I was going to miss this.The thought of losing it made my stomach turn all over again, but I couldn’t cry. Cryingwould only make it worse. It’d seteveryoneoff, and the last thing anyof us needed was a room full of sobbing queens forming a sad cuddle pile andwailing that we’d miss each other.
The barest touch on myshoulder made me jump, and I looked up to see Logan hovering over the two ofus, fingertips resting on the seam of my sleeve.
We exchanged a silentlook—his eyes asked me if everything was okay, and I gave a tiny nod inresponse and cuddled Gabe a little closer.
Everything was as okay as itwas going to be.
Logan offered me a wry,tired smile, and sat down on the other armchair that made up the pair.
“You’ll always be my bestfriend,” Gabe promised. “And I will stab the son of a bitch who’s doing this toyou if I ever get my hands on him.”
“I know,” I laughed, thoughI wasn’t sure Gabewouldn’thave, aftereverything. “Iknow you would. That’s why you get to sit on top of me.”
I looked up and saw a crowdapproaching. Coming to say their goodbyes, too.
I’d never felt so loved andso lost at the same time, and I was glad I wouldn’t have to go home alonetonight.
Logan caught me again when Iglanced over at him, holding my gaze with those warm, soft eyes for threeheartbeats. Silently promising me that everything was going to be okay.
I wasn’t sure Ibelieved it, but I appreciated the sentiment.
SIX
LOGAN
“Didn’t expect you to be alightweight,” I teased as Ashley leaned against me, swaying ominously andgiggling to himself.
He wasn’tthatdrunk, but he’d left on a highnote after a group hug from all his friends, and I didn’t want to bring hismood down. Happiness was a rare and precious resource.
“I’m just taking advantageof my hot bodyguard,” he said, giggling again. “Do you know you could have hadanyone in that room? Even Gabe.”
“Isn’t he engaged?” I asked.
I’d learned a lot aboutAshley tonight.
Mostly, I’d learned thathe was well-loved by everyone he knew. They were all devastated to see him go.
I’d overheard Gabethreatening to stab Ashley’s stalker, and I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t do itmyselfif I found him.This wasn’tjust about Ashley. Whoever he was, he was breaking more than one life.
I didn’t understand. Icouldn’tunderstand whyanyone would do something like this, especially to someone who was as sweet asthe tipsy drag queen I was guiding home.
The bar hadn’t seemed farenough to drive to when we left, but I could see my mistake now. He would havebeenmucheasier to gethome in the SUV. Not to mention the pressure my leg was under.
“He offered me a threesome,”Ashley confessed in what he probably thought was a whisper. “Almost took him upon it, figured you wouldn’t like it though.”
Why wouldn’t I have likedit? It might have been a little awkward, but I’d dealt with worse things.
“You could have,” I said. “It’dbe unprofessional to tell you how many celebrities I’ve had to watch making out,but trust me. You can do whatever you want and you’ll still be less weird thanmy usual clients.”
Ashley laughed,straightening up a moment before leaning on me again, heavier than before.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” hesaid as we approached the front door of his apartment building.
I fumbled in my pocket forthe key he’dgiven me—Gabe’s old one—and propped him up against the door.
“Okay there?” I asked,sliding the key into the lock.
Ashley’s deep,heartfelt sigh in response told me everything I needed to know. He was okay,but he was hurting.
