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“His name is Emmett. Why didn’t you tell me he works here?” she accuses.
“I call him Em, and I did tell you. We were supposed to meet up two weeks ago, remember?” It occurs to me I haven’t told her I’m with Von. I’ve been sleeping with the same guy for weeks, and she doesn’t know. More importantly, I’m suspicious of why she and Em are upset seeing each other.
Her hands are shaking when she takes out her phone to text. “Fuck. Fuckity, fuck, fuck!”
“How do you know Em?”
“I was his teacher,” she says, furiously typing.
“You”—I’m putting the pieces together—“were his teacher his senior year of high school.”
She’s still on her phone. “Yeah, the year after graduation, when I did a replacement job at his school. I met Jayce there.”
Mads is the teacher Em had a crush on, and Jayce is the hockey player who inadvertently enlightened Em to his bisexuality. But that’s not what this is about. My phone buzzes.
“My ride’s here.” I turn to face Mads, but she left without a word. What. The Fuck!
Outside, I apologize and give the rideshare guy a tip without getting in the car. My priority is finding Em. Mads is a big girl and has Jayce, but I’m definitely worried about Em. He’s not texting me back.
Returning to the shop, I pull out the keys to the loft and text Von to let him know I’ll be late. I don’t know if Mads and Jayce will go to Pink Titanium, and Von might be there alone. Fucking Madyson. What the hell did she and Jayce do to Em?
He’s not in the loft and isn’t answering his phone. There’s nothing I can do for him now, so I head to the bar.
I see Von sitting with Cole and Shane, so I slide into the booth next to him.
“Is everything okay?” Von reaches a hand toward me but snatches it back.
“No, but I’m working on it.” I blow out a breath and reach into my pocket for my pill container with my emergency stash of fruity shit. I throw one up and catch it in my mouth.
Von asks for one and I hand it to him, curious to see how he’ll react.
Von chews and his face screws up in disgust. “This is the worst candy I’ve ever tasted.”
“More for me.” I shrug, not ready to explain its purpose.
“I’ll get drinks. They’re short servers tonight.” Cole kisses Shane, gets our drink orders, and exits the booth.
“I’ll go with you,” Von offers, which is brave since Cole still thinks Von is an asshole.
Von
Cole rests his forearms on the bar and turns his head to look at me. “I didn’t like you when I first met you.” He’s direct, no small talk.
“I know.” I choose my words carefully. “I was mentally in a horrible place when I came to the US, and I took some of my issues out on Alec.” My fingers grip the bar, but I’m not telling Cole things I haven’t told Alec yet. “It was wrong, but he’s not holding a grudge.”
Alec inspires me to be a better man. One who doesn’t hold grudges and can put others before myself. I don’t deserve someone as selfless as Alec.
Cole grunts and orders a round of drinks for the table and two shots. He silently watches the bartender make our drinks, but I sense he’s not done talking yet. After the bartender delivers the drinks, Cole faces me directly.
“I’ve been friends with Alec since he was a nineteen-year-old homeless kid. Did you know that?” I nod and Cole hums with approval. “He’ll tell you I saved him, but he saved me more than once. I loved my first husband, but our relationship was rocky. Alec dragged me through the rough times and grief. You get me?”
“This is where you tell me if I hurt your friend, you will kill me?” It’s a joke, but images of mafia movies play in my mind. Cole embodies the role of an enforcer.
“Nah, not kill, just maim.” Cole’s large hand thumps on my shoulder. “I’m kidding.”
Maybe.
“Alec likes you and I’ve never seen him so into a guy before, so if you’re not in this with him, be honest.”