“Thanks,” I reply with a curt nod. “You weren’t wrong, though. I wasn’t a good partner.”
“Sure you were,” he lies.
I roll my eyes as I take a drink. “There is absolutely no reason for you to kiss my ass, Jack.”
He chuckles. “I know that, but I’m not kissing your ass.” Leaning back in his seat, he wears a casual expression. “You really aren’t a bad partner. You can sometimes be a little rude and crass, but you hold me accountable. You strive for perfection and push everyone around you to do better. That’s not the worst quality in a business partner.”
“Not a good quality in a friend, though,” I mutter over my glass.
Jack shrugs. “Yes, it is.”
My eyes lift from the table to his face. For years, it’s felt like I’ve carried the burden of this strained relationship with Jack. And I know damn well I was the one standing between us and friendship.
“You’re a good partner, Julian. And a good friend.” With that, he lifts his glass, angling it toward me before taking a swig.
My teeth clench, and I don’t respond as I stare across the table at him. Then, doing something I never do, I clear my throat and mutter, “Thanks, Jack.”
With a haughty smirk on his face, he just watches me, and it’s torture.
“All right, enough with the serious shit,” I snap. “Let’s just get drunk now.”
“About time.” Laughing, he waves down Geo for another round.
Rule #32: Wear a dress for easy access.
Archer
Three weeks later
“Hey man, it’s me again. I just popped over to the docks tosee if you were at the fight tonight, but it looks like it busted up before it even started. Hope you’re doing okay? I’d love to grab a drink sometime.”
Glancing down at my phone, I hit the End Call button. It’s the third message I’ve left for Rex this week. I’m starting to get the feeling he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.
You think?
It’s been months since I’ve spoken to him, and even with everything going on with Julian and Freya, I miss having a friend.
It’s still early in the evening as I walk back toward the apartment. It’s over an hour’s walk from here, but I don’t mind the quiet. I have a lot on my mind, and it feels as if my life is caught in a tornado that picked me up where I was and is about to drop me in a totally new location.
The man I was six months ago was alone and on a path ofdestruction. The man I am today is in love and happy and hasn’t had a black eye in months.
A new text pops up on my phone, and I glance down eagerly, hoping for something from Rex. Instead, it’s our group chat, which I have recently namedElevator Orgy.
Freya: Arch, where are you?
She’s asking from a place of love and concern. The old Archer would have been annoyed with that text. The new Archer adores it.
Archer: Out for a walk
“Care for some company?” The voice from behind me makes me nearly jump out of my pants. Turning around, I spot Freya and Julian walking down a residential street toward me. She has her arm looped in his as he smirks knowingly at me.
“You scared the fuck out of me,” I bark, making Freya giggle.
“You never should have shared your location with us,” Julian adds.
“No shit,” I snap. My heart is still pounding a mile a minute in my chest. As they catch up to where I’m standing, still having a minor heart attack, I loop my arm around Freya’s shoulder so we walk three abreast down the quiet street.
“Looking for Rex?” she asks.
