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Little shit.
I don't notice Cass pouring shots until he's holding one out to me, the potent smell of straight vodka ticking my nose. “We've let you mope, buddy.”
“For six long fucking months,” Nick mumbles under his breath, earning thumps and disapproving glares from the other two. “What? He's been living his little vow of silence and celibacy for too long. It's not healthy.”
“Yeah, because you wouldn't be any less pathetic if Amelia broke up with your sorry ass.” Cass winces the moment the words leave his mouth, shooting me an apologetic glance. “Sorry.”
I just roll my eyes.
Silent, maybe a little.
Pathetic, probably.
Celibate, not exactly. It's just been a dry spell, with a brief interlude somewhere around my birthday, I think. I thought it would help but it just left me feeling nauseous and empty with my sheets stinking of an unfamiliar perfume and my favorite shirt stained with an awful shade of orange lipstick.
It’s just… I haven’t changed. One heartbreak didn’t suddenly arouse an urge for meaningless hookups. I still want a bit of substance or stability or fucking feelings or whatever.
Even if it is kind of terrifying that, out of everyone, the romantic status I envy the most is Nick’s.
How times fucking change.
With a sigh, the already-on-the-route-to-engagement man sits down on the edge of my bed. “I have to tell you something.”
“Don't,” Ben butts in only to be ignored.
“She's seeing someone Jackson.”
Oh, how I wish he wasn’t close enough for mishearing him to be an option. “What?”
“Wethinkshe's seeing someone,” Cass corrects, shooting Nick a scowl. “I was dropping Amelia off at Luna's new place a couple of months ago. Some guy was leaving her apartment.”
That means nothing. She has a roommate.
As if sensing my thoughts, Cass continues, “Amelia said Pen's got a boyfriend. It wasn't him.”
Okay.
It still doesn't mean anything. He could be anyone. A friend. A delivery man. I don't know, a fucking electrician.
A hand lands on my shoulder. Ben offers me a soft, sad smile that has me bracing for more. “Cass and I drove past that new office she's working at a couple of weeks ago. She was with the same guy.”
Something about the way he says it, the way he averts his gaze, tells me thatshe was with the same guyis code for something worse.
Okay.
Fine.
She's seeing someone.
That's okay. It was bound to happen, sooner or later. Maybe I was hoping for later but whatever. I don't care. I shouldn't care. I'm not allowed to care.
Fuck it.
Rolling back my shoulders, I snatch the shot Cass is still holding out of his hand. Without second-guessing it, I knock back the foul-tasting liquid. Shoving the empty glass back towards Cass, I get to my feet, slapping my hands against my thighs. “First round's on me.”
39
LUNA
