The five percent battery I had left had fallen to three thanks to Lena’s incessant calls and texts. I ignored them and DM’d Rickie.
“Hey! Remember me? We met at LIV in Miami a few months ago. I’m in New York, and was just wondering if you wanted to meet up. No worries if not! Just figured I’d reach out. Thanks!”
That was awkward. And stupid. What the fuck was I thinking?
“OH MY GOD, RYDER! The hot gay doctor from Miami!!! Of COURSE I remember you!!” I wasn’t sure if she’d reply at all, much less ten seconds later. My palm opened around my phone as I stared at it.
She followed her first message with, “We would LOVE to see you! How long will you be in the city? Are you free tonight? We’re doing a drag happy hour in Alphabet City. Would you wanna meet us? We know one of the queens, so we’re going early, at like four. I think you’ll love her!”
I didn’t know what to say other than, “Yeah! Awesome! Thanks! Where is it?”
Chapter Twenty Two
Finn
It was almost one in the morning, with a full wedding the next day. I expected the house to be dark and quiet, like sneaking in when Miles and I were sixteen. The guys should’ve been sleeping off whatever booze they drank at the rehearsal. It wasn’t loud, but conversations floated in the air, hushed, rushed, and anxious.
“Finn, have you heard from him?” Mrs. Beckett approached me from behind in the kitchen. Deep worry lines and dark bags framed her eyes.
“Ryder?” I asked, and she nodded. “No, sorry, Mrs. Beckett, I haven’t. I’m sure he’s home by now.”
“He’s not. We stopped there on the way back from dinner.”
My stomach sank. I didn’t know where he was, but I cared. And was starting to worry.
“Can I do anything to help?”
“No, no.” She gave me a weak smile and patted my arm. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’ll turn up for the wedding.” She chuckled. “But thank you, hon. You never stop worrying about your kids, even when they’re grown. Maybe,” she looked past me, “check on Miles? He seems… Just make sure he’s okay.”
“Will do.”
I found Miles sitting by himself near their back door. He looked like shit.
“I’m sure he’ll turn up,” I said, assuming the best of him.
“Huh?” Miles took his time looking up at me.
“Ryder? He’s still missing.”
“Oh, uh, yeah. I’m sure he’s fine.”
I stared down at him for a few seconds. “Hey, can we talk outside for a sec?”
“Sure.”
He looked miserable, but not about his brother. I’d never wanted to punch him in the face so badly in the years I’d known him.
“Bree’s shitfaced,” I said once we sat down.
“Fuck… You saw that?”
“I drove her and your future sister-in-law to the hotel. Bell is fall-down drunk.”
“Damn.” He glanced away. “Thanks for that, man.”
“She told me a lot of stuff in the car, bro. Did you kick Ryder out of the best man spot ‘cause he’s gay?”
I’d never seen every muscle in a person’s body tense completely while their face went blank. Miles stared at me for a second until he hung his head and said, “Yeah.”
