Wasn’t going to get lost in picturing it again.
“He’s always been a dick since the first time I met him,” I said. I shot Brody an apologetic look. “I don’t know why people don’t treat him like…”
“Like me,” Brody finished grimly. He seemed like he was taking it in his stride, but I wasn’t convinced.
“Or worse,” I shrugged. “What you did was years ago. He’s still like this now.”
“Yeah, well. I get the feeling I’m going to be making up for it for the rest of my life,” Brody sighed. He took another hit of his whisky. I felt bad for bringing it up again, but then again, it seemed like he couldn’t get away from the topic, anyway. “A stupid mistake I made in the first year of college, and I’m never going to hear the end of it.”
I hadn’t ever thought of it like that. We were all younger back then. Even though we’d only graduated a short while ago, four years was a long time. We’d learned to live independently, grown in our fields, taken jobs or started businesses. Some of us were even getting married. Four years ago, we’d pretty much all been stupid asshole kids.
Some of us were still stupid assholes now.
I didn’t know if Xavi was ever going to grow up, and on the face of it, I probably wasn’t much better, either.
But Brody…
Maybe I’d been looking at him all wrong.
There was a smashing sound from somewhere behind us that made me turn in alarm. The tinkling of broken glass falling to the floor was followed by a small cheer – some of Olly’s friends were laughing and pointing at Xavi, who had clearly just dropped his glass.
“Alright, that’s enough,” the bartender said. He pitched his voice loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bar. I gave him a once-over quickly; he was very masculine, all biceps and tight black shirt. I considered it for a moment. “I’m cutting you off.”
No; he wasn’t gay. I could feel it. No luck there.
I finished my cocktail and tried to get his attention anyway. “Can I get another one of these?” I asked.
“What part of cut off didn’t you understand?” he snapped, folding his arms across his broad chest. It was probably supposed to intimidate me, but I was already way too far gone to care. The thrill of alcohol was in my blood. I was still just self-aware enough to know it – but only just. One more drink and I would be able to slide happily onto the side of blissful ignorance.
And now I wasn’t allowed it?
“What?” I asked, glancing back over my shoulder to where one of the others was helping Xavi stand. “I didn’t drop the glass!”
“You’re with him,” the bartender said. He glowered at me. “I saw the three of you standing together. And I know you did all those shots yourself, earlier.”
I gaped. That was coming back to haunt me? Really?
“I’m not that drunk!” I protested. “I was just getting along there nicely. I’m minding my own business over here. He’s the one that was drinking too much!”
“Enough.” The bartender jerked his chin in the direction of the door. “Out of my bar. Now.”
“What?” I could only gape wider. I was pretty sure my eyes were bugging out of my head like in an old cartoon.
“You heard me,” he growled. “Or do you need me to call security?”
I moved away from the bar, annoyance and disappointment warring inside me. If I’d had a couple more drinks, I might have tried to stay or started a fight with him. Unfortunately, given the reason I was getting thrown out, I was actually still in my right mind.
“See you in the room,” Brody said, giving me an amused look and a wave of his hand.
“I don’t know what you’re grinning about,” the bartender thundered. “You’re out, too.”
“Wh- really?” Brody asked, looking down at the whisky he was still cradling.
“OUT!”
The bartender had lost his patience, and Brody clearly had even less interest in arguing than I did. He drained the last of his glass as I laughed at him, and then we were both stumbling towards the exit – just as a couple of security guards passed us on the way to grab Xavi.
Brody
