Page 68 of Employing Patience

“Who doesn’t? Whether it’s sixteen or twenty-one or forty-one. Why shouldn’t we marvel in another year on this glorious earth?” Besides, if there’s an excuse to throw a party, I’ll take it. People think it’s because I love to get loose, but really, I don’t drink a lot at these things. It’s a bigger high to stand back and watch all these men getting out of the house and enjoying themselves.

Payne blinks at me for a moment. “I’m getting another drink.”

He staggers away, and I turn to where Mack is watching him.

“Pity he was off the market so fast.”

“I think things worked out exactly how they were supposed to.” I fling an arm around Mack’s shoulders. “Life has a funny way of doing that.”

“When does mine start to work out?”

“When it’s supposed to.”

“Well, life certainly is dragging her feet on me.”

I snigger. “Who says life’s a she?”

“True. With how much mine is in shambles, it can only be run by a man.”

“I resent that.” I wave a hand over the party. “Look at everything I’ve been able to accomplish.”

Orson laughs as he reaches us. “With the number of parties you throw, I’d be worried if you didn’t have it down to an art form by now.”

Speaking of art forms, my gaze strays to where Joey is at the bar. Lean muscles, faded bruises, and hopefully smelling like me. The way he did yesterday.

I didn’t appreciate Joey inviting himself into my morning with the niblings. At all. It was too … domestic. My time with them is sacred, and the last thing I want is them being subjected to any and every guy I’m sticking my dick into.

Or did stick my dick into. Past tense. With any luck, never to be repeated.

“I don’t think you’ve ever given this much focus to a thing in your life,” Orson says, waving a hand in front of my face.

I slap it away. “You’re a complete shit-stirrer with no idea what you’re talking about.”

“So you’re not staring at Joey?”

“Nope.”

“And you don’t want to sleep with him?”

That question grates on me. “Never.” Again.

“You’re lying,” Mack says, turning to Orson. “He’s lying, right? Art wants to sleep with everyone.”

“Except Griff. But yeah, basically. So he’s definitely lying.”

I drain my drink, flip them off, and take a swift exit from that conversation. Payne’s birthday party was a surprise one since I knew he wouldn’t show up if he’d be walking into a night of attention. Luckily, his brother is only too happy to see Payne embarrassed—that’s the kind of sibling bond I can get behind.

Some of the DMC guys are here, along with their partners and a few of the people Payne and I went to school with. It’s a fun night, but I’ve only had the one drink, and I’m sipping my second one.

That idiot bartender of mine shouldn’t be here.

I paid off everything for him. Why is he still working at Freddy’s? And why, for the love of my sanity, is he still swapping out his shifts?

To say I’m pissed is putting it lightly.

The days of being Zen about whatever happens between Joey and me are gone. We slept together, and now he’s back to his same old tricks. Asking to move his schedule around at his whim and flirting up a storm with the drunk chicks in the bar. I should have known better.

I almost want to sleep with him again, just to prove I can.

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