Page 78 of Imperfect Saint
At least Hunter would have been happy if Vaughn hadn’t been buried in work and refused to come out with them, and if Tyler hadn’t thought the hot new techno club in town would be a cool place to hang for the night. He checked his watch for the thousandth time and wondered just how long he had to stay before Tyler would let him sneak out without causing a scene. It was barely ten o’clock so he knew it wasn’t going to be anytime soon.
“It’ll get better.”
Hunter squinted and leaned forward when he saw his old Army buddy and new co-worker, William Blake, moving his lips. He couldn’t hear a damn thing in here. Blake was barely three feet away.
“What?” He shouted, cupping a hand to his ear.
“I said,” Blake shouted back, “Chill out. It’ll get better. Trust me.”
“Better?” Hunter laughed, still yelling over the music, “Sure. Soon as I go deaf.”
Blake chuckled and raised a beer in salute. Hunter toasted back towards him and then finished his whiskey and looked around. He’d lost track of Tyler in the crowd and he wanted to leave, but he knew better than to skip out while his brother was in the bathroom so he raised his hand to signal the waitress for another round instead. Maybe more liquor would drown out this godawful noise that the kids were calling music these days.
Good god, he really had gotten old.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Hunter turned to the man sitting at his side and glared, “What?”
“You heard me. No cutting out. You didn’t let me bail on my bachelor party and I’m not letting you bail on yours.” Thad grinned at him and Hunter rolled his eyes.
“We were a hell of a lot younger and the music was better back then.”
“Bullshit.” Thad laughed, “It’s just that back then you didn’t have a hot little number you wanted to get home to, and now you do.”
“You’re right. I do. And I’m going home to her just as soon as Tyler shows his ass back up so I can think him for this eardrum bursting bachelor party.”
The fourth man at their table leaned forward to hand Hunter a new glass of whiskey as the waitress returned and spread out drinks, “Ah come on, man. Don’t leave. Ty’s already in a shit mood and you bailing is only gonna make it worse.”
Hunter scowled at Isaac Chinn. Isaac was Vaughn’s best friend. He’d been the first one on board the day Vaughn decided to make his dreams of starting his own business a reality. He was Vaughn’s number two, his right-hand man, and sometimes, when Vaughn couldn’t be present, Isaac even stepped into the role of surrogate big brother. Hunter liked the guy, and he looked up to him. But he didn’t want a voice of reason right now.
He wanted to go home.
“What are you talking about?” He shouted back, frowning because this wasn’t a conversation he wanted to shout about.
He’d noticed Tyler had been in a shitty mood all night. His younger brother had tried hard not to show it, but considering he was usually the good time guy it had been hard to miss. His smiles had been forced and Hunter had simply chalked it up to Tyler getting turned down by one of the pretty girls on the dance floor. It didn’t happen to his brother often so the experience was always sobering to the St. James brother that considered himself a ladies man.
Isaac shook his head, “He’s pissed at Vaughn.”
“What for now?” Hunter picked up his whiskey because of course he needed another drink if his brothers were fighting, again.
Hunter was the middle brother. Even with the big age difference between them all, they still had their roles to play. Vaughn was serious and overprotective. Tyler was rebellious and took nothing seriously. Hunter played middle man to their big personalities and smoothed over all their arguments but he’d been so busy with Millie lately he hadn’t even realized they were fighting.
“Vaughn made him cancel his trip to do that base-jumping thing he’d been planning to do.” Isaac leaned closer so he didn’t have to yell so loudly when Hunter mouthed the word, why, “It’s the week after next, when you’re on vacation. We’re short-handed at the agency and we have the Echols-Standridge wedding.”
“Who?” Hunter shrugged.
“Jesus.” Thad shook his head, “You’ve really been living with your head in the sand huh?”
“More like his head between his girl’s legs.” Blake snorted and Hunter shot them both a warning look to give it a rest.
“Echols?” He asked as the name finally registered, “The Senator’s daughter? The one that graduated college a while back? Ashley? Autumn?”
“Ashtyn.” Blake corrected, his eyebrows wagging, “Pretty little blonde with perky tits and legs made to wrap around a man’s waist.”
“Fuckin’ hell, Blake. That’s the Senator’s daughter you’re talking about.” Hunter shot the other man a perturbed look but his friend only shrugged.
“Just sayin.”
