Page 2

Chapter two

Drunk at the Wedding

After Skyler left, I sat at the bar and ordered another old-fashioned.

Or three.

I hated how sad he looked.

Damn, that boy needed a firm hand—a good daddy.

But I would never be that for him.

Since he hated me.

No matter how hard I tried with him, screwing up his case was too much for him to get over.

I suspected he didn’t know why I did it, and he didn’t care.

He was selfish, unable to see outside himself for even one damn second.

Fuck him anyway and his cute ass and sassy mouth.

I didn’t need that.

I ordered another drink.

Finally numb now.

And that was a good damn thing because I couldn’t stand that feeling of wanting anything.

And that deep hole inside of me that needed to be filled with things I didn’t have often got me in trouble.

I wouldn’t mind wanting Skyler on his knees in the bathroom, though.

Damn.

That man had no clue how sexy he was.

Warner joined me at the bar, slinging his arm around my shoulder.

“Dude. What’s going on?”

“Nutin.” I laughed, hearing how dirty that sounded, but Warner glared at me, unamused.

“How many of these have you had?”

“Before or after Skyler left? Lost count after…”

Warner was my best friend in the whole world.

He had my back.

My ride or die.

So when he kissed my cheek and said, “You’re done here, Crow,” I didn’t even bother arguing.

Warner tugged me off the bar stool and aimed me inside the hotel toward the lobby.

I stepped onto the loud-ass, busy carpeted floor and its weird geometric pattern that would not stop spinning left and jerking right.

I moaned loudly, closed my eyes, and grabbed my head.

“Yeah, too much drink-a-hol.”

“No lie, bro. Let’s go. I’ll get you up to your room.”

“Okays. Think Sky’s room’s next to mine? Maybe I can tap, tap, on the wall.”

Warner shoved me into the elevator and hit our floor.

“Who are you yammering on about now?”

“You know. The lawyer boy. Sky-lers…Skyler…” I couldn’t remember his last name at the moment.

“Skyler Baldwin? The twink that works for Drew?”

To be fair, he wasn’t the only twink who worked for Drew, but he was the only one I was interested in.

“Yeah. The law-hottie with the eyes.” I waved at my eyes, assuming Warner knew what I meant, but he just laughed.

I didn’t even care.

I laughed with him.

I tended to be a happy drunk, even while mooning over someone I’d never have.

The elevator doors opened, and Warner tried to pull it together and stop laughing as he led me down the hall.

“Everyone has eyes, man.”

“Duh. You know what I mean.” I never said things like duh .

I must have drank entirely too much.

In fact, before I could think much of it, I was in bed in the hotel room, and Warner was putting a cold, wet cloth on my head.

I had no idea how I got there.

“There’s a trash can beside the bed. In case, you know.” That was the more important thing to focus on.

Puking.

Or rather not puking.

“You’re my lifeline.”

“Yep. Not like you’ve never done the same for me. I’ll have room service send you a hangover plate in the morning.”

Then he was gone.

The lights were out.

And I was alone with my thoughts.

I might owe Danny an apology.

I’d have to ask how bad I was.

Tomorrow.

Right now?

I thought of Skyler.

The one person I had no chance with.

How did I end up being such a loser in relationships after being so successful in every other aspect of my life?