“Cory, what’s up?” Carter answered, making an effort not to sound disappointed.
“John, please tell me you’re free tonight. I finally have a night off and I need to get drunk like you can’t believe.”
John laughed. He hadn’t talked to Cory since that night at Club Thorn, and catching up sounded like fun.
“Sure, I’m free. Where and when do you want to meet?”
“Anywhere, and as soon as possible. I’m just heading home to change and then I’m free. What about you?”
“I’m on my way home from work,” John said. “How about we meet up at that bar we went to before Christmas. You know, the one with the weird tables and the buff bartenders?”
“Bangers? Sure, that sounds good. When can you get there?”
John did the math in his head. “An hour sound good?”
“Perfect.” Cory sounded relieved. He must be really stressed if he was this eager for a night out.
“Great, I’ll see you there.” John hung up the phone and slid it back into his pocket. He then mounted his bike, pulled on his helmet and gloves, and headed home.
***
Cory in person was even more stressed than he’d been on the phone. John found him sitting at a table close to the bar, ignoring the muscular bartender who was obviously trying to catch his eye and flirt with him.
John had never seen Cory ignore a cute guy before.
“Hey, Cory,” he said, greeting his friend with a quick hug. He hung his leather jacket over the back of his chair and sat down. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You too,” Cory said, shoving a glass of beer across the table. “I went ahead and ordered for you.”
“Thanks.” John took a sip. The beer was good, but not as good as the special brands that Carter had gotten him used to. He couldn’t believe that the werewolf had succeeded in turning him into an alcohol snob. “So what’s up? You seemed pretty desperate for a night out.”
Cory groaned, closing his eyes and giving his head a shake. “I’m just so tired. I’m at work all the time, and the senior doctor in charge of me is a major dick. I hate my life.”
“That bad?” John asked. Cory had always wanted to be a doctor, so it kind of sucked seeing him not enjoying it now that he’d become one.
“No, it’s fine. I mean… it’s just for another two months and then I rotate. All I need is a good night’s sleep and some rest.”
John tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “And so you decided that the best way to do that was to go out with me and get drunk?”
That didn’t really make sense.
“Yep,” Cory said, grinning obnoxiously. He was in a weird mood, and John recognized it from when they were in college and Cory had studied to the point of exhaustion. Cory always got hyper when he was this tired, and making him actually go to sleep was close to impossible.
“I don’t think so,” John said, getting up from his chair. “Come on. We’re going back to your place to play video games until you fall asleep.”
Cory frowned. “But I want to get drunk,” he whined, leaning forward and clinging to the table like a two-year old. John put on his jacket and gave Cory a hard stare.
“Do you have to be at work in the morning?” he asked.
“Not until seven am,” Cory said, as though that was alatestart to the day.
“And do you want to be hungover then?”
Cory shook his head, climbing out of his chair and putting a pair of twenties down on the table.
“You win,” he said, putting on his coat. “Let’s go be nerds who don’t get laid.”
John laughed, clapping Cory on the back and leading him out of the bar. It was pouring down outside, and John was glad it hadn’t started while he was at work. Driving his bike in the rain sucked.
