Page 40 of Strictly Curious
I froze because I had been sure that telling Maisy had been a smart move. How had I read that wrong? Sure they weren’t as close anymore…
“But, she was cool. Said that I could talk to her if I needed it. She wished I had said more back then.”
I pulled Tyler into a hug, but he pushed me off him. The rejection was confusing. His eyebrows were scrunched together and his breathing was labored like he was annoyed.
“But let me make one thing clear, Garrett. Don’t you ever tell something so personal about me to anyone without my permission ever again. Ava and Lucy were one thing. But total strangers?”
Fuck, we were back at this. Now we were face-to-face without the protection of the door. He had a right to be angry. It had been thoughtless to put his business out there. It didn’t matter that Jacob and Anthony wouldn’t say anything. They didn’t know us or our friends and family. I had to make this up to him.
“I’m so sorry. It was a really stupid mistake. I think…”
“You didn’t think, Garrett.” He stood from the bed and swiped for the bottle of tequila, almost knocking it over. More alcohol was not the answer right now. I dove to grab it from his hand.
“Give it back,” he demanded, swiping for it, but missing spectacularly. It honestly surprised me he wasn’t slurring his words more.
“I think you’ve had more than enough of this.”
“I think I’m tired of you making decisions for me.”
Well, fuck. That was harsh, but he wasn’t wrong. I’d forced him out of a closet and it wasn’t fair or right, but I needed him to calm the fuck down again.
“I haven’t been making decisions for you. This whole thing has been at your pace. We dove in fast. I’ve given you opportunities to tell me no and you haven’t yet.”
Tyler sank back into his bed, and dropped his head into his hands and his shoulders shook. Jesus, was tequila not his friend or something? Was he turning into an emotional mess?
“I’m—I’m sorry. I know. It was just a shock to my system, okay.” His hands muffled his voice and maybe it would be a good idea for him to sleep off some of the booze before we tried to meet the guys for dinner.
“I know, and it won’t happen again. I haven’t told anyone else. Unless you want me to, I don’t plan to either.” I cautiously moved closer to the bed because he was visibly upset and the alcohol made him unpredictable.
“Hey, Ty?” I asked carefully. He looked up at me with red, watery eyes, and yeah, we’d be keeping him away from this stuff in the future.
“What?” he asked on a wobbly sob.
“Maybe we better let you sleep this one off a little? I’m going to get you some water and some Tylenol okay?”
He nodded and plopped over sideways on his bed. I heaved a heavy sigh, going over to the bathroom and fetching a glass of water and the tablets from the medicine cabinet. He was still laying in the same spot on the bed when I came back into the room.
I helped Tyler sit up and swallow the pills with the glass of water before setting the glass on the nightstand. I guided him down onto his pillows and went to assist him in taking off his pants but the second I popped the button on his jeans he swatted my hands away.
“Nuh uh, no funny business for you,” he slurred, arms falling limply at his side again. I rolled my eyes, yanking his jeans down his legs leaving him in his t-shirt and briefs. Pulling the blankets from under him was a difficult task, but I’d gotten them around him.
In no time at all, the soft snores that fell from his lips let me know he was out for the count. Part of me was worried about leaving him alone after he’d had so much to drink but he’d probably be okay. He was vulnerable like this and as I sat on the edge of the bed watching him, my heart squeezed in my chest because what I’d done to make him so angry wasn’t okay. I knew it wasn’t okay. That wasn’t my secret to share.
Giving into an urge, I bent over and kissed his forehead. He stirred slightly in his sleep, but went right on snoring. I needed to let him rest. The bottle of tequila needed to disappear, so I grabbed it on my way out of his room, stopping one more time at the door to watch him.
“Jesus,fucking,CHRIST!”
The shout had me running across the hall to Tyler’s room. He was sitting up in bed clutching the side of his head looking around the room.
“You okay?” I asked. I was more than concerned for him and debated getting him some more water. It was too early for more painkillers.
“Dude, why is the room still fucking spinning? Make it stop spinning.”
I quickly made my way to his side and helped prop him back against the pillow and handed him the glass of water from the nightstand. Once it was empty, I ran to the bathroom to fill it at the sink one more time.
When I returned, Tyler had his eyes closed, and he was taking deep, slow breaths through his nose. I sat on the bed next to him and he opened his eyes, reaching for the glass of water I held onto. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed back the water and I vaguely wondered if I should have him slow down a little.
With the glass now empty again, I took it from his hand and set it on the nightstand. He closed his eyes again and groaned. “Please, don’t ever let me touch tequila again.”
