Wes stepped forward. “You heard him. I’ll get Blaise back to his hotel suite, and I’ll make sure he stays there until one of you returns.”
Wes was a good friend.
Blaise wasn’t. “I’m sorry.”
“I know.” Wes helped him stand. “Let’s get you out of here.”
Blaise reached for the bottle.
Wes pulled him away from the table. “Nuh-huh. The only thing you need is water and Hadley.”
“She chose you over me.”
“No, you big old lump. Hadley wasn’t choosing me.”
Wes walked him toward the exit, each step took effort and more than once Blaise thought he would stumble, but Wes kept him upright.
“She was doing the right thing, trying to help you realize what’s important,” Wes continued. “It’s not the bet, in case you missed that.”
Blaise groaned. “I screwed up.”
“Big-time.”
“I need to know she’s safe.”
“Once we’re at the hotel, I’ll get my security on it, too, but Lex and Rizzo will find her.”
If she was still in town. Blaise couldn’t see Hadley throwing herself a pity party. He doubted she was in Las Vegas because he’d given her no reason to stay.
He swayed, his world kept tilting. But all he could see was the video, playing in a continuous loop in his drunken mind.
He’d fired her. Told her everything between them was pretend. Kicked her out of his life.
All he’d wanted was to win, but he’d lost.
Lost so much.
Lost…everything.
* * *
Could this day get any worse?
Not even ten o’clock on a Saturday, and five clients had told Hadley her matchmaking services were no longer required. All requested refunds because she had a money-back guarantee. In seven years, no one had asked for their money back.
Until today.
She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying.
Audra and Ryder sat on the couch, watching a cartoon. Their cereal bowls were on the coffee table next to half-full cups of orange juice. The smiles on their young faces told Hadley they were oblivious to how awful she felt.
Good. She wanted to keep it that way.
Ten more emails sat in her inbox. Four voice messages had been left on her cell phone. And she was afraid to open or listen to any of them. The courage she used to start the business had deserted her.
She hated that.
Hated that she didn’t know how to bravely face what was happening. But no matter how much the optimist in her wanted to believe those clients who’d emailed or called wanted to support her, she couldn’t.
