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ETHAN: I’m there. What time?
He might regret it, but dancing with someone might help him to get over the feelings that had been growing inside him since he’d met and got to know Joey.
CHRISTI: Fab! Seven o’clock. See you there as I’m working until six.
Ethan replied to say he’d be there; he hoped he wasn’t making a mistake. Already, he could feel the churning in his stomach, but he couldn’t live his life in stasis. He’d never fallen so hard and fast for anyone before, but he needed to let Joey go. Joey had another life in London, one that Ethan had no part in, and he needed to remember that.
Eight hours later, after a brief cat nap, which ended the same way his previous night had, he entered the Neon Lounge, holding his breath as he passed the bar and letting it out slowly while he searched for Christi. She waved from across the room, and he made his way through the already-heaving crowd. He still stood by his assessment that Thursday was becoming the new Friday of the working week people.
“Hey! I got you a vodka and orange. I wasn’t sure how hard you were going to hit it tonight,” Christi said, pushing the glass towards him.
Ethan picked it up and downed half of it in one go, wincing when the strength of the drink hit him.
“Okay. Duly noted. Sloshed is the aim tonight.” Christi snorted and sipped whatever her cocktail was. “How was work?”
Ethan rolled his eyes and settled onto the stool beside her. “Busy, which was good. How’re things with Di?”
Christi huffed and put her drink on the table slightly harder than needed. “She purposefully double-booked me yesterday!”
He let Christi go on about her arch nemesis—though, as Ethan had always said, if she just stopped baiting her, it would all end—letting her distract him enough to cope until a guy approached him. He was roughly Ethan’s height but had wider shoulders. His hair was to his shoulders and had been dyed blond. Basically, he reminded Ethan of a surfer. Christi fell silent beside him.
“Hey, I’m Addy. Would you like to dance?”
Ethan opened his mouth to decline, then thought better of it. “Sure.” He downed the rest of his drink and glanced at Christi. “You okay for a few minutes?”
Christi nodded. “Kole will be here soon.”
Ethan stood and gestured to the dance floor. “After you.”
He followed Addy to the couples that were already moving to the beat and slid his arm around Addy’s waist when they faced each other. Addy fitted his body to Ethan’s, and they caught the beat immediately. Ethan lost himself in the music, sometimes wrapped around Addy, sometimes dancing in front of him. They stopped briefly to get another drink, which Ethan threw back and then returned to the floor.
He wasn’t sure how long they danced, but he was soaked with sweat when he began to tire. Addy stared at him, faces close, and Ethan knew what he was going to do. It was in his eyes, and Ethan didn’t know what his response would be. His mind was whirling, even as he stared into Addy’s eyes. As his head lowered. As his breath flowed across his mouth.
Ethan swallowed hard and turned his face, and Addy’s kiss met his cheek. Ethan closed his eyes and tightened his hold on the man. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in his ear.
Addy pulled back with a small smile. “It’s okay. I can tell when someone is trying to forget. I thought I might be able to help.”
“You have.” Ethan sighed. “But I need to go.”
He kissed Addy’s cheek and stepped back. He hesitated for a second longer and then turned to their table. Christi and Kole were in a conversation with a man and a woman who had joined them. Ethan grabbed his jacket and touched Christi’s shoulder.
“I’m going. Have a good night. You, too, Kole.”
“But what about…” Christi waved her hand towards the dance floor, and Ethan smiled.
“Good night.”
He escaped from the building as quickly as he could and stopped, hands on hips, head dropped back, and stared at the stars as he breathed in the cool night air. What was he doing? He couldn’t put his life on hold because of one man who was unlikely to be returning.
How was Joey coping with being back? From what Joey had told him, the funeral was the following day. Would he make it through?
Ethan sighed, cursing himself because he wanted to be there for him. He wanted to hold his hand, slide his arm around his waist to hold him up on one of the toughest days of his life. Burying his best friend—or any person—was not something Ethan would wish on anyone. But Joey didn’t deserve this. Especially as he was the one to find Elliott.
He wandered down the street towards home, not wanting to get a taxi yet, and pulled out his phone. He stared at Joey’s number. Would it make things worse to hear his voice? Would he make things worse for Joey?
Ethan sighed and shoved the phone into his pocket again. Joey had left and had a lot of things going on. He didn’t need Ethan butting in and making it worse.
He’d only walked ten more steps when he pulled the phone out again and hit call before he could reconsider. As the ringing sounded in his ear, he closed his eyes and shook his head. What was he doing?
