Page 33 of A Different Husband

“Id dat my hubby-and?” I heard Courtney slur.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Done fink he likes meh.”

“I promise you that he does,” The man told her.

“Okay,” She drew the word out in what amounted to a long sigh as the stranger who was looking out for her laughed.

“How about you sit down right here, darlin’?”

“Nuf glab a whuff.” Whatever she tried to say was clearly not in English. “Hashes… Haddddd…Had-leeee?”

“ Any clue what all that translates to?” The man asked me.

“Hadley is her best friend, and probably who was with her tonight.”

“Ah, I see. Pretty sure the girl she was with is fucking my friend in the bathroom.”

“Jesus,” I hissed.

“No judgement, man.”

“Let me guess, you were supposed to hookup with my wife?”

“Nah. Not my style. Clocked her ring immediately, and besides, she told me she was married about thirty times before that last shot caught up to her.”

I pulled up into the parking lot of the bar that was in what looked like a mini-strip mall. “Of all the places,” I groaned. It was a fucking biker bar. The man on the phone laughed once again.

“Like I said, no worries, your wife was safe the whole night.”

I walked into the bar and scanned the area. It took a minute, but I finally found her slumped over in a half-sized booth on the back wall. I hung up with the guy who was keeping an eye on her and made my way to them.

He stood as soon as I got to them. “Sorry to worry you with the call, but I know my buddy, and her friend was pretty shitfaced. They’ll be at it all night and her friend won’t remember her until she sobers up some.”

“Thanks. Hadley and I will have a conversation about that shit once she sobers up too. If you don’t mind, could you go get her for me while I get my wife out to the car?”

“I’m not so sure how that will go over,” The man hedged.

“Don’t really care. I appreciate you looking out for my wife, but her friend is my responsibility too. Court would never forgive me if I left Hadley behind, especially if she’s as drunk as you made her sound.”

The man threw his hands up. “I get it, but they made their hookup plans long before the alcohol was involved.”

“They?” I questioned, wondering if Courtney had planned to hookup with someone too.

“My buddy, Trace and your wife’s friend,” He clarified and then smiled a little too sweetly at my woman. “Told you, she informed me - and everyone else who tried to talk to her - the she was a married woman and took those vows seriously.”

I had to smile at that. My beautiful girl was loyal to a fault, even when she thought I wasn’t. That was something we would clear up as soon as she sobered up though. Before we could say anything else, I noticed Hadley stumble out from a hallway toward the opposite corner from the booth. At least she had the presence of mind to look upset when she didn’t immediately see my wife somewhere.

The minute our eyes met, she stumble-ran toward me. “Oh my God! Where is she?”

“She’s fine, she’s safe.” I pointed to the booth where Courtney had slumped all the way over on the seat and started to snore. I grinned down at her and shook my head. “Your friend here took care of her until I could get here.” Even in her inebriated state, Hadley winced at the tone of my voice. “She’s lucky he was a good guy.”

Hadley sniffed and then tears tracked down her face. “I’m so sorry,” She said, but it came out so low, that I almost missed it.

“Come on, man. I’ll help you guys out to your car.”

“Thanks…” I left the gratitude hanging as I waited for him to fill in his name.

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