Page 103 of Hot Shot

But I go around the end of the bar and sit. I cross my arms and wait.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Cade asks in a surprisingly neutral tone.

“Nothing.”

“Not nothing. You’ve been a total dickhead the last week. Actually, longer than that.” Cade pauses. “Is this about Carrie leaving?”

I firm my lips and stare at my sandals.

My head whips up when Cade and Beck both burst out laughing. I glare at them.

“Oh, this is too funny,” Beck says. “Ha! We were warning you to be careful of Carrie because women get attached when you screw around . . . butyou’rethe one who’s gotten all emotionally involved.”

“Yeah,” I mutter. “Hilarious.”

“Yep.” Cade grins and slaps a hand on the bar. “You dumb fucker.”

I rise, ready to hammer a fist into Cade’s face.

“Sit down,” Beck says. “You’re not a dumb fucker. Mr. Man Whore here doesn’t know what it’s like to fall in love.”

“True that.” Cade shakes his head.

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Beck asks me.

I slump. “Yeah.”

“And she’s leaving.”

“Yep.”

“She doesn’t feel the same?”

I sigh and rub my burning eyes. “Apparently not. It felt like she did, but she’s leaving.”

“It’s only for nine months,” Cade says in a bewildered tone. “Not forever.”

I frown. “Nine monthsisforever.”

“No, it’s not.”

I inhale a long breath and let it out, not sure if I have the guts to say it. “I was gone for six months when Liz found someone else.”

I dare a look at Beck, then Cade, and they both stare back at me blankly.

“Carrie’s not fucking Liz.” Cade pauses. “Okay, that sounded wrong. But you know what I mean.”

I shrug. “Might as well be. Liz left me. Carrie’s leaving me. Everyone leaves me.”Except you guys.Unless I keep acting like an ass. Then they might leave me too. Déjà vu. Just like my foster families. Act out and pretend you don’t give a shit and they’ll believe you. Why would they stick around if they think I don’t give a shit?

Fuck.

I turn and set my elbows on the bar and lower my head into my hands, my heart a cold knot in my chest.

A big, warm hand lands on my shoulder and grips it. “Marco, man. We’re here for you.”

Beck.

“Yeah,” Cade adds in a low voice.

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