Page 47 of Beautiful Crazy

It’s been coming out of me like lava all morning.

There was no way I was going to stay home from work today feeling miserable for myself and then ask Emily to take care of me and bring me water and crackers and…all the toilet paper she can find in Louisville.

“Your girl gave you the shits, huh?” Cheyenne laughs at me in the lunchroom where I’m nursing a bottle of water and a few Ritz crackers.

“She’s not my girl…yet, and I don’t know if it was the chicken last night, or the four glasses of bourbon, or the milk chaser, or the combination of it all, but I’ll tell you what I’m sure of.”

She chuckles again. “Okay.”

“I’m sure my ass is going to feel chaffed for days after this morning’s delivery.”

Cheyenne snorts. I can always count on her to give me a hard time. She’s as bad as my brothers. “Aww man, I’m really sorry you’re having a shitty day my friend.” She pushes her bowl toward me that she was just eating out of. “Do you want some of my refried beans?”

I nearly gag.

“I’m pretty sure something resembling that hot mess just came out of me not too long ago so no fucking thank you to your poo poo platter.”

“Suit yourself.” She shrugs as she spoons the beans over part of her taco salad. “So, you told me you fucked up again last night. Did you see Emily this morning and make it right?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t. She left early for the animal shelter. She volunteers there on Friday mornings. Then she’s off for the rest of the day. My sister-in-law and future sister-in-law are coming into town to pick up their dresses for the wedding and having a semi-bachelorette party tonight.”

“Ahh, I see. And what are you doing while that’s happening?”

“I’ll probably be passed out by the time they make it home. I think they’re clubbing this evening.”

“So tomorrow then? Tomorrow you’ll make it right with Emily? Come on, Emmett. I’m rooting for you, but Emily was right. You’ve slept with a lot of the women even in this building. I know because I’ve been in the ladies’ room when they talk about you.”

“Oh yeah?” I perk up. “What do they say about me?”

“Well, the good news is they think you’re good in bed and some of them even argue over who had a better experience with you. Apparently, you don’t lie about your uh…junk, because they all agree that it’s…” She rolls her eyes.

“That’s it what? Don’t leave a guy hanging, Cheyenne.”

“In their words…it’s amazing.”

“Really?” I grin. This news somehow makes me start to feel better.

“Yep. But the bad news is they started to count how many in the building you’ve slept with, and they were able to easily name ten.”

I cringe. “That many, huh?”

Cheyenne doesn’t answer me. She only looks at me with a raised brow.

“Yeah. I know. Emily’s right. I was a player. But for the record, once Emily moved in, my player days were over.”

“I know this.” She nods. “And deep down I’m sure Emily realizes it. But that’s clearly not enough to not scare her off.”

“You’re right. Tomorrow, I promise. I’ll make it all better. And then my goal is to convince her that I’m the one for her and I’m not going to hurt her like she thinks I will.”

___

I’m exhausted.

I don’t know how I survived the day, or how the bathroom’s toilet paper supply just kept multiplying but thank God it did. And thank goodness I can go home and relax and sleep until some ungodly hour tomorrow. At least that is my plan, but as I step off the elevator to our loft, there’s a loud cackling coming from the other side of the door.

I turn the knob and quietly swing the door open to find five ladies, each with a bottle of wine in her hand, heartily laughing at whatever it is they’ve been talking about.

So much for a quiet night.

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