Page 103 of Getting Over You

My brow creases. “I’m so, so sorry, but I don’t remember what happened or how I ended up in your bed.”

Her lips curl into a smile, and she waves a hand at me dismissively. “The good news is that you’re not in my bed, you’re in my friend’s bed.”

“Oh,” I groan. “Oh…” I place my head in my hands. That makes this worse.

“Wait, no,” the girl says. “We didn’t—You didn’t… You puked on my porch.”

I stare at her, dumbfounded, the heat of embarrassment tickling my ears. “Oh, my god. I’mso fucking sorry.”

I really didn’t want to piss off two hot girls today. And on my fucking birthday of all days.

“It was sweet, actually,” she says, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “You had decided before you puked you didn’t want to sleep together anymore. You kept mentioning a girl named Gigi, how you couldn’t do this to her. That your ex or something? I’m no stranger to rebounds.”

My blood turns to ice. “No,” I tell her. “Gigi’s not my girlfriend. Shit, I’m sorry. Seriously.”

She smirks. “It’s no problem. There was no way I was letting you in my bed after seeing the contents of your stomach out front, though. So, sorry about that. But maybe I give you my number? In case you ever change your mind?”

Then it clicks. I was drinking with EJ, talking about Eddy. I got mad at Gigi last night, went to the bar… And then went to hit on… whatever her name is.

And now I’m leaving her house after spending the night drunk.

And didn’t sleep with this redhead because of Gigi.

Great work, Cade. That doesn’t make a single lick of fucking sense.

“I’m not from here. Just me and my girlfriends visiting. But I’m here for a few more weeks, and I’d love to spend time together. If you want.”

I hand over my phone. “Yeah, knock yourself out.”

I really wish I could knock myself out right now.

Redhead—Ava—is nice enough to drop me off at Beach Brew, and I am the identical twin of a dog with its tail between its legs when I walk in.

I can’t remember if EJ’s even here today. I squint, trying to see behind the counter as I walk up. Then, big, burly, and bearded: my brother.

“Are you,” he spits, “fucking insane?”

I wince. “I don’t need that right now. My head is killing me.”

“Good!” he bellows, the sound echoing painfully on the walls of my skull.

“I wanted to let you know I’m alive, at least.”

“Isn’t that wonderful?” EJ mocks. “Have you tried to call Gigi?”

I shake my head. “Can you cover for me? Tell her you haven’t heard anything?”

My brother’s brow furrows. “You think she won’t send a search party out for you?”

Fuck. He’s got a point. That girl cares too damn much about my stupid ass.

“EJ,” I say lowly. “Listen. As my brother. Do me this favor. Please? Come up with something, say you and I are spending the day together for my birthday. I don’t know.”

“Why should I?”

“Because you’re my brother,” I spit. “Come on, don’t be an ass.”

“Me? I’m the ass?”

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