After adding my congratulations, I made my excuses and went to the bar. I was now desperate to see what Cash and Harper were doing, which I knew was ridiculous; it’s not like the girl would be straddling him in the middle of the fucking party.
I ordered a couple of beers. I was especially anxious, having driven to my mother’s house the other day with Hudson and posted my note.
I had kept my message brief.
This is Phoenix, remember me? The son you left behind.
I know who you are.
I suggest you agree to meet with me.
I also added my cell number and suggested she contact me. The fact that I did that the day before yesterday and hadn’t heard anything sincepissedme off. Part of me needed her towantto get in touch without having to resort to threats of turning up uninvited on her doorstep. But I’d do both if she forced my hand.
“What are we having?” Courtney’s voice slid into my thoughts.
I released a puff of frustration and twisted towards my ex-fuckbuddy. There was no escape. “What do you want?” I nodded towards the displayed spirits on the racks of the pop-up bar. Court was a tequila girl.
She misunderstood me on purpose. “Now that’s a leading question, Mr. Carter.”
I was wearing gray shorts and a wife-beater; I hadn’t dressed up, and yet Courtney viewed my body like I was naked. I watched as she ran her fingernails up and down my arm, tracing my tats as I rested my hand on the counter.
“I meant from the bar,” I replied dryly.
She blew a raspberry and twirled her hair. “What I had in mind is much more fun.”
I took a drink from my beer and gave her a lopsided smile. She was cute. Aggravating, but still cute. “I thought we’d agreed to just be friends.”
She sighed and ordered a tequila shot from the waiting barman.
“I know, but my vibrator just doesn’t cut it.”
“Courtney,” I said in warning as I glanced around. Luckily, no one heard. “Lower your voice.”
The shot glass touched the counter, and Courtney was fast off the mark, knocking it back.
Her shoulders then slumped. “You really are Brutal, both on and off the field.”
“You holding up OK?” I asked. She seemed agitated, and I suspected I wasn’t the reason for that.
And then the floodgates opened. She told me about how her ex, Maxwell Stone, was now banging Neive Cooper, a curvy girl in our Sports Comms class.
After a glance towards where I’d left Reed and Storm, I could see they’d taken off, and so I finished my beer and started on his.
Shit, I’d never been the best listener, but I knew the girl beside me needed an ear, and so I leaned against the bar and joined her on the shots.
Considering my mood, that probably wasn’t the best idea.
Courtney started to show me some of the messages she’d exchanged with Maxwell, and my protective side kicked in. It was a cake and eating it type of scenario; anyone could see that. Well, anyone standing on the sidelines, I imagined, Court only saw what she wanted to see; that there was a chance that they could get back together. But from the sounds of it, his actions suggested he was playing the field and lying about it. I disagreed with giving women mixed messages. Especially after what Melanie had done to me. The older woman I had believed myself to be in a relationship with, only to have my heart ripped out. My thoughts twisted to Harper. Since she’d been back and I’d seen her as a woman, those confusing feelings I’d experienced proved to me that what I had felt for Mel had been an infatuation. Not the real deal. My feelings for Harper, whilst still being classed as screwed up, were much stronger. More genuine.
As Courtney knocked back another tequila and threw her arm around me, I had to steady her before she almost fell off the barstool she was perched on. I liftedher hand and placed it on the bar. Her fingers curled as she clutched the wooden counter like it was a life raft.
Save me from intoxicated females and their shit. I’d never considered myself a white knight. But even though I knew I would never touch Courtney again, she needed a friend, and I would be that person. It was the right thing to do.
I had made Harper a promise, even if our fight after that discussion hadn’t allowed us to seal the deal. I wouldn’t take any ‘victims’ as she had called them back to our house and flaunt them in her face.
Although, wasn’t that exactly what the intoxicating little witch was doing at that party, behind my backandmy front for that matter? Literally!
Before I could give in to any urges to turn around. I knocked back my drink and nodded my head sympathetically as the female beside me explained in detail why all men were dicks.
