Thinly Veiled by Eliza Modiste

Author:Eliza Modiste [Eliza Modiste]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: EM Ventures LLC.
Published: 2023-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The bartender must have sensed the urgency in my request for tequila—it was the next thing that she did. The shot glass was pushed toward me in an instant, and I tipped it back. It was a generous pour. So generous that I had to gulp twice to finish it, and the deep burn made me sputter and cough.

“Claire?”

I desperately wished that I could just ignore him, and he would leave. That I could be swallowed up by the floor somehow, or turn back time to before Zoey said that we were going out and suggest anything that would have changed the current circumstances that I found myself in. I couldn’t do that, though—and Colton was not going anywhere.

I managed to choke out, “Hey,” decidedly keeping my eyes on the empty glass in my hand.

“Oh, hey man, you know Claire?” Liam stuck his hand out to shake Colton’s. “I’m Li—”

Zoey shoved Liam’s hand away, mumbling for him to read the room.

Colton touched a hand to my shoulder, spinning my stool around and forcing me to meet his vivid blue eyes.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“Holidays with Zoey’s parents,” I replied succinctly.

“Oh.” He squinted as if that reply was unsatisfactory to him, and his voice lowered. “So, you’re still in Virginia?”

I was hyperaware that his hand was still placed on my shoulder and when his fingers squeezed me gently, I swiped at his grip to shoo it away.

“Still living in Virginia? Yes.” I replied once his hand was safely back in his pocket.

His gaze darted around nervously, and anyone that knew him would know that it wasn’t because of my clear reluctance to this conversation. Colton was not a shy individual by any means. He wouldn’t let someone’s feelings about an awkward conversation deter him from getting what he wanted—but, that being said, he was smart. At one point, I may have thought that the way he handled himself was brilliant. I supposed it was brilliant, in one way or another. These days, I would rather just call it manipulative and know that I couldn’t trust Colton as far as I could throw him, but, hey—to each their own.

“I, um—look, I’ve been trying to call you,” he stated.

I heard Liam whisper loudly to Zoey, “Should we be giving them some privacy, or—”

“No,” she hissed back, “ex-boyfriend, bad ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh—”

“I know you’ve been avoiding me,” Colton said accusatorily.

“Ya think?” I retorted.

“Yeah, I do think. Why haven’t you been picking up your phone?”

“Why would I answer your calls, Colt? I left for a reas—” I cut myself off, redirecting my response. “Actually, that doesn’t matter. I haven’t been answering your calls because I haven’t been getting them, okay? I blocked you.”

His head cocked to the side, face scrunched as he said, “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” I replied quickly. “Of course, I did! It’s not like I could pick up and start anew with you texting and calling me every five seconds.”

“It wasn’t every five seconds, but whatever. I really need to talk to you about something—”

Liam blurted out, “She’s got a boyfriend, guy.

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