Page 17 of Never Really Over

Another sigh. “At least you’re honest.”

“Always am, babe.”

“Ugh. Don’t call me babe. It’s what you called all your other women because you couldn’t remember their name.”

He smirks but doesn’t deny it. “Tell me. Now I’m curious.”

I cringe, not wanting to admit that the reason I’d gotten drunk last night was because after work, ironically, I swore I’d seen Colt on the street. I even ran up to the guy, only to have him give me a dirty look and call me crazy. I ended up at a bar that I knew a lot of my co-workers were going to be meeting at, and had way too many beverages and not enough food to soak up the alcohol.

Dalton and I used to work together but he was offered a job he couldn’t refuse and left the company so unfortunately, he knows all too well who I’m about to say and how big of a mistake it could have been had I actually slept with him. “Scotty from accounting.”

He laughs so hard he slows the car down, leaning over the steering wheel.

“You did not.”

“I did. We all went out for drinks last night and tequila kicked me straight in the teeth and did me dirty.”

“No, Scotty did you dirty,” he quips.

“Jerk!” I laugh. “Gah, I was so grossed out when I woke up this morning just knowing that he was on my couch. I really, really think I need to rethink what I’m doing with my life.”

“Oh, he’s not that bad. He just really likes cats. And lives in his mom’s basement. And wears clothes she lays out for him each morning.” He giggles. Like a little girl at a slumber party. In fact, he keeps on laughing and can’t even look me in the eye without laughing harder.

I punch him lightly in the shoulder. “Shut up, ya big jerk!” I laugh, too, then explain, “He isn’t gross, per say, but it was definitely poor judgement on my part. I’m afraid he’s going to read into it and assume we’re going to walk down the aisle now. He’s kind of been…”

“Panting over you for years?”

“Yeah, that. I just feel bad but he left this morning and said he was sorry for taking advantage of me when I’d been drinking so much and almost started to cry. He said, and I quote, ‘I just wanted to know what it would be like to wake up and see your face in the morning’ which made me feel even worse. I’m fucking up my life, Dalton. Like, it’s slipping out from under me and I can’t get a handle on shit. Why am I like this?”

“Relax. You had one night of drunkenness, it’s not like that’s who you are. Trust me, I know you well enough to know that this was a totally random thing on your part. Was it not your smartest move? Yeah. But it’s not the end of the world. At least you didn’t actually fuck the guy. He would have never left your apartment if you had. And you’re definitely not screwing up your life.”

“I’m thirty-four years old and single, no prospects, I’ve worked for the same company for twelve years and have what to show for it?”

“Uh, you’ve managed to climb your way to the top, dodo. Remember you started there as an assistant to the marketing manager and now youarethe marketing manager. Working for the same company for a decade is a good thing. It doesn’t mean you’re stagnant in your career. How do you expect to get ahead by moving around all the time?”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“One night, Lay. That’s it. That’s all it was. I guarantee you Scotty is feeling worse about it than you are right now. He’s a sensitive little weirdo and he’s probably shitting in his pants thinking that you’re going to be mad at him just for jerking it on your couch. You know he did.”

“Gee, thanks for that visual,” I deadpan.

He chuckles and takes a swig of his Diet Mountain Dew.

“I need to pee,” I announce when I see an exit with a gas station. “Let’s fill up the cars and stretch out our legs. I’ll call Mom again and see if she answers.”

“Got it.” He turns on his signal and watches in the mirror to make sure that Bridget is following us.

When we get to the gas station, he loses the argument about me paying for both cars to be filled up. Inside, we load up on some road trip snacks and drinks and use the restroom.

“You doing okay? I know this isn’t the most fun way to spend a Saturday,” I ask Bridget as we’re walking back to the cars.

“It’s totally fine,” she says in a chipper voice. “Honestly, we’ve been meaning to go back to your hometown in so long and this gave us a reason. I know you and Dalton used to be super close and I could tell he wouldn’t have been able to relax at home, anyway.”

“Are you two living together?”

“We are.” She beams. “A couple months now.”

“Wow. Never thought that’d happen.”

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