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I frowned. Of course, they called Avery first, so she could come and patronize me for being such a loose cannon. So she could ‘mom’ me like she always did.
“I want another beer,” I muttered and played with the crystal around my neck.
“You’ve had enough,” Declan said sternly.
I pouted.
He shook his head at that. I guess my pout only worked on Felix.
“Gem, why are you crying?”
I pressed a finger against my cheek and felt moisture there. Maybe I was a little too drunk because I hadn’t even felt the tear. Thinking of Felix and how he broke me again made me come undone.
Declan offered me his hand, and I took it, but stumbled onto my feet. He rolled his eyes and led me out of the bar.
“I’m not walking your drunk ass all the way home. Crash on my couch tonight,” he said and led me toward the brewery.
Declan lived above the tattoo shop a couple of doors down from the brewery in a tiny apartment. I think he just liked that it was so close to his work. I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to crash on his couch, but it was getting harder to walk just the block to his apartment. I drank way more at Sullivan’s than I’d realized.
Declan grunted at me as he helped me up the steps, and as soon as we got inside, I flopped down on the couch. He brought me a glass of water and sat down in the armchair with a look that told me to ‘spill.’
“Why didn’t you take the job?” he asked.
“I couldn’t!” I groaned and sat up to gulp down the water. Okay, getting drunk by myself and having a pity party was a bad idea. I probably made a scene at the bar tonight too.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t go back to working side-by-side with the man who broke my heart. My heart can’t take it!”
Declan rubbed a hand across his clean-shaven jaw. His five o’clock shadow was coming in, and he looked annoyed. “Have you even talked to Felix? Did you let him explain what happened?”
“Sorta,” I mumbled.
His email didn’t explain everything, but I knew something had happened with his sister. I would have understood if an emergency came up, but the fact he didn’t bother to tell me before he rushed off hurt. He warned me he would always choose her over me, and I thought I understood that, but I didn’t. It hurt when I woke up and he was gone.
“Why don’t you like to go to Sullivan’s?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
He sighed. “Gem, I’ve only ever loved one woman in my entire life. She left for Stanford with my heart and never came back. That’s why I don’t like to go to Sullivan’s. It hurts too much to be reminded of Lila.”
“Then you understand why I can’t work at the brewery.”
He groaned. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“That’s what Avery said,” I scoffed.
“Because she’s right. Will you please come back to work?”
I shook my head. “I can’t.”
“I’m not gonna fire Felix. He’s our best bartender, and he’s been with the brewery since the beginning. Go to sleep, and in the morning, fix things with Felix. You’re both miserable, and you obviously miss each other. Stop being such a PITA.”
I flopped back on the couch. “Was she really the only woman you ever loved?”
“Don’t change the subject!”
“Tell me, Declan!”
“Annoying ass,” he grumbled. “Lila Sullivan was my soul mate, but then she left and never came back. End of story.”
