Page 19 of Heart So Hollow

He just sits there the entire time, his hand dangling from the back of the couch, brushing against her hair each time she moves back and forth. She leans in close to his face, looking into his eyes while he listens to whatever the hell she’s saying. And when he tilts his head and murmurs a reply into her ear, she lets out a giggle and her hand travels further up his leg.

I feel ill. I feel a heaviness settle in the pit of my stomach and, suddenly, I realize I don’t belong here. I don’t know any of these people and I’m only here to see a guy who can’t even be bothered to acknowledge my existence. I turn away and catch Barrett’s eye.

She glances around and takes a sip of beer, “Is he here?”

I motion to the sofa, “Oh, is he ever.”

Barrett follows my gaze, doing a double-take when she sees Colson, “Who the fuck is that?” she scoffs.

I give a shrug, utterly defeated.

“Whatever,” Barrett mutters, her attitude changing in the blink of an eye, “this place sucks, let’s leave.”

I chug my full cup of beer in less than 10 seconds and toss the empty cup on the table next to the keg. We emerge from the rat’s nest back into the night air and catch sight of Katie, talking to a few women near the driveway.

I stride across the lawn and tap her arm, “We’re leaving,” I grumble.

“Sorry?” Katie’s uncharacteristically loud voice indicates she’s got a good buzz going on.

“He’s a dud!” Barrett spits from over my shoulder. “Fuck this place.”

Katie’s jaw drops at the first inkling of a scandal and she immediately starts saying her goodbyes. Barrett gives a wave to Emma, who’s sitting on the front porch with a few guys, and calls to her that we’re leaving.

I totally regret coming here. Did I miss something—some subtle cue that Colson isn’t as interested as I thought he was? It’s a party with free alcohol, it’s not like they’re short on warm bodies to cram into this dump.

Soon, Katie and Emma run up to join us as we start down the sidewalk toward Barrett’s car.

“So, what happened?” Katie gasps, slowing down.

“He was all over some other ratchet hoe,” Barrett snarls, digging her keys out of her jeans pocket.

“What?” Emma hisses, jerking her head in my direction.

I can no longer stave off the tears welling in my eyes as my chin begins to tremble.

God, are you kidding me? Don’t do this now.

I turn away to suck in a breath and compose myself, trying to bite back the rising lump in my throat.

Pull it together, he’s not worth all this.

But nothing gets past Barrett. She sees my jaw clench and my mouth twitch as I swipe a finger under my eye.

“No, Brett,” she drapes her arm around my neck, “no, no, no…”

Katie picks up on what’s happening and leaps to my side, hooking her arm in mine, “Oh, hell, no,” she says angrily before softening her voice. “It’s going to be OK, Brett,” she coos, “seriously, Colson’s a fucking asshole. It’s probably for the best. He doesn’t deserve someone as amazing as you.”

I’m completely humiliated. And worse yet, Colson is the only reason I made the rest of them come here. Meantime, I’m starting to feel the effects of chugging an entire beer in less than 30 seconds.

Katie cranes her neck, peering back at the house, “Who’d you see him with, anyway?”

“Some Theta with dark hair and a lot of contouring,” Barrett replies as she brushes her hair out of her eyes.

“Theta…” Emma murmurs to herself, “oh, that was definitely Dacia Ferguson. I saw her go in when we got here.”

“You mean Roto Rooter?” Katie snickers.

I jerk my head up, “What?”

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