I sigh heavily. “Do you mind? I really just want to be alone. I’m clearly not in the mood to socialize.”
Maybe I can avoid being a complete dick to her if I’m just honest.
“What I’ve learned in all my years of taking care of Everett Finnegan when he was drunk is that the last thing you should beis alone when you’re like this. So, I’ll just sit here and if you want to talk, we can or we can just be quiet.”
Quiet it is. I have nothing to say because all it will do is make things so much fucking worse.
Max brings over her wine and my water. “I’d like another shot.”
He eyes me, looks to Hazel, which pisses me off, and then grabs the bottle, pouring me a shot. “I think after this you should…you know, go easy.”
I should do a lot of things, but right now, the only reason I’m not losing my mind is because I’m starting to feel numb. Not numb enough, of course. No, I would need an entire bottle to erase all the pain I’m in right now.
Just when I let myself hope.
Just when I opened myself up and told her I wanted her to stay, I’m reminded why I don’t do relationships.
Because they always fall the fuck apart.
“Why do they fall apart?” Hazel asks and I jerk my head back.
“What?”
“You said you were reminded why you don’t do relationships…”
“I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
She grins. “Yes, which is the beauty of getting smashed: you say and do dumb shit. So, I’m going to assume something happened with Tessa, which is why you’re here, wallowing in your whiskey.”
“I’m not talking about it,” I say, going for my glass but realizing it’s empty.
Great.
Hazel laughs softly, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs. “You know, I’ve always really liked you, Killian. Out of all the guys, you’re the most levelheaded, honest, and you’ve been patient. There are so many women in this town who have triedto turn your head, but you’ve let them all down easy. Trust me, it didn’t go unnoticed, even by them. There’s something about a man who can be kind even when saying something you don’t want to hear.”
“I had no intention of dating.”
“Until Tessa,” she finishes.
“We weren’t supposed to be dating either.”
She gives me one of those smiles. “Some women come into your life and smack you upside the head. We’ve seen it three times now. Ainsley wrecked Lachlan’s world, or…gave him the world. Then Penelope completely upended Miles’s life, which has been the best thing for him. Violet has turned Everett into a totally different man, and now you seem to have had the same thing happen to you.”
I scoff. “I have not.”
“No? So, what has you sitting in the bar tonight?”
“Maybe it’s the fact that I’m not like the other three? Maybe it’s because they have something I can’t have.”
Hazel shrugs. “Maybe.”
I blink. “What the hell does that mean?”
I know I’m shitfaced, but I think she agreed with me. Why would she agree? Why can’t I have it? Oh, yeah, because Tessa is going to leave—and she and my daughter are friends.
That’s why.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Hazel says and then looks to the door. “Ahh, finally.”
