Page 134 of Unexpected Forever
Lucas stops in front of me, his eyes narrowed. “It means you fucked up.”
My easygoing friend who always has my back seems to have left the building. His broad shoulders are tight, his jaw set. He shoulder checks me as he walks by, knocking me back a couple of steps.
Fucker.
I blow out a breath and slam the door. Nausea swirls in my stomach as I walk into the living room.
Megan stands over the coffee table, her hands on her hips. “Your cleaning lady quit?”
“I gave her some well-deserved time off.”
She leans over and picks up a bottle. “I see your friend Jack stopped by.”
I flop down on the coach, leaning back into the cushions. “Yep. So did Johnny, Jose, and Tito.”
“No wonder you smell so bad,” she says in disgust, putting the bottle back on the table.
“Damn, man, you trying to kill yourself?” Lucas asks, sitting down next to Darcy on the loveseat.
I shrug, then close my eyes and lean my head back against the cushions. “So, what’s the monumentally stupid thing you think I’m about to do?”
“Lose everything that’s important to you.”
I lift my head and glare at Megan. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”
“The only woman you’ve ever loved and a family you deserve.”
I close my eyes and lean my head back again, but my gut twists into knots. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay, whatever gets you through the day, big brother. But you can’t tell me you don’t love Charley or your baby.”
I shove up off the sofa and pace, my skin tingling as I start to sweat. “Of course, I love her and the baby.”
She tilts her head. “Then why are you here drinking yourself into oblivion while she’s back in Madison Ridge?”
“She left me! And I couldn’t stay in that house alone.”
“And you gave her no reason to leave, right?” Lucas asks.
I run a hand through my hair and flop down on the sofa. “I know I fucked up, okay? I should have told her my decision before I signed the contract.”
“What you should have done is chosen—”
“Lucas,” Darcy says, elbowing him, “stick to the plan, remember?”
He sighs and rolls his lips in, staying silent.
My chuckle is humorless. “You guys have a plan? Good, get to it and leave me the hell alone.”
“If you’re going to act like an asshole, maybe I shouldn’t have stopped Aidan from coming with us. He’s ready to tear into you,” Megan says, sitting next to me.
I roll my eyes. “Thanks for the support.”
“Hey, he’s not here, so I did you a favor. Besides, it isn’t like you to be an asshole.”
“It is now.”
She pats my thigh. “No. It’s not, but we do need to talk.”
