Casey
I pulled my arm back, then cracked the cue ball down the table, sinking the last solid. I’d been playing myself at a dive bar for the last couple of hours, nursing some beers on my day off and trying not to freak out about the situation I’d gotten myself into.
Hooking up with Russell and Blake was fucking hot, no doubt. I should enjoy that while I had the chance. I’d made a promise with myself a long time that I’d enjoy my life, and I shouldn’t let something stupid like these messy, complicated fucking emotions get in the way of that.
Except that Russell was kind of perfect. He wasn’t just some fling—he was this kind, gentle counterbalance to Blake’s gruff side. The two of them could take care of each other, and as soon as I saw that, it became impossible to forget.
I’d wanted to find someone for Blake. I just didn’t think it would hurt like this when I did.
And I definitely didn’t think it would be someone I wanted for myself. Not that I wanted Russell only for myself, but I did want him, in a way that felt a fuck of a lot like how I wanted Blake.
I grabbed my bottle of beer and tossed it back, finishing it off, then grunted and sent the eight ball into its pocket. Whatever storm was brewing in my head was fucking complicated, and I’d come out for the night to try to forget it.
“You want some competition, or you just going to keep cursing at yourself all night?”
I turned and saw a woman with curly dark hair and pursed purple lips. She was shooting me a skeptical look, her arms crossed over a thermal white shirt.
I licked the back of my teeth. “I’ll take some competition.”
“Good,” she said. “Regina.”
“Casey,” I told her with a nod.
Any other night, if I were trying to distract myself from my own sorry ass, I’d have tried to flirt with her. She definitely had the attitude I liked, and when Regina went and racked up the balls like she’d done it a million times before, I grinned, eager for a challenge.
That night, though, my cock didn’t respond at all. I was broken, hung up on Russell and Blake, and nothing was capable of distracting me from that.
Regina leaned back from the table, then nodded to indicate I should break. “So what are you so moody about, Casey?”
I snorted a laugh. “Is it that obvious?” I took my shot, but didn’t manage to sink one. “Never mind. I know it’s obvious. I’m a bartender. Sad drunks are like clowns.”
Regina laughed as she studied the table. “You’ve probably heard every sad story there is already.”
I stroked my beard as I considered it. “You know, I would have thought so, too.”
Regina sank one ball, then another. “Girl trouble?”
“Not exactly. Except the one who’s kicking my ass in this game.”
She looked up to me. “Boy trouble?”
“Little closer. But there’s two of them.”
Regina hovered over the table, and a grin slowly filled her face. “Damn, Casey. Can’t choose?”
I snorted a laugh. “More like two at once. And I should be back home fooling around with both of them, not stewing at a dive bar.” I turned my attention to my shots. “Shit,” I grunted when the cue ball landed in the pocket.
“My brother graduated from med school today,” Regina said, then lined up her shot. “Whole family is together right now, and I love them, but I’m stewing at a dive bar, too.” She took her shot, nailing it gracefully, then shrugged to me. “Winner buys a round of whisky?”
I laughed. “Sure. But I’m already pretty sure I’m buying. Why don’t you want to be at the graduation?”
“Because I’m a nurse, and they’ve never really been supportive of me. They think my job isn’t important, but Jay becoming a doctor is the pride of the family.” She took another shot and finally missed. “What’s wrong with your… Is threesome the word?”
I scratched the bottom of my beard. “I think it’s called a triad. But we’re not that. The other two guys, they could be happy together, maybe even settle down and all that, but I’m just, like, along for the ride.”
Regina shook her head. “Then what are you upset about, if you’re just along for the ride?”
I thought about it, and for a second, I felt kind of drunk. I glanced at the empty beer bottles I hadn’t cleared away, then tried to think of a way to answer her question. Frustrated emotions swirled around in my head, and the things I wanted all felt like they were crashing into each other.
