Page 12 of New Neighbor

“Mademelaugh,” Adam said before taking a sip from his beer. He sat the empty on the table near them. “Imma hit the head.”

Benji nodded, watching as Adam headed down the hall and disappeared.

“Heeyyyy, everybody!”

Benji turned, and his eyes nearly popped from his head. Hayden showed up, looking like the Unabomber with his thick, grizzled beard, and with some chick hanging off his arm. And she looked a little experienced, to put it mildly. If he had to guess, he’d have to peg her at near his mom’s age.

Hayden grabbed Benji’s hand and shook it. “Hey, buddy.”

“Hayden?” Benji said, frowning.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Hayden said, almost slurring a little… as if he’d been pre-gaming for a bit.

Some food will do him good. Soak up some alcohol. But hedoesn’tneed to go out…

Benji sighed and saw Mac at his side. He made the introductions. “Mac… this is my friend, Hayden. Hayden, this is my new neighbor, Mac.”

Hayden grabbed Mac’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Are you going to introduce us to… your friend?” Benji asked.

“This is Delilah,” Hayden said, grinning madly. “Delilah, meeteveryone.”

Hayden waved his hand out as he said everyone and finally seemed to notice Jesse at the back of the crowd.

Hayden propelled himself and the woman toward Jesse. “And this is my best friend, Jesse.”

Jesse handed one of the beers to Mac before turning to Hayden and their guest.

“I thought this was a guys’ night?” Mac whispered to Benji.

“It wassupposedto be,” Benji whispered back.

Mac looked down at his beer and then to Benji’s hands. “Man, that was rude of me. You need a drink.”

Rude?Benji smiled inwardly. For a non-date, Mac sure was acting as if it was one.

Mac urged him to the bar, which he was actually glad for. Jesse looked like he could spit nails. Hayden was already halfway to drunk. That was before the fireworks that might happen once Adam and Clay came face to face.

Why in the hell did I bring Mac into the middle of this shit? He’ll never want to come out with me again.

Benji ordered himself a drink when he heard Hayden’s voice rising.

“What are you getting your panties into a bunch for?” Hayden asked Jesse. “We’re supposed to be having a fun night out. What’s the big deal?”

Jesse shook his head. Benji watched, waiting to see if things went to shit.

And then something hit him as he watched…

The two were arguing like an old married couple.

Was there something going on between Hayden and Jesse that he didn’t know about?

He narrowed his eyes, watching closely.

“They always like that?” Mac asked as the bartender placed Benji’s Grey Goose and Sprite on the bar.

He slid a few bills across the bar and thanked the bartender. “Not usually… but with the way Hayden’s been as of late, I’m not surprised. They were as close as brothers until the last few months.”

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