Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
He shrugged. “Some of the time.”
“Did Ryan have a good time?”
He nodded. “He did. Was already drunk when I got there. Didn’t make it to eleven, and then I threw him over my shoulder and took him home.”
“Wow, sounds like he had a great time.”
“Yeah, he did. That’s all that matters.” He massaged his knuckles as he looked down at his hands.
“Well, it’s over now, right?”
He shrugged.
“You guys just hung out at the bar the whole time?”
“Yeah. There were about twelve of us.”
“Did you know all of them?”
“About half. The rest of the guys were people he knew from work or Camille’s brother.”
“Did you get a lot of free drinks?”
He stilled at my question before he shook his head. “No.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “You went to a bar and paid for your drinks?”
“Yes, I paid for my drinks.” He lifted his gaze and looked at me.
I’d never been in a relationship before, so I didn’t know if I was the jealous type or not, but with Derek, I wasn’t. I knew he was drop-dead gorgeous and got ass handed to him left and right. But I also knew how committed and loyal he was, so I wasn’t worried that some bombshell would lick his neck and ask to suck his dick in the bathroom. He could have that lifestyle if he wanted to, but he clearly didn’t because he wanted to be with me. I suspected he was lying but didn’t want to upset me. It was an honorable thing to do. “I’m not the jealous type, just so you know.”
He studied me, like he was trying to decipher what I meant.
“Derek, you’re literally the sexiest man alive. I know women are going to hit on you the second I’m not around. It doesn’t bother me.”
He was quiet for a long time, holding my gaze. “That’s interesting. Because if I imagine you in a bar, with a bunch of guys buying you drinks and staring at your ass, I’d lose my fucking mind.”
I felt my cheeks redden at his honesty. “I know that I’m the only woman you want to be with, so those girls can do their best, but it’s not going to make a difference. I guess that’s why I’m not jealous. I’m not threatened.”
A slow smile moved on to his lips. “I’m glad you feel that way. Means I’m doing my job.”
“You are.” I had the perfect man, but I wasn’t scared to lose him. I trusted him the way I trusted my own family. It was ironclad. “So…how many drinks?”
“I honestly paid for my own drinks.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Drinks were sent, but I never took them. Women came over, but I asked them to leave me alone. So, the answer I gave is truthful. I paid for my own drinks.”
That kind of loyalty in a man was unheard of. “Maybe I can buy you a drink sometime.”
He smiled. “I’d definitely take that one.”
It still baffled me that women way hotter and way younger wanted him, without kids who were practically teenagers, and I was the only woman who interested him. Men were always visual creatures, carrying about appearance above all things, but since he was so smart, his intellect needed to be satisfied to be happy…and that worked out in my favor. “I’m guessing the person you didn’t want to see provoked you?”
His smile immediately disappeared at the mention of the subject. “He did.”
“And…it didn’t go well?”
He shook his head. “He tried to talk to me, and I told him I wasn’t interested. It escalated and escalated… Ryan was so passed out he didn’t hear a thing, thankfully, because I said some pretty hard shit.”
“That was wrong of him to start stuff at your friend’s bachelor party.”
He was quiet for a long time, staring at his hands. “That wasn’t his intention. He was just trying to talk to me, but I wasn’t interested.” He lifted his chin and looked at me.
I stayed quiet, hoping he would open up to me on his own.
“Apologized, said he wanted to rekindle our friendship, he’s thought about me a lot over the last ten years… I told him to walk away or I’d break his face.”
I tried not to react to the harsh threat. “You guys were close ten years ago?”
He nodded. “Best friends since first grade.”
“Wow, that’s a long time.”
He shrugged.
“You know…good friends are hard to find.”
He stared me down.
“Sometimes it’s good to forgive and forget, you know—”
“Not this.”
“What is this?”
He stared me down, starting to get angry again. “He’s a piece of shit. Just take my word for it.”
19
Derek
Ryan texted me. Dude, I’m still hungover.
It’s Tuesday.
I know. I’m totally failing at work right now.
And you’re probably making it worse by texting.
LOL. I was never going to get employee of the month anyway…
I went back to work.
He texted me again. Want to get together after work for a drink? They do say to drink when you’re hungover.