AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What could I say?” Lex shrugs. “I told him to wrap it and make sure his door is locked next time.”
“Damn, is this what I have to look forward to?” Tatum looks mildly panicked.
Lex laughs and clasps his shoulder, gently shaking it. “Dude, you are in so much trouble with Chase.”
I take a sip of beer and shake my head. “Enough is enough.”
“Jesus, you dickwads sound like grumpy old men. This is why you should get divorced and be single like me.” Matt sits back and grins, putting his hands behind his head. “No problems or headaches here in Matt-ville, just easy-breezy living.”
“Shut up, ye tosser,” Lex says while Tatum throws a wadded-up napkin at his face. The server brings over two more rounds of whiskey.
“You might want to bring us a bottle and leave it at the table.” Tatum smiles charmingly at her.
“Shite, I’m gonna be pissed after this,” I grumble.
“Nothing like a little whiskey therapy.” Lex clasps my neck and shakes it. “Ye can stay the night at my place if ye need to.”
“You started without me?” Cam walks up to our table, shrugging out of his coat, and pulls up a chair.
“Cam!” We all lift our beers. My business partner and one of my best friends, Cameron Forbes, is the genuine real deal. He’s smart, successful, and has an incredible family. He’s a jammy chancer if there ever was one. And even though we’re not related by blood, he feels like a second brother to me.
Tatum thumps his brother-in-law on the back and hands him a shot. “Cam, you better catch up. We’ve got sparkles and unicorns and baby-mama problems to solve.”
“If TJ’s involved, you won’t be solving shit.” He smirks and lifts the shot to his lips. “Here’s to those who wish us well…”
“All the rest can go to hell!” we shout, taking a shot with him. He downs the shot and lifts the second one, pouring it down his throat in quick succession. He winces and slides the empty glass toward the others on the table.
“Aye!” we roar. Will pounds the table with his fist. The server comes by and drops off another round of beers and a bottle of their finest whiskey. My vision blurs as I try to read the label, so I give up and return my attention to the guys.
“Cheers to Connor for becoming a dad, because you know hell or high water, TJ is going to make it happen.” Cam claps me on the back.
“Cheers!” The guys pound the table again.
“Shite,” I mutter and down another shot. “Promise me one thing.”
“What’s that, brother?” Lex sways next to me.
“Done let TJ name the baby Lo-mew.”
“Did you say Low-mule?” Tatum laughs hysterically.
“Why am I suddenly craving lo mein noodles?” Will asks.
“Not even over my dead, fucking lifeless body will I let my nephew be named Mule,” Lex growls.
Cam shakes his head and laughs while Will and Matt argue over what Chinese place has the best lo mein. We clink our glasses again, and my world tilts on its axis. I laugh hard at a joke Cam makes and the whiskey washes away my angst over this whole baby thing.
The sunlight streamingthrough the blinds makes my head pulse. Rolling over in bed away from the light, I groan. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth and feels double in size than a normal tongue should. I try to peel my crusted eyes open. All I want to do is stumble to the bathroom for a piss, drink a large tumbler of ice water, and down some Tylenol so I can hide back under the covers for the rest of the day.
“Well, it’s ’bout time yer up. I was goin’ to have Da come in and use the cowbell on ye.” My mum bustles around the room picking up my clothes. I guess staying in bed is a pipe dream.
“Mum? What are ye doin’ here?”
“I should be askin’ ye the same, sure ye know. Yer brother and ye stumbled yer arses over here in the wee hours of the mornin’ and insisted we take ye in. Lex said ye were moanin’ and groanin’ about needin’ yer mum.” She sits down on the side of my bed and brushes the hair off my forehead. “Why are ye here,a stóirín?”
“TJ and I had a minor squabble, so the guys took me out drinking. I don’t remember much from last night.”
“Ah, so did the whiskey do it? Solve yer problems?”
