Page 14 of Get Lost

Chapter Six

Sandwiched between Drew and Kaleb in a back booth at The Lounge at Drais, Alex sipped his cocktail. Drew had a new woman on his lap, and they’d kissed at least three times that Alex was aware of. The chick he’d been hanging out with at Tao stood off to the side, watching Drew like he’d just broken her heart even though she’d only known him a matter of hours.

As much as Alex disliked Renee, he didn’t think she deserved to be cheated on. Especially two weeks before her wedding—and with multiple women. The other guys seemed not to care that Drew was really going out with a bang, leaving the single life behind by hooking up with as many women as he could fit into their quick Vegas getaway.

Drew nudged Alex with his elbow. “Cheer up, buddy. You want a Red Bull, or something?” He motioned to the table. Multiple booze bottles and mixers sat in ice buckets and on trays. Dropping hundreds like dollars, Drew and his friends had really put on a show tonight, and the women flocking to their tables, whether here or at Tao, had been a never-ending revolving door.

Alex looked away when the woman on Drew’s lap dragged her top open and Drew leaned over to pull one of her breasts into his mouth.

Alex would never be able to look Renee in the eyes again.

“Relax, Arroyo.” Drew leaned over so Alex was the only one who could hear him. “She’s been fucking Rudy for months.”

Alex’s eyes widened, then landed on Rudy, one of Drew’s groomsmen. They’d all gone to college together, but Alex and Drew had maintained different circles of friends back then. Drew’s friends were the silver spoon crowd, and Alex just wasn’t one of them. Rudy was an alright guy, he’d thought, just a bit pompous and flashy for Alex’s liking. But apparently, he’d been more than pompous and flashy.

Turns out the guy was an asshole. At least Drew had waited untilafterAlex and Renee were well over to start dating her. Rudy apparently didn’t have the same scruples.

Alex glanced over at Drew, one eyebrow raised. “Why are you going through with it?”

Drew shrugged. “Good genes. Parental expectations. An ironclad prenup.” Drew laughed. “She’ll give me a couple kids, then she can be free to ruin Rudy’s life.” He looked at Rudy, then called, “Right, buddy?”

Rudy looked over at him, grinning, gave him a thumbs up, then grabbed a woman nearby, pulling her onto his lap. She squealed, but didn’t try to get away.

Alex shook his head. He’d always been more old-fashioned than his friends, preferring a long monogamous relationship to multiple short-term things, but he was way out of his element with this group.

He looked back at Drew. “Sorry to hear that, man.”

Drew shrugged. “Fuck it. I got what I deserved. Should never have gone for her after you two broke up.”

Alex raised his eyebrows. Drew had apologized to Alex before, for the way things were handled, how they turned out, etcetera, but he’d never sounded regretful. Until now.

“Besides, it makes this a little easier,” Drew said as he leaned forward and kissed the woman on his lap.

Alex smiled sadly. It wasn’t right, his cheating on Renee, but she wasn’t right for cheating on Drew, and Rudy was just an asshole, so Alex shrugged and decided it wasn’t any of his business. He was here for Drew, cooking in the wedding for Drew, and standing up beside Drew, so all he owed anyone was his loyalty and friendship. To Drew.

“Speaking of beautiful women,” Drew said, winking at the woman in his lap. “Tell me the deal with you and the wedding planner.”

Alex straightened. “No deal.”

“Are you saying ‘no deal’ like you’re not willing to discuss it”—Drew laughed—“or there’s no deal between the two of you? Because there’s clearly something. I’ve seen the way you two act around each other whenever you’re in the same space. It’s…” Drew shook his head. “Renee and I used to have that kind of chemistry.”

Alex frowned. He’d never seen this side of Drew, this almost sad, melancholic side.

Drew gave his head a quick shake, then smiled again and the sadness in his eyes was gone. “So, you hit that shit yet?”

Alex flinched at the sudden change of tone and the way Drew spoke about Kelsey. But his friend had been drinking for nearly twenty hours straight, so he’d get a pass this time—

“Hit what?” Kaleb asked from Alex’s other side.

“My wedding planner.” Drew gave a low whistle. “You should see this chick.”

Alex bristled, but tried to ignore the defensiveness.

Kaleb looked at Alex and raised his eyebrows. “You know her?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, since first grade.”

Drew pulled out his phone, typed away at his screen, then turned it toward Alex and Kaleb. Drew’s Instagram app was open to Kelsey’s page, and a photo of her with her pink-haired friend, both of them grinning at the camera.

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