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He starts laughing. I can tell it’s fake laughing, but he drapes his arm over my shoulder as if we’re old business partners. I’m still unsure what’s happening, and then he lifts the glass to my lips. “Come on, bad boy. Drinky drink.”
I shove his hand away, spilling the drink. “What the hell is your problem?”
“What? This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”
“Well … yeah. I mean, no. I don’t know. You’re acting like an ass.”
He shakes his head, then takes a sip of his glass. “No, I’m acting like a wingman. Something you’re sorely lacking. Where is Adam anyway?”
“How the hell do I know?”
“Oh,” he elongates the word, eyeing me with suspicion. “A little trouble in the brohood? That’s too bad, Maddox. I guess you’re trying to cut the cords on all fronts, huh?”
“What the hell’d you say?”
He lifts his shoulders. “I’m just saying, if you want to hook up with a bunch of randos again, it’s probably better to start fresh with a new wingman. I mean, you don’t want anyone around reminding you of Baby Mavin.”
It’s a stupid nickname that I know she hates. Plus, I called her that to try to drive the nail in my own relationship coffin with her. But something about his tone, the way he says it, and a smug grin on his face snaps something inside.
I shove him, and he stumbles back. “Watch your mouth, EJ.”
I expect him to straighten up and act normal. I’ve gotten in arguments with my sister and fights with Derrik, but EJ’s always been the pushover. I say that with affection, but it’s true. It’s one of the many reasons he’s the King of Nice. So, I fully assume he’s going to stop whatever thing he’s trying to do and tell me sorry or walk away.
Instead, he slings his arm over my shoulder. “Come on, man. Okay, maybe you’re over Krista. How about Jenny? I remember her being around at the club.”
“Stop.”
“Okay, no Jenny. Let’s let loose! I already told you, I’m getting a free pass tonight. You never showed me the ways of the bad boy. Teach me, Obi-Wan.”
“This is stupid,” I hiss.
Trekking my way through the club, I head outside, fed up with whatever EJ’s doing. He’s smiling through it all, but none of it makes sense. Is he mocking me? Is he trying to get a rise out of me? I have no idea, but I’ve had enough. I already have Adam’s annoyance and Cece’s wrath hanging over my head. I don’t need EJ’s stupidity.
“Calm down, will you?” EJ shouts, following me out of the club. “Come on, you’re the King of Bad. Cece was just a casualty of the King’s reign, right?”
I spin around, putting a finger in his face. “I’m serious, EJ. Shut the hell up right now.”
He pushes my hand away. “Don’t be so uptight. That’s not the King I remember. The King I remember would drag me along, we’d hit up a new spot, and toast to Cece being nothing more than a distant memory.”
“I’m not joking.”
“Forget Cece! She’s nothing but a—”
I don’t think about my next action. My fist flies out in front of me, connecting with his mouth. He stumbles back, letting out a grunt and grabbing his mouth. “Shit!” I shout, more out of my own stupidity than anything. “Damn it, EJ.”
Of all the surprising things he’s done tonight, and everything he’s said, what he does next it absolutely baffling. There’s no other word for it. He’s laughing. He’s actually laughing.
“Damn, she was right,” he says through the laughter.
“What? Who was right?”
“Jade,” he answers. “We had this debate the other day.” My eyes narrow, trying to understand what he means. “Derrik told us he talked to you but didn’t say why you and Cece broke up. Then, Jade and I got to talking. We assumed you didn’t break up with Cece just because, but since neither of us has a clue what’s going on, she said if someone pushed you far enough, you’d snap. It’d show us there’s something else going on. She had the bright idea of it being me. I thought it’d never happen, but when you showed up tonight, I figured … what the hell?”
I’m speechless. Not only about their plan, but the fact that EJ had the balls to enact it. “It’s … complicated.”
He rolls his eyes, then wipes his lip again, cringing. “Yeah, that’s an understatement.”
Right when the valet pulls the car around for us, he gives me a defeated look. As he’s driving down the freeway, we sit in silence for a moment before he finally starts up again. “Well, this was an interesting night. At least I know it’s not because you’re returning to who you were.”
I watch the headlights pass us. The city lights off on the side of the road reflect off of the windshield, and everything that’s happened tonight comes crashing down around me. Confronting Cece, being fired, then trying to act like I don’t care about any of it. Trying to be who I used to be—only interested in partying.
“I don’t think I could if I wanted to,” I whisper.
