Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
I noticed Jace’s buddies Ash and Beau at the front of the line, and Carter and Sawyer behind them.
Ash turned first, noticing Owen and me heading inside. “Hey, Keeg. Get over here. How’s it going, man?”
I approached the velvet rope wrapped around the line. We high-fived, and Beau offered a hug. The guys gave Owen and me a warm welcome, and I asked Ash, “What are you guys doing here tonight?”
“The Saturgays decided to have a movie night before hitting the bars. Looks like we weren’t the only ones with the idea.”
“Jace and Dax are around here someplace,” Beau added.
“Are Rush and Linc?” I asked.
“In the restroom,” Beau replied, and Carter added, “In the same stall…and pretty sure those were Linc’s knees on the floor, giving Rush’s throttle a good jerk.”
Carter’s chocolate-brown locks were in their usual comb-over. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt, looking totally different than when Owen first saw him in drag at my coming out party at Fever.
“So, Keeg,” Carter went on, “you and the prince on a double date with Casey?”
“What? Casey’s here?” I asked.
“I thought that was him. With some hunky man beefcake, no less.”
He must’ve meant Steve. Although, I assumed Carter had been in town long enough to recognize Steve, especially given how good he was with new names and faces. The guys hadn’t mentioned drive-in plans before I’d left for the day, but maybe they didn’t want to bug me while Owen and I were getting to see one another for the first time in too long.
Before I had a chance to ask Carter any more about my buddies, the door to the concessions building opened, and Jace and Dax headed in.
“Keeg!” Jace shouted as he rushed me and lifted me off the floor, whirling me around. He was obviously attempting to make as big of a spectacle out of the production as he could manage, which got Dax and the other guys laughing.
“Okay, bruh. Very funny.”
“Did you need this guy back, Your Majesty?” he asked Owen.
“Oh, please, it’s Your Highness, and you can have him now, as long as you let me have him for the rest of the night.”
Jace glanced back at me, winking. “I guess I do like this guy.”
“Yeah, I like him too. I also like where gravity intended for me to have my feet.”
“Okay, bud,” he said, setting me down.
“Thank you for offering me the moment with my brother,” Jace said with an overdramatic bow to Owen, clearly just for laughs. “That’s not rude, is it?”
“I promise not to have you beheaded for it when you make your visit to Parlaisa.”
“It’s appreciated,” Jace said. “I hear you’re planning to be in town a lot more.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, since you mentioned it,” Carter chimed in, moving closer to the velvet rope between us. “Keeg, have you asked your Prince Charming here to make an appearance at the Fever Falls Autumn Festival?”
“The what?” Owen asked.
“An appearance?” I asked.
Carter rolled his eyes. “Yes, this is how PR works. You get the celebs like Ash Carmichael, Daxie boo, #HottieFirefighter, Rush Alexander, and royal princes to show their faces…look all cocky and self-important…”
“Done and done!” Ash called out.
“Not happening,” Dax followed.
Carter ignored them both. “That’s how you get the crowds in to make all that money for the charities the festival contributions go to. We can’t do anything for these charities without endorsements.”
“Carter, let the kid enjoy his date night,” Sawyer said, shaking his head beside him.
“I did not sign up to help with this festival only to let a celeb like this slip away from me. Speaking of which, Prince Owen, we’re always looking for donations, and, Keegan, if you’re looking to help out…”
“I’m already helping out with the petting zoo and adoption center for the shelter,” I chimed in.
“Oh, that’s right. Well, Prince Owen, if you’d care to sign up to help, we’d be more than happy to have you.”
As if pulling it out of thin air, Carter produced his card, which Owen took and thanked him for.
“Is this guy bothering you?” Sawyer asked us with a wink, and as I busted out laughing, he smiled.
“You guys, this is my job. It might be annoying, but this is how you get shit done.”
“We all appreciate how much you’re working to help out the town,” Jace said.
“Thank you, Jace. At least one Kruse is on my side here.”
“I think it’s impressive how you’ve adjusted to Fever Falls,” Dax said, “considering you’re an LA boy to the bone.”
“Well, now that I’m a new member of Saturgay…”
“More like a Saturgay intern,” Sawyer said.
“Definitely intern,” Ash added.
“Whatever. Better to be an unpaid intern of Saturgay than an unpaid employee.”
We all enjoyed another laugh and chatted some before Owen and I grabbed drinks and popcorn from the attendant.
“So what’s this Fever Falls Autumn Festival?” Owen asked as we headed back to the car.