“Yeah, you said you’re too hot. Do you want to go outside and cool off for a minute?”
“Shit, yeah. That’s a great idea.” Oh shit, I think I’m going to puke. I turn around and walk towards the door, bumping into a few people on my way. “Oh, sorry dude,” I say to each of them. Actually, one of them might be a chair.
I step outside and immediately feel cooler. The girl walks me over the wall so I can lean against it, and the brick feels amazing against my back.
Chapter 48
Alex - Should Have Seen That Coming
“Hey guys,” I greet everyone as I slide into the end of the booth. “Hi Denise, it’s nice to see you again. I feel like I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to you.”
“Hi Alex, I hear you’re settling in alright.” She gives me a little wink. Damn, all these guys have big mouths.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” I laugh a little. “It’s a pretty cosmic coincidence, hey?”
“You can say that again. I never would believe it if it weren’t happening right in front of me,” Devon adds from the other side of the booth.
“What coincidence? What’s happening?” A boring looking guy sitting beside Denise asks. He looks completely out of place here. Dress pants, polo shirt, preppy hairstyle. He looks like a lost kindergartner wearing his new big boy clothes.
“Alex, this is my boyfriend, Andrew.” Denise makes the introduction. I hear a snort from Ryder. Interesting. I would never have pictured Denise with a guy like this.
“Alex and Connor were childhood sweethearts, and now Alex is working as Connor’s chef. Connor is madly in love with her still, but no one knows exactly how Alex is feeling. Isn’t that right, babe?” Ryder directs this last question at me, but he stares at Denise throughout his brief speech.
I can tell by how much he slurs his words that he’s had a lot to drink. That and the extensive collection of empty drink and shot glasses sitting in front of him.
“Let’s dance, Alex,” he says before climbing up over the table and coming down beside me and dragging me to the dance floor.
“You ok?” I ask him when we’re out of earshot of the rest of them. “You’re pretty trashed.”
“Andrew is a dickhead,” he says, like that explains how drunk he is. Although, maybe it does. “Did you see his stupid hair? And that shirt? He’s the complete opposite of Denise. She’s so hot, and edgy, and cool. He looks like a math teacher. A boring one.” He snorts at this last part, like it’s a tremendous insult. “I’m surprised he even spoke out loud. Usually he just looks around uncomfortably and whispers in Denise’s ear instead of talking to the rest of us.”
“Ah, I thought that maybe that was it. You can just admit that you have a thing for Denise, you know?”
“What?” he laughs, like it’s the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said to him. “Why would you say that? I just think that guy is a loser, and she’s way too good for him is all.”
“Yeah, ok.” I look up at him as he runs a hand through his hair. “She looks happy enough to me, though.”
He lets out a huge breath. “Yeah, she does.”
“But…” I prod.
“But I’m not. Not if she’s with him.” I stare into his eyes, urging him on. “If she’s with him and not with me.” Finally, he admits it.
“There you go,” I say. “Was that so bad? I’m your friend, remember? You can talk to me about stuff. Especially girl problems. I myself am a girl problem, so I know all about that shit.”
He can’t help but laugh at me calling myself a girl problem. “Not tonight, though,” he says. “Connor was really looking forward to your date tonight. Where is he anyway?”
I look around, not seeing Connor anywhere. “He was grabbing drinks and was going to meet me at the table. I don’t see him now though.” That’s weird.
“Meh,” Ryder says, pulling me into him to dance. “He probably just had to piss. He’ll turn up.”
We end up dancing to another song before going back to the booth, where there is still no sign of Connor.
“Did Connor make it over here yet?” I ask everyone.
They shake their heads or say no. Devon offers to come with me to the bar to see if Bill knows where Connor is.
“Hey Bill,” Devon yells so Bill can hear him over the crowd. “Have you seen Connor? He was supposed to grab drinks then come sit with us.”
