Page 93 of One Week Wingman

I drink another beer. It’s bullshit, of course. Even I can’t pretend to believe I’m happier like this. Because the truth is, I miss her.

I miss her so bad it hurts.

Being with Roxy showed me everything that’s missing in my life, the kind of connection and intimacy I’ve always wanted—and never thought I could have.

Maybe deep down, I didn’t believe I was worth it.

And now…

I let out a groan. “I’ve really fucked this up, haven’t I?”

Flynn passes me the pizza box. “Step one is admitting the problem,” he says, chuckling.

“And what’s step two?”

“Well, I’m afraid that part’s down to you.”

23

ROXY

I need a new job.

Or a transfer, or the magical ability to know when Sebastian is coming to the bar, so I can schedule all my shifts around him. I thought I could white-knuckle it, avoid him for as long as it took for this aching in my chest to subside, but when I wake on Saturday morning, after seeing him at Mavericks last night, I know, I can’t take this much longer.

My heartache isn’t going anywhere—but Sebastian is: Home, with a new woman, every other night. At least, that’s what it looks like from my spot behind the bar, no matter how much I try to ignore him laughing and flirting us a storm.

He’s fine.How can he be so fine?He’s the life of the party, like nothing even happened. I’m the only one waking up missing him so much I can’t stand it.

I roll over and bury my face in the pillows. I’m supposed to go help the stitch-and-bitch crew with this morning’s craft fair, but I already called in sick. I can’t deal with a crowd right now, or faking a smile when my entire life is a mess. I just want to stay in bed forever and not think about whose bed Sebastian is waking up in.

Or maybe he was too busy to even get any sleep.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I blindly reach for it, about to answer when I realize it’s my mom calling.

I send it straight to voicemail, then reluctantly listen to the message.

“Roxy? Roxy, pick up, I know you’re there.” Mom sounds impatient. “Honestly, you can’t keep avoiding us forever, I’ve half a mind to drive out with Daisy, and make you two girls sit down and talk this out. It’s not right, a rift like this.” She tuts. “Fine, ignore me all you want, but call your sister.”

She hangs up.

I stay buried under the pillows.

Daisy.

Mom’s got it wrong, I’m not hiding from my sister, I’ve tried apologizing a dozen times. Calls, messages, sad-puppy gif text messages… But Daisy is refusing to hear me out. Instead, she’s posting dramatic, artsy pics on all her social media: rain-splattered windows and teary reflections, with captions about betrayal and heartbreak. I’m sympathetic to her, I really am. She was head over heels with Jason, so seeing him hit on anyone would have been awful for her, let alone a member of her own family…

But he’s the villain in this, not me. And refusing to even hear me out means that there’s nothing I can do, at least, not until she’s willing to listen.

All the more reason for me to stay right here, take a couch day, and only get up when it’s time to go fetch ridiculously overpriced artisanal donuts from the hipster place around the block.

But someone clearly has different ideas, because I’m only three episodes into myGilmore Girlscomfort rewatch when there’s a hammering on my door.

“I didn’t order anything!” I yell, prone on the couch under three different blankets.

“C’mon, Roxy, open up!”

I hear Jenn’s voice, and then the hammering comes again. “We’re not going anywhere, so you may as well let us in before your neighbors make a noise complaint!”

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