Chapter Sixteen
Jens:Hey, bitch, where the hell are you? Text me after work.??
I sighed, then put the phone back on the bedside table. I hated to avoid my best friend, but I didn’t have anything new to tell him, and I was tired of talking about the same thing over and over again.
I had talked about it with Connor when I asked him if he still had the loft apartment to rent. He’d been thrilled to help me move my few things over. None of the other apartments were rented yet, and he was happy to have someone he trusted on the property when the bar wasn’t open. The plus side was the commute to work was less than a minute. I could roll out of bed ten minutes before work and still be on time.
Not that I would ever do that. I got up, got dressed to perfection, and sashayed down the steps like a girl from the 1920s in a Busby Berkley number. I wasn’t wearing feathers or a boa, but a stray sequin might have made an appearance.
I wasn’t doing it for the Star pub crowd, even though I told myself I was. I was doing it in case a certain red-headed idiot finally came back in the bar. I had it on good authority he’d made it back to town two days ago, but he hadn’t come to the bar yet—to see me. Connor told me he called and told him to get his ass over here or he’d cut him out of the wedding which was only two weeks away.
Remy and Lachlan had dropped by my place last night for beer and pizza, they said. But they both told me they’d talked to James and told him to quit being a dumbass. We laughed and had a good time together. Lachlan was gorgeous and like a smaller twinkier Connor. We’d both found out we loved old Hitchcock movies, so he’d brought his copy of Notorious and we all three drooled over Cary Grant. I told them I’d always had a thing for Claude Raines, too, mostly because of his voice.
It was a great night, but the more everyone brought up James, the more it hurt that he hadn’t even texted me while he was gone or now that he was back. Maybe the more everyone bugged him about me, the more he didn’t want the hassle. I finally told the guys to cut it out before they left.
“If he wants to talk to me, he knows where I am. If not, I’m all set here. I’m used to taking care of myself. I can do fine on my own.”
Remy had looked at me with a knowing look. He knew how hurt I was. He could read me like I could read him now. I liked it most of the time, but right now, I would have loved to keep my vulnerability to myself.
Now it was almost after noon on a Saturday, and I was due at work in an hour. I dragged my sad self out of bed and decided to shower and get ready for another day. Maybe this was the day my life would finally start going in the right direction.
* * *
At six o’clock,I decided to take my first break of the shift. I’d waited too long, but I wanted to make sure the new guy Connor had just hired would work out. He was good, and not bad to look at in a cuddly bear kind of way. Billy Wayne Strickland was a dark-haired, burly, bearded guy with a soft voice and a gentle touch with a cocktail shaker. He was quick to smile and laughed at himself before anyone else could. I liked him instantly. The fact that he knew how to tend the bar and make the customers happy was icing on the cake.
Remy had come in to hang out for a while this evening, as he did most Saturday evenings lately. It seemed to always coordinate with a certain police officer coming in to end his day, too. I didn’t know what was up between Dalton and Remy, but it seemed deep and something I didn’t want to pry into. I’d done enough prying into my new friend’s sensitive past. I was staying away from this one.
“So, I’ve got a date with this curvy blonde tomorrow afternoon. She wanted to go on a picnic, can you believe it? I’m hoping it’s code for do me in the woods on a blanket.”
I stared at Remy with my mouth half-open, then quickly shut it and coughed to hide my surprise.
“You have a date with a woman? I didn’t know you were bi.”
“I’m an equal opportunity dater, or so Connor very politely calls me. I’m pan actually. I don’t care about what the person is, just who they are. If I’m attracted to them, then it’s all systems go. I haven’t gone out with a woman for a while, and I feel like something’s missing in my dating life right now. So, I’m switching it up and seeing if I’ve just been barking up the wrong penises.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, but I was a little worried about Remy. He seemed restless since he’d told me about his past. I wasn’t sure what was going on in his head, but there were plenty of us to keep an eye on him in case he needed anything or anyone.
All of a sudden, I thought Remy could really use a hug. So, I went around the bar and threw my arms around him, giving him a good squeeze. He hesitated for a second, then he latched onto me and squeezed me just as tight. We just stood there hugging at the bar for at least a minute, neither one of us saying anything nor trying to move. We needed the comfort only a friend could provide. After that minute, I whispered in his ear, “Anytime you need to talk, anytime you need tonottalk, I’ll be here, my friend.”
I squeezed him one more time, then pulled back and kissed his cheek before stepping out of his hold completely. I raised my eyes over Remy’s shoulder and looked straight into the hurt and confused gaze of James. Oh, shit, what had I done?
* * *
James
You waited too long,asshole, and you missed your one chance.
My inner voice had been a real bitch lately, but she wasn’t wrong this time. I knew I had been a chicken shit by waiting until Saturday to come see Ethan, but I was afraid to face what I’d done. I had scheduled my days off at the office, so I only had a few patients who were upset about being rescheduled. But the work at my shop I honestly did have to catch up on when I got back. I had a set of custom wedding rings that had to be finished this week, so I’d hidden every night in my shop behind the pretense of a deadline.
I hadn't been able to avoid the hostile phone calls and voicemails, even there. Connor had giving me the riot act and threatened me with the wedding if I didn’t get it together. Remy had been more understanding, but he still insisted I stop being the idiot Aunt Lillian said I was. Aunt Helen had called just to go over wedding plans, which was a wonderful change until she told me I better bring Ethan as my plus one or she would disinherit me.
But I’d waited too long.
While I’d been off in the country licking my old wounds, Remy had been here for Ethan. He’d listened and been the shoulder I should have been. Ethan could have been in my bed the last week if I hadn’t been such a cowardly fool. I wouldn’t run this time, though. I’d accept my place and be happy for them.
I walked as easily as I could over to the bar and seeing Dalton at the other end, I changed course and headed his way.
“Hey, Dalton, how have you been lately?”
