Page 39 of Love You Always

Men sauntering up to women who are here with girlfriends—and clearly not interested. Women laughing and flipping their hair, trying to get Ren’s attention—and he’s clearly not interested. It’s a wonder we pair up and date at all.

Meanwhile, my brothers are acting like competitive, hormonal middle-schoolers, fake-fighting each other with pool cues.And I’m the one who’s still single, I think, shaking my head.

“You’re so full of shit, Dash. I’m the one who taught you to play in the first place,” Jax says, swaggering over to the pool table and putting his name on the chalkboard for next game.

“Doesn’t mean you’re better now. I actually play on the regular.”

“Not sure I’d brag about that. You’re just admitting you have no life.” Jax draws a slash on the board and puts Dash’s name on the opposite side as his opponent. They’ve been like this their entire lives. Dash, as the youngest brother, is always trying to prove he’s bigger and tougher than the rest of us, and Jax, in the middle, can’t resist taking the bait.

Colin and Ren come from the bar with a new round of drinks. I take mine and slide it onto a coaster on the sideboard next to the pool table. They won’t even notice if I don’t drink it, and after being here for an hour, I have less interest in drinking away my misery than I did when I got here.

“You two having a throwdown? I’m in for next game,” Colin says, always competitive, no matter the sport or situation. That leaves me alone without a partner, right when my old and very drunk friend Alicia totters over. We’ve known each other for years, never dated. I never wanted to, and I always assumed the feeling was mutual.

Tonight’s the night her inhibitions are low enough that she decides to set me straight. “I always wanted you, Archer. Why didn’t you want me?” she asks, slurring her words and almost missing the barstool she tries to sit on.

“Aw, Alicia, we’re too good of friends to ruin it by hooking up, we both know it.”

She nods and smiles, showing some lipstick on her front teeth. “You’re a good guy, Archer Corbett, telling me lies. Don’t worry. I don’t hold any grudges.” She pats at my chest.

“I’m glad. And if I hurt your feelings, I apologize.”

She looks up at me with a drunken grin, her eyes blinking slowly as she tries to focus. “I see three of you. Thass not a good sign.” Her hand remains on my chest, one finger drawing circles on the front of my hoodie.

“Nope. I’d say not.” I look around for her friends. It’s time for them to take care of her and it’s time for me to get home. I’m the only one sober enough to drive, and it’s my truck, so if the guys want to keep playing pool, they can call an Uber later.

Problem is that I don’t see the women she was with earlier. I stand up from the barstool and Alicia lurches forward. Apparently she was using me for balance. I catch her before she falls off the stool and rearrange her so she’s leaning against the bar. The bartender shoots me a look of sympathy.

“Did you see where her friends went?” I ask.

He points to the exit. “They left about a half hour ago with a group of guys. Looks like they made her your problem.”

“Of course they did.”

“It’s fine. I’ll get her home. She’s a friend.” He doesn’t get off work for another hour, and I’m ready to go.

I let the guys know I’m leaving. They’re in the middle of a heated game of pool, so they barely seem to notice. “Ruby’s at a girls’ dinner in the area. She said she’ll drive us if you wanna take off,” Jax says, always looking out for Dash, who always assumes someone is looking out for him. As to the other guys, they’re just along for the ride.

I help Alicia off her barstool, and she leans heavily against my side as we walk toward the door of the bar. Jax nods his approval, knowing she needs help home. I’m sort of happy to have an excuse to leave this place. I’m all for a night out with my brothers and friends, but the idea of hooking up with someone depresses me.

Alicia is halfway to passing out by the time we reach my truck. I manage to get her into the passenger seat, but then I notice she doesn’t have her purse. “Alicia, where’s your purse?”

“What?” Her eyes are bleary and barely open.

“Your purse. Do you have keys to your apartment?”

Her eyes drift closed, and she hums something unintelligible. I jog back to the bar and look around the area where she wassitting. Nothing. I have no idea if she even had a purse with her or if her friends took it when they left. But now I’m stuck with a drunk woman who I’m not about to leave sitting in front of her apartment building alone on a cold night.

Guess she’ll be sleeping on my couch.

Just what I need.

CHAPTER 18

Ella

I takethe stairs two at a time. My legs burn from the hour-plus I put in at the gym and I should probably calm down, take a breath, not jump to conclusions.

But I know the car that’s parked in my fiancé’s guest spot beneath his building. I also know the woman who drives it.

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