Page 120 of Blue

I held my jeans and stepped into them. “Yes, but I thought I’d go after my NA meeting. I understand if you can’t.” Whatever he had planned with Rogue and Bullet was the priority.

“I’ll make it work.”

“Thanks. I know he doesn’t want to see me. I owe him a lot of money that I’m never going to be able to repay.”

I’d made promises to him. I’d lied to him. A knot twisted in my stomach. I’d stolen from him, too. I didn’t know if he even realized I had or if he just ignored the missing things from his house. Ignorance was sometimes bliss.

“To send me to the wilderness rehab, he cashed out part of his retirement account. When I relapsed, he said he never wanted to see me again.”

Blue sat next to me, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and kissed my temple. “People say things they don’t mean when they’re pissed and hurt.”

“I don’t blame him for being angry.”

“He invested in your sobriety. Don’t minimize how far you’ve come. You’re clean. Recovery just came a little later. He’ll see that.”

“I hope so.”

Blue put on his cut, and I slipped on my sneakers.

“I’m hungry,” I said. “And stinky.”

Blue pulled me into his arms, inhaled deep, and nuzzled my neck. “Mmm. Stay stinky. You smell like sex.”

I pushed away from him. “I’d rather smell like a burger and fries,” I said, swinging open the door and stepping into the corridor.

“I wouldn’t want you to have to fill up on cookies at your meeting.”

I thought of Georgia. I’d checked in with Ryatt. No one had heard from her. “I keep hoping she’ll be there.”

We paused in the chapel. The door was propped open, and a guy pushed a dolly of booze boxes into the middle of the room and stacked them.

Romeo sat on a stool at the bar and ticked off inventory.

Blue released me. “Need some help?”

Romeo raked his fingers through his long hair. “Dude, I’m fucking wiped. I thought babies slept all the time. Once I get this order logged in and put away, I’m crashing in Blade’s room for a couple hours.”

“Do you care if I help?” Blue asked me. “It’ll just be a couple of minutes.”

I shook my head.

“What needs taken to the basement?”

Romeo pointed to the boxes, and Blue lifted the first two and headed downstairs, leaving me alone with Romeo.

Another stack of boxes rolled in. Romeo yawned, checked the stock, and marked his spreadsheet. Awkward silence stretched between us.

Finally, Romeo slapped his pen to the counter. “Pippa and Levi are best friends.”

What was that supposed to mean? I knew I’d screwed up my friendship with Levi. I assumed she’d have other friends. I wasn’t trying to interfere in Levi’s life in any way. Especially not her relationship or her friendships.

“Okay.” Pippa was nice. Although, I didn’t know her. Not really. But anyone who could make Dozer happy had to be special.

“Sorry,” he said. “My brain is fried.” He spun on his stool and stared hard into my face. “We have history, Kiss. Nothing is going to change that. Blue and I are cool. I need for you and me to get there. What’s it going to take?”

I chewed my lip, knowing there was only one way to make things right. And that might just make things worse. I had to tell him the awful things I’d done behind his back.

Blue jogged into the room, grabbed two more boxes, winked at me, and carried the booze downstairs.

---