Page 16 of New Neighbor

“What?” Hayden said, pulling from Delilah. He seemed to sober up within seconds. “No… no, man. It’s guys’ night.”

Jesse widened his stare, looked to Delilah, and then back to Hayden. “No. It’snotguys’ night. Night, all.”

He grabbed his cell and keys from the table and marched to the front door. Hayden jumped up from the table and raced after him.

Leaving behind a very pissed off date. Delilah rose, grabbing her purse. “I guess tonight is over.”

“Please tell me neither of you are driving,” Benji said.

“We Ubered here,” Delilah answered. “And we can Uber on home. That is, if he’s coming with me or stuck on Jesse.”

Stuck on Jesse?

He watched as Delilah headed for the door. He still worried about Hayden, but at least the guy wasn’t driving.

Maybe they needed to stage an intervention. Force Hayden to face what he was doing to himself. He’d bring it up to Jesse.

Jesse could deal with planning that. It was what he was good at.

A stared around the empty table, a sense of sadness filling him. Eight years they’d been the best of friends. And it was slipping away…

“I guess that leaves us to go on with our night,” Benji said, turning to Mac. “Welcome to Atlanta.”

Mac chuckled. “It only gets better from here, right?”

* * * *

Guys’ night continued…

Hours later, he and Mac were at their second club along Jackson Street. In each and every one of them, women had literally thrown themselves at Mac. Music blared, the night was hot… and bodies were everywhere. Benji was pushed out of the way so chicks could get closer to the hottest guy in the place… but Mac kept tugging him closer.

Introducing him to the women.

Trying to help Benji score, it seemed.

Only Benji wasn’t interested in the women.

Mac danced the night away. He dragged Benji out onto the dance floor—with a couple of women—a few times.

Benji was used to playing wingman. He’d done it a million times before between Jesse, Hayden, Adam, and Clay. It was the role he was born to play. Sidekick. Third wheel. Fifth wheel. Mr. Invisible.

He had to give Mac credit. The guy didn’t completely ignore him. Mac kept pulling him into the conversations… tossing women his way… checking in that he was having a good time.

Then Mac would go on talking with whichever blonde, brunette, or redhead who had shoved herself into his orbit and smile with that knowing smile of his that Benji would never get tired of watching. Even if it wasn’t shooting in his direction.

I should’ve known he wasn’t interested in me.

He was just being friendly. Neighborly. A fellow teacher, new in town.

That’s all it was.

Nothing more.

Over the course of the night, Benji had a little too much to drink. Not so much that he was stumbling, but enough that he was buzzing pretty good.

Enough that he eventually had enough liquid courage to hit on a few women just outside Mac’s range. Most turned him down, but he got a few dances. A few giggles. A few kisses on the cheek.

It was almost enough to help him forget about the stupid attraction he had to a man out of his league.

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