just when I slip out from a group of attorneys from my dad’s office, Noah finds me, keeping step with me as I make my way toward the house. “If you’re not going to talk to her, I will,” he says with enough confidence to lead an army into a battle and then sips a beer like he’s legally allowed to do so. He’s not since he just turned twenty last month.