Page 3 of By Rude Strength

“And you know you promised not to forget our lunch date.”

“With your parents?” LA scoffed. “That’s tomorrow.”

“No, it was today!”

LA’s stomach clenched.

Shit.

He had told Gavin about this meeting. He knew he had. He’d had it on the calendar in his kitchen for over a week, and Gavin was fully aware of its importance. There was no way LA would have missed a lunch date with Gavin and his parents.

Right?

Shit.

Now he had to do damage control.

“I am so, so sorry.” LA glanced at the time. “Where are you? At that Olive Garden, right? I, I can try to meet you—”

“No, it’s too late.”

“What? Come on, it’s only a few minutes after one.”

“No, it’s too late forus. For everything. I’m so sick of you putting me second and not listening to my needs.”

LA took a deep breath. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me!” Gavin fumed. “You never fucking listen! We never do anything together anymore! You’re so fuckin selfish! All you do is lie around and bitch about your stupid back—”

“We just went out last night!”

“And left early because you wouldn’t stop complaining.”

“Wow.” LA sighed. “I’m hanging up now. We can talk later when you’re not being an asshole.”

“Don’t bother calling back,” Gavin snapped. “We’re done! Do you hear me? I am fucking done! I’m bringing my fucking keys by tomorrow—”

“You selfish fucking dickhead!” LA raged back. “How about I’m fucking done with you, huh? You always do this shit! You schedule shit whenever I have something to do to make me cancel it and prove to you that I’ll choose you over whatever the fuck it is I have in some sort of twisted fucking ego trip! Fuck you and go fuck yourself, you arrogant—”

Click.

“Motherfucker!” LA hurled his phone at the passenger floorboard.

He rubbed his eyes, fighting back the sting of angry tears.

Fuck this.

He needed to go home.

And get absolutely, totally fucking shit-faced.

LA waited until he’d calmed down enough that he felt safe to drive again and then finally pulled back out to the street. He focused on the road and tried to clear his head. He didn’t want to think about his termination or getting dumped, and he was determined to make it home before breaking down—no.

He would not break down.

Everything was going to be fine.

He’d find a way to challenge the funeral home’s termination. There had to be something he could do to get his job back.