|COLT LANGMORE|

The night air hit us like a slap to the face, cold and biting after the warmth of the bar. Wyatt stumbled beside me, barely keeping his balance as he leaned heavily against the brick wall, his breath reeking of whiskey.

"Man, that was wild," he mumbled, his words barely making it out of his mouth without tripping over each other.

I let out a low sigh, feeling the weight of the night settle into my bones. Wyatt had a way of pushing things too far, and tonight was no exception. We'd all been riding that fine line between control and chaos, but he'd tipped over it a couple of hours back."Too wild," I muttered, more to myself than to him as I rubbed a hand over my eyes. The noise, the lights, everything felt like it was still buzzing around inside my head. "I swear, next time I'm skipping the shots."

Sean laughed, a rough sound that came from too much shouting and too many cigarettes. "You always say that, Colt, but you know damn well you're gonna do it all over again."

I gave him a sidelong look, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Yeah, probably. Guess I'm a slow learner."

Caleb looked around, his jaw tight, eyes flicking between us like he was trying to hold onto something that was already slipping away. "Guess this is where we split up," he muttered, voice low and tinged with something close to regret. There was a tiredness in his tone, like he was already feeling the weight of whatever was coming next.

Over the years, our group had thinned out, guys dropping off one by one, moving on or moving out, leaving just the few of us to keep whatever this was going. But every time we got together, there was this unspoken understanding that it wouldn't last forever. Maybe that's why it felt like we were holding on a little tighter each time, knowing damn well it was just a matter of time before we all went our separate ways for good.

"Unless anyone's got a better idea," Caleb added, but the way he said it, you could tell he didn't expect much.

I shook my head, feeling the night settle heavy on my shoulders. "Nah," I said, voice firm, cutting through whatever hesitation might have been hanging in the air. "We've had enough for one night. Best call it before things go sideways."

Sean was off to the side, lost in a conversation with a girl who looked like she was already halfway to dragging him off somewhere. Cynthia, I think her name was. She had that look in her eyes, the kind that said she wasn't just here for the small talk. Her hands were already making themselves at home, sliding up his arm like they had somewhere to be.

Sean, trying to play it cool, shot us a look over her shoulder, half-grinning like he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be proud or embarrassed. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, more to buy himself a second to breathe than anything else. When he pulled back, he nodded at us, his expression somewhere between sheepish and resigned.

"Yeah, let's wrap it up," he said, eyes darted between us, and for a second, it looked like he wanted to say something more. But the moment passed, and he just shoved his hands into his pockets, waiting for someone to make the next move.

I gave Caleb a nod, a silent agreement that this was the right call. We weren't kids anymore, and we all knew that hanging on too long was just asking for trouble.

Wyatt lurched to the side, and I barely had time to react before he doubled over, retching into the bushes. The sound of his vomit hitting the leaves was sharp and wet, a harsh reminder of just how far we'd pushed things tonight. His date, a tall blonde he'd picked up at the bar, didn't even flinch. She kept on talking, her voice a low, sweet hum in the background, like she hadn't noticed Wyatt losing his dinner right next to her.

She was dressed to kill in a tight red dress and heels that clicked on the pavement, her hair tumbling down her back in waves that reminded me too much of Mary. That was the part that twisted the knife for me—how much she looked like his wife. Wyatt had always been the guy who'd turn his back on any girl who tried to make a move on him, too damn loyal to Mary even when things got rough between them. Seeing him with someone else now, it felt wrong, like he was betraying himself more than anyone.

Caleb stepped in, steadying Wyatt with a hand on his shoulder. "You good, man?" he asked, his voice low and serious. Caleb wasn't one to get overly emotional about things, but he cared.

Wyatt wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, nodding weakly. "Yeah, just... need some air," he mumbled, his words slurring together. He looked like hell, sweat slicking his forehead, his eyes dull and glassy. You could tell he was barely hanging on, and it wasn't just the booze.

I watched him, feeling a knot tighten in my gut. Wyatt was the one who always held it together, the guy you could count on to do the right thing even when it cost him. But Mary's affair had gutted him in a way none of us had seen coming. He hadn't told me much about it, but Caleb had filled me in on the worst of it—the sleepless nights, the way he'd taken up smoking again after years of quitting, the therapy sessions.

Tonight, though, was a new low. Seeing him like this, leaning on Caleb for support, barely able to keep his eyes open... it was a different kind of heartbreak.

I stepped closer, more out of instinct than anything else, just to be near enough to catch him if he went down again. "Looks like we've had enough for one night," I said, my voice cutting through the haze of the evening.

Caleb, still holding Wyatt steady, nodded, his grin fading into something more serious. "No shit," he replied, his voice tight. He pulled Wyatt in closer, his arm wrapping around his waist to keep him upright. "Alright, man, let's get you home before you end up face down in the gutter."

Wyatt barely responded, just a sluggish nod and a mumble I couldn't make out. His eyes were half-closed, and it was like he wasn't even there with us anymore—just a body being dragged along by the night, too worn out to fight back.

I watched them head off, Caleb practically carrying Wyatt down the street. I shot a glance at Sean, who had disentangled himself from Cynthia. He looked at me with that same sheepish expression, the one that said he knew this wasn't how the night was supposed to end but couldn't do much about it. "Sorry about that, Colt," he said, scratching the back of his neck like he always did when he felt guilty. "Guess it's just us now."

I shrugged, trying to shake off the weight of the situation. "No worries, Sean. We've done enough damage for one night. Let's call it."

Sean nodded, relief washing over his face. He wrapped an arm around Cynthia's waist again, pulling her close. She giggled at something he whispered in her ear, the sound light and carefree—completely at odds with the heaviness settling over me. It was nice to see him happy, even if it felt like we were standing on the edge of something that wasn't going to hold much longer.

As they walked off, I stood there for a moment, letting the night air cool the sweat on my skin. I couldn't shake the feeling that things were shifting, that this was the beginning of some kind of end we hadn't seen coming. We weren't kids anymore, and the shit that used to roll off our backs was starting to stick.

I sighed, shoved my hands deep into my pockets, and started walking, not really sure where I was headed—just knowing I needed to move, to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Because standing still? That was when everything caught up to you. And I wasn't ready for that. Not yet.

——

I ended up going to a bar nearby. Trailhead didn't have the flash of the Sundown Saloon; it was a little rough around the edges, a place where the regulars didn't care much for outsiders and the jukebox played old country tunes that hadn't made the radio in years.

I scanned the dance floor, muttering a few choice words under my breath at the sea of cowboy hats and rodeo bunnies crowding the bar. It was the kind of place where everyone seemed to blend together, where the line between good times and bad decisions got blurred. Spotting Tessa in the middle of all that chaos felt impossible, but I searched anyway—habit more than hope.

Eventually, I caught sight of her, tucked away in a booth like she had claimed it hours ago. Her blue eyes met mine with that familiar look, a mix of welcome and knowing, like she could tell before I even sat down that something was weighing heavy on my mind. I nodded her way, weaving through the crowd with a kind of deliberate ease, trying not to get sucked into anyone else's night on the way.

"Tessa," I greeted as I slid into the booth across from her, my voice carrying that rough edge that hadn't quite worn off from the night's earlier events. It felt good to see a familiar face in a place like this, where everything else seemed to shift and change around me. "Been a while."

Tessa had a way of making you feel like no time had passed, even when it had. Her blonde hair was piled up high, her blue eyes sharp as ever, and the look she gave me was one that didn't miss much. She had hands that told the story of someone who worked hard but still cared enough to take a little pride in appearances, even if that was more for herself than anyone else.

"Hey there, cowboy," she replied, her grin widening as she reached across the table to pull me into a brief hug "It has been too long, hasn't it?"

I was about to respond when something pulled my attention to the end of the bar. Voices, loud enough to cut through the dull roar of the place, had me turning my head, instincts kicking in like they always did, even when I was a few drinks deep. "Looking for a little fun, darlin'?"

I shifted slightly, trying to get a better view without making it obvious. Sure enough, sitting at the end of the bar, was Lemon Odell. She had her back to me, her posture a mix of confidence and carelessness as she faced a couple of guys beside her.

There was a part of me that wanted to look away, to just focus on the drink in front of me and let whatever was happening over there stay over there. But something about the way those guys were leaning in, the way Lemon was holding herself—it didn't sit right with me.

Ignoring whatever Tessa was saying, my focus zeroed in on the group of men crowding around Lemon Odell. Instinct had me leaning forward, ears tuned to catch what was being said, despite the alcohol dulling my senses. The men weren't just interested; they were cornering her, their sweaty, unkempt bodies forming a wall that pinned her against the bar. There was a tension in the way they hovered, a leering intent that set my teeth on edge.

I shifted in my seat, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. Lemon's voice cut through the low murmur of the bar, firm and steady, "No, thanks."

I could tell she wasn't scared, but there was a tension in her posture that made it clear this was more than just casual flirtation.

She pushed between two of the guys, trying to make her way back to the open space of the bar, but they weren't ready to let her go that easy.

One of them, a greasy-looking guy with a mean glint in his eye, grabbed her arm. His fingers dug into her bicep hard enough to make me wince. "Why not?" he taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as if he knew the answer didn't matter.

Lemon yanked her arm back, her voice steady but strained. "I'm here with my boyfriend," she shot back, slipping through a gap in their circle and disappearing into the crowd.

The second she was out of sight, my gut twisted. This was about to go south fast. I knew it, and I could feel that old, familiar heat rising in my chest, that mix of anger and adrenaline that had gotten me into trouble more than once.

"Hold on a sec, Tes," I muttered, not waiting for a reply as I pushed away from the table. There was a fire simmering just under my skin, a familiar burn that only flared up when trouble was close. I scanned the room, taking in the exits—the bathroom, the kitchen, the way we came in.

I moved through the crowd, scanning every face, every shadow. The bar was a maze of bodies and noise, but I kept pushing forward, weaving between the dancers, eyes peeled for any sign of her. Then I made it outside.

"Where's your boyfriend, sweetling?"

The voice was far, but I heard it just the same.

"He'll be right out," she said after just a beat too long. I moved down the parking lot, scanning the cars for something, for anything. But I couldn't see them despite knowing full well that they were somewhere here just around the corner.

They laughed. I moved closer. "I don't believe you."

And then I saw them between two pickup trucks, halfway between the aisles of car on the further end from the bar.

"Darlin, there you are. I was beginning to worry." Her head snapped up towards my voice. A beautiful sight, she was alert at the sound of me.

I stepped into the light and a startling look took over her face. Her mouth agape, however thankful.

She choked back whatever words she meant to say, darling hazel eyes meeting mine, "Colt?"