She clutched at her glass. “Keiran, I...” And what could she say to that? He wasn’t wrong. Her bad experiences with Sean had colored her experiences with men in the music industry, and Keiran’s cockiness hadn’t helped her think he was any different. Which may have been wrong of her, but cautious was the only way she knew how to be. He hadn’t exactly helped his case by that foolish joke, but clearly, he was torn up about his dad. “Do you want a hug?”

Ill-timed. So out of left field. What the fuck was she doing? The question clearly surprised them both. Keiran blinked down at her, brow furrowed. It was possibly time to lay off the wine now.

“I’ve been told I give good hugs.” The words kept pouring out. Why was she persisting with this? Yes, she was a hugger, loved giving them and receiving them, but this seemed like a bad idea, and yet, he looked like he could use one. It had to be hard facing his father at all in any setting, let alone one where he’d brought along a date, a much younger date. Cherisse could only imagine what his mother was feeling in this moment. The passage of time didn’t always mend all wounds.

“I mean, if you’re sharing them, I wouldn’t say no to one.” He was back to looking slightly amused. Now was a good time to backtrack, say she was joking. Get back inside and find Tyler. Hell, ditch Tyler entirely and go meet Reba downstairs. Tyler didn’t deserve another moment of her time. She’d given him a fair chance, and boy, had he not earned it.

But she found herself resting the dessert plate next to her and tossing back the dregs of her wine, stashing the empty glass on the floor before she stood. Her heart was hammering away in her chest. Why? This was just Keiran, just a hug. She hugged her friends all the time, was great at it. Except, they weren’t friends. They were two people who’d butted heads for years and were now forced to work together for the sake of people they cared about. Two people who had a shaky understanding that they’d ease up on antagonizing each other, for now. There was no friendship in that.

Why was she even making a big deal of this?

Hug and retreat. Not that hard.

So why the hell was her heart still trying to pound itself right out of her chest?

Chapter 12

Keiran

TONIGHT HAD SWIFTLY moved into surreal territory. The audacity of his father flaunting his date in his mother’s face. Keiran would have never imagined he’d pull such a move. He didn’t care one shit who he dated, but the over-the-top PDA was so unexpected. Even his date had looked slightly uncomfortable over the extra-long kiss his father had planted on her.