“I fucked up.” Jake’s fingers maneuvered over the controller with the ease of practice as he relayed the gist of his last conversation with Olivia.
“Women,” his friend scoffed. “This is exactly why I don’t date. I make sure they know the score up front. They get theirs, I get mine, everyone goes home satisfied. Anything else is more trouble than it’s worth.”
Jake was silent. Caleb couldn’t understand. He’d never known the love of a woman, growing up with just his dad. He liked Jake’s mom just fine, but it wasn’t the same. He held all women at arm’s length.
Love.
Jake rolled the word around in his mouth, testing it. HelovedOlivia. That’s why he’d been so upset at the studio. Someone he loved was in pain and he felt it as if it was his own. Worse.
He’dcausedit.
He was fucked.
They finished the game in silence, and Jake downed the rest of his beer. Beating Caleb atMaddenwasn’t enough of a distraction. He needed something else.
“You wanna switch toCall of Duty?”
“Need to blow some shit up?”
“Something like that.” He waited while Caleb called up the other game.
“You know, after this, we should hit the bar. Get some food, maybe get you laid.” Caleb waggled his eyebrows at his friend. “What do you say?”
“I’ll go but I’m only interested in beer and food.”
His friend shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
