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Harry
“I’m not going,”Drew announced. “I’mtoobusy.”
“You’re lounging by my pool. How busy can you be?” I shook my head in frustration. Depressed Drew made Eeyore seem positivelygiddy.
“Well, I am rightnow, but I have lots of stuff I need to do.” He crossed his arms over his chest and burrowed deeper into thecushion.
“You’ve been working on your tan at my place since we left Vegas a week ago,” I grumbled. “As far as I can tell, your ‘stuff” has consisted of rolling from stomach to back and back to stomach while drinking me out of my bestScotch.”
“I said I’d replace it. You know I’m good for it.” Drew sat up and glared at me. He cleared his throat and I knew exactly what he was about to say, because he’d said it roughly six times a day since he took up residence at my place seven long, miserabledaysago.
“Wait. Let me guess. You inherited a ton of money from your recently deceased uncle, which, along with your trust fund, probably makes you the richest among us. Oh, and you’ve also decided you’ve inherited his lifestyle and fully expect to die sad and alone.” My brow rose in challenge. “Did I leaveanythingout?”
He shrugged. “That about covers it, I guess.” Then he lay back down on the lounger. “I mean, I couldn’t even find a hook-up in Vegas. How patheticisthat?”
“Not as pathetic as you staying drunk for more than a week,” I muttered while I stood and grabbed my towel from the back of mychair.
“What was that? If you have something to say, don’t worry about holding back now.” Drew stood rather unsteadily to look me in the eye. “Just let itallout.”
“Lay off the booze. You’re becoming a drunk.” I wrapped my towel around my shoulders. “If you don’t give your liver a break, you won’t get to die old, sad, and alone. You’ll die young. Is that whatyouwant?”
The color drained from Drew’s face. “No.” His chin dropped and he stared at the patio. “I don’t want to die, but right now, I don’t know how to live.” He blew out abreath.
I sank back down in my chair. “Are you suicidal? Do I need to get help?” I swallowed hard, but this was as close as Drew had ever come to admitting he wasdepressed.
He dropped onto the end of the lounger. “No. I said I don’t want to die.” He huffed like I was an annoyance. “I don’t know what to do withmyself.”
“Like a career? Because having a job and responsibilities is a good start.” I leaned on my knees and studied him more closely than I hadbefore.
Drew shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s nothingIlike.”
“You could buy a bar?” I had to dig deep for that one and winced as soon as I spoke thewords.
He let out a hollow laugh. “I don’t think being around alcohol is the best idea for me anymore. As you’ve been so kind to point out, I’m quick to climb into a bottle when faced withadversity.”
“Didn’t you go to school for something?” I scratched my head, which felt tenderandhot.
“Law.” Drewsighed.
“Oh, well then, go be a lawyer.” I grinned, thinking the problem would besolved.
He shook his head. “Ican’t.”
“Why the hell not?” I threw my hands intheair.
“I never took the bar.” He paused and glanced at me weakly before sighing and explaining. “I was finishing my law degree when my father suggested I intern at his firm. After spending a week there, I’d already changed my mind about being a lawyer. Then he actually suggested I should jointhefirm.”
“That bastard.” I rolledmyeyes.
Drew leaned forward. “You don’t understand. I saw my life flashing beforemyeyes.”
“Whoa.” I stopped him before he could say another word. “Like death? You equate being a lawyer with a near death experience? You’re trulyinsane.”
“Did I say that, jackass?” He glared at me. “No, I thought of working with my father, slowly morphing into him and copying his life was a death sentence.Gotit?”
I tugged at my chin. “Okay, I can see that. I don’t want to be my father either. Still, I knew I had to be something, someone. I had to haveajob.”
