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We order, and Ryder gives her his credit card and tells her to start a tab.
“Yes, sir,” she says and leaves.
Then a girl with wavy shoulder-length hair the color of truffles smolders by in what might be the tightest spaghetti-strap party dress I have ever seen. The contest begins between Ryder and my brothers on who will bring her home.
While they bang on their chests, my mind wanders. Maybe what’s happening is payback for the way I’ve treated women all these years. But what was wrong with what I did? They knew my intentions upfront because I was honest about it. It was purely sexual and nothing else. A one-time thing with no strings attached.Everybody wins.
I slump back in my chair and stare at nothing. With Amber, it was never purely sexual. Her being a one-time thing never entered my mind. I knew she was the one when I saw her. Had an engagement and wedding ring specially designed by a master craftsman.
And it wasn’t cheap.
I thought I did everything right, but I guess I didn’t.
“Here you are.” Our waitress sets the drinks in front of us.
I pick mine up.
“Anything else?” She hands Ryder his credit card back, and he slips her a twenty. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Ryder repeats, and then continues, “My friend—” he juts his chin at me “—might need another drink here soon, so if you could check back in about five minutes, that would be great.”
“I’ll do that.”
She turns and leaves, and Rob says, “I’d do her.”
I hear his words. Really hear them, and I have to say, I’m rather disgusted. She’s a human being and deserves respect.
“Don’t, Rob.” I unintentionally use a brisk tone.
“Don’t what?” He bristles. Not pleased with my retort. I’ve said the same thing before, so maybe I shouldn’t have commented. He probably even learned it from me.
“Now, let’s not,” Blake interjects. He understands things are about to become contentious.
“Sorry,” I say because I was the one who started it.
“I’m sorry, too,” Rob says. “I know you didn’t mean it.”
I tip my glass and let the alcohol pour down my throat. “Need to use the bathroom.” I lurch out of my chair. “Order me another drink, would you?”
“Sure thing.”
After relieving myself, I return to the table and drink more than I should, faster than I should. And that’s the last thing I remember until I wake up the next afternoon in an unfamiliar bedroom.
My clothes are still on, which is a good sign. It hopefully means I didn’t sleep with anybody. I crawl out of bed and drag myself to the next room. It’s a living area, and Rob is on a couch watching one of the HDTVs.
He waves the remote at me. “How are you feeling?”
“Where are we?”
“The Waldorf.”
“What?”
“Had a change of plans. We all got girls, and Ryder’s place wasn’t private enough if you get my meaning.”
“I didn’t pick anybody up, did I?”
“No. You paid for the rooms, though, so thanks for that.”
