Page 2 of Awakened
“Sorry.” He leaned back, his dark eyes cautiously peering down at me. “How are you doing?”
Ah, the question that made me want to ripmy skin off. I’d been asked that question probably a thousand times, and every time, I was tempted to lay it all out there.
How did they think I felt when my fiancé left me? When he had moved out of our house and into anapartmentshewould eventually live in? When I was still in the same pack with the jerk? When he was going to be my alpha one day?
But this was Seth, my pal, and he didn’t deserve that kind of emotional collapse, even if he had been MIA when I needed him most.
So instead, I put on a forced smile, threw my hands in the air and yelled, “I’m fucking great!”
Connor looked at Seth, then back at me with a furrowed brow. “That’s great, Les. But you know if you need anything, anything at all, we’re here for you.”
Barf. If one more sorry sap told me they were “there for me,” I was going to rip their throat out. Unless these two were going to help me pack up the U-Haul, they could shove their worry up their asses.
“Actually, are you guys free tomorrow morning to help me move some stuff? There’s breakfast in it for you if you are.”
Seth frowned. “Sure, but I thought Aiden got all his shit out of the house two weeks ago.”
Ouch. Seth saidhisfucking name. The last time I heard that douche nozzle’s name was two weeks ago whenshecalledhimto the car right beforehedrove away from me and our home.
All the semi-good vibes I had when I walked into Penny’s evaporated. My skin was hot, and the lump in my throat threatened to suffocate me.
No. I’m not going to cry here. Not now. Not again.
I tried to laugh and smile at them. From their expressions, my easy breezy bullshit must’ve not been too believable.
“No, no. I need help packing up my U-Haul. I want to be out of here by four if I can help it. I would rather not make the trip to St. Louis in the dark.”
Seth’s and Connor’s brown eyes widened, and an uncomfortable silence settled over us.
I used the quiet to down my beer and look around the basement. The crooked dart board in the corner that had no darts caught my eye. I wondered if they had been stolen or if you had to hand over your ID to use them. I’d never played darts there, which was weird. It wasn’t until the two coeds from the bar stampeded down the stairs like a herd of elephants that we snapped out of our silence.
“Oh, uh, sure, sure. Does Aid?—”
Seth smacked Connor on the back of the head and gave me a sad smile. “Sure, Les. We got you.”
“Thanks, guys. I uh—” I shook my now empty can. “Need another drink.”
Turning, I scampered up the stairs and away from the can of worms I’d just opened. I should’ve hired movers. They were going to tellhim. After I decided to get the fuck out of town, I had stayed in my house to avoid any possible pack run-ins to keep my plans hush-hush. But, there I was, blabbing to two of the inner circle.
Oh well, what’s done is done.
In twenty-four hours, I would be gone and settled in Sarah’s apartment, drinking Old Crow and trying to get my shit together.
Upstairs, the bar filled with bodies, and the smell of wet carpet and humidity ramped up every time the door opened. I hopped back onto my bar stool and flagged Andy down for another beer and shot.
Just as I picked up the shot glass, someone slapped my back, and whiskey sloshed all over my hand.
“What the fuck!”
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry!” A pair of enormous hazel eyes fringed with long, dark lashes stared back at me.
I licked the alcohol off my hand with a fake scowl. “Damn it, Em. Watch what you’re doing.”
Emily rolled her eyes and plopped down on the stool besideme. “Andy, I’m getting these,” she said, gesturing to the drinks in front of me. “And can I have a Long Island, please.”
“Coming up, honey. That’ll be $20.00.”
Emily reached into her purse and fished out the cash. Swinging her bar stool toward me, she laid her hand on mine.
