“Hey, I didn’t say the forbidden phrase.”
I give him a deadpan expression. “Close enough.”
He laughs, unrepentant. Holt gets to the table a few seconds later with two beers in his hands. “Sorry, Gray. You showed up when I was already on my way back.”
“All good. I haven’t decided if I’m going for beer or liquor tonight. London’s with her mom this weekend.” Something flashes in his blue eyes. I suddenly get the feeling we’re out for my birthday because he needed the distraction.
It’s probably shitty of me, but it makes me accept being out with my friends a whole lot easier if I know it’s not solely for me. I don’t want to be the center of attention. They know this about me, so pushing for a gathering for my birthday was annoying. Grayson needing a distraction makes a whole lot more sense.
I want to ask if this is about Kylie, but the fact that he used me to get together instead of just asking us to hang out with him as he normally would tells me he’s not ready to talk about it yet. He will eventually—he always does.
“I’ll make sure you get home.” I say it offhandedly, as if I don’t care what he does. Calling him out for wanting to get drunk would just be stupid, and I don’t feel like getting into a discussion about it tonight.
Grayson taps the table with his palm before heading to the bar. Holt raises an eyebrow at me, his question clear.You good to take care of him?
I nod in response. It doesn’t surprise me that Holt picked up on the same things I did. He’d have taken Gray under his wing if I hadn’t. The way my friends can rally behind each other is the reason I’m never truly annoyed with them. I don’t always agree with the choices they make, nor do I want to spend every waking moment with them the way Gray does, but without a doubt, I can count on them to be there when shit goes down. They’ve more than proven that to me on countless occasions.
Holt and I sit in comfortable silence while we wait for Gray to get back from the bar. The music is loud but not headache-inducing. Most people are on the dance floor tonight, which makes the seating area quieter.
It doesn’t take long for Gray to get a drink. Emmett is following behind him with a drink in hand as well. He sits in the chair to my left, tapping Holt on the shoulder to say hello. Gray sits on my right with a smirk on his face. He takes a sip ofhis bourbon as he eyes me over the glass. “Heard a rumor about you the other day.”
I give him a bland look but don’t respond. It amazes me that people can find things to gossip about every day. I don’t engage with any of them, and yet they still feel the need to talk about me.
“Harvey and Larry at the hardware store were talking about the shit you gave them over a ladder?”
“Giving Harvey and Larry shit is easy, but what the fuck could you have said about a ladder?” Emmett asks.
I sigh. “They sold a defective ladder. Fucking thing fell apart under barely any pressure.” Fuck knows Farrah doesn’t weigh more than a sack of potatoes. It should never have broken that easily.
Holt cringes. “That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
Nodding, I take a sip of my beer. “Suing is too big of a hassle though. Instead, I got them to give me a new one.”
“Can’t believe they’d sell something like that to you. You’d think they’d have enough brain cells to know you’d take them to task over it,” Emmett points out.
“And don’t you already have a couple of ladders? What did you need a new one for?” Grayson asks.
I take another drink with a shrug. Lying to them pisses me off, so I choose silence instead. They don’t need to know I helped Farrah. If I said anything, it would only open the door for even more questions I don’t want to answer.
I’m still trying to figure out how the fuck I got into that situation in the first place. And why I can’t stop thinking about the way she felt in my hands. Her ribs were showing. It’s been stuck in my head ever since. Is she just tiny, and that’s why, or is she not eating? She mentioned her money situation. As a teacher, I can’t imagine she has all that much. After all the renovations she’s done, it would be hard to believe she’s swimming in cash.
Then again, she could have more money than she knows what to do with.
I have got to stop thinking about that fucking woman.
It’s only then that I realize my three best friends have had a silent conversation while I’ve been distracted.
Yet another point against Farrah.
“Whatever the three of you are thinking, knock it off.”
“Something is going on with you, and we’re just making sure you’re okay.” Grayson’s earnest face is the only reason I’m able to keep my temper in check. I know they mean well. They’re being good friends, but I can’t explain what the hell is happening to me. Ever since that woman came to town, I haven’t been thinking clearly.
“I’m fine.” None of them believes my words. I don’t really believe them either, but they’re all I can offer.
“You know we’ll be here for you no matter what’s going on,” Holt says gently.
I nod. It’s all I can do with the lump in my throat. I have got to get a fucking grip on whatever this is. I drain my glass to help shove everything away. “I’m going to get another beer. Anyone else want anything?”
