Instead, I take a deep breath and disappear into the glittering crowd, avoiding people.
Especially her.
Best if I stand alone in this corner with my whiskey, counting down the seconds until we can leave this place. I can’t risk getting closer to Tori.
That will only make things worse.
I know she’s trying to hold everything together. For herself, the team, even me.
Doesn’t mean I know how to stand next to her right now.
And it doesn’t make what just happened in there any less painful, less humiliating.
I finally get the text from her:Let’s go.
Setting my empty glass down on a tray, I head out. We meet at the double doors, Tori’s face all tight control. I say nothing, moving past her to the car.
The ride back to the hotel’s silent. The driver doesn’t even have the radio on, making the quiet that much louder. Tori doesn’t try to smooth over the situation and neither do I, both of us staring out our windows. Her fingers fidget with her gold chain and my knee bounces, anger and embarrassment churning in my gut.
Just as we’re pulling up to the hotel, Tori reaches for me. Her fingers lightly squeeze my knee and I feel her touch deep in my chest. Something cracks open for a half-second, then I lock it down.
“I’m sorry about Eleanor,” she whispers.
I don’t respond, my jaw tight. There’s too many thoughts whirring around, none of them good.
The car stops and I climb out, not bothering to wait for her. I stalk through the lobby and hustle into the open elevator, jamming the button for eight.
I ride up to my floor, leaving Tori behind.
I don’t want to be with her right now. Don’t trust what I’d say.
I’m better off alone.
Back in my room, I head straight to the minibar. Yankthe fridge open and grab a tiny bottle of whiskey. Pour the dark liquor into a glass and shoot it.
The liquid burns all the way down.
But at least I feel something.
I reach for the next bottle and unscrew the lid, not bothering with the glass this time.
I don’t even taste it.
I peel off my jacket and toss it on the bed, head to the bathroom. Maybe I can shower off this horrific night.
Standing beneath the spray, I replay the evening. Everything was fine until we ran into Eleanor MacDonald. That woman’s toxic, spreading venom everywhere she goes.
But Eleanor didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.
And Tori couldn’t say anything to prove her wrong.
The two of us can’t work. Not in the real world.
That’s the part that stings.
I’m still the same old guy.
The wild one.
