Page 77 of Save Your Breath

“I bet you drank more when you went out back then. You barely drankat alltonight. Which is just rude. I’m way more drunk than you are right now.”

“Well, that’s because you’ve had approximately seven tequila shots and who knows how many cocktails.”

“And you nursed that whiskey for almost the entire night. It’s not nice, you know, to let a lady drink alone.”

She said that last part in a terrible British accent that made the corner of my mouth tilt.

“What can I say? I keep my promises.”

Mia cocked a brow.

“You said I’m not allowed to get drunk and make an ass of myself,” I reminded her.

“Right, because I was so sure you’d actually follow through.”

She scoffed a little, finishing off the last of her cone and wiping her hands together to dust off the crumbs. When she looked at me again, her smile slipped at the absence of mine.

“You don’t think I’m a man of my word?”

“I… I didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.”

She swallowed. “I just mean I didn’t really expect you to stop your lifestyle for this little stunt. I just thought maybe if I laid out some rules, you’d be discreet about it.”

Now, I wished I had something to drink, something to do other than lean back on my palms and look out at the dark water wondering if I’d ever be able to change her mind about me.

Wondering if she’d ever see me as anything more than a fucking brute.

I tried to keep my face neutral, to hide the sting that her words brought to my chest. Just when I thought maybe she saw more in me, she’d say shit like that and remind me I was wrong.

Then again, could I blame her if evenIdidn’t think any more of myself?

I’d lived a life no one else had, one that made me tick differently. When it came to motivators, I had none — there wasno family to provide for or make proud, no parents to show off for, no wife to impress, no kid to set an example for.

There was just me.

And most days, the only thing that got me by was hockey.

Some days, not even that excited me.

Maybe that was why Mia didn’t trust me to keep a promise when I made it. But the sick part of this joke was that she was theonlyperson in my life whom I felt the need to uphold my word with.

She was the only one I felt deserved better than what I had to offer.

“You know, even with a fish head mask, I’m pretty sure you could pull more pussy at that bar than any of the guys we were playing against.” Mia leaned back to mirror my stance, her statement shaking me out of my thoughts. “Did you see that bachelorette group tittering in the corner when we were playing yard pong? I was worried you were going to get mauled when you went to the bathroom.”

I wanted to sling a smart-ass remark back at her, but the best I could manage was a pathetic attempt at a grin as I continued to sulk over what she’d said before.

“Have you ever dated anyone since you moved out of Mom and Dad’s?” she asked, her voice softer now, more contemplative. “You know, like… seriously?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

“Humor me.”

I didn’t know why she needed to hear me say it. Even if it was sparse, I talked to Mia more than anyone else in my life. If anyone was going to know I was in a relationship, it would be her.

“No,” I answered.