Page 33 of Hard to Forgive

“When Lucas leaves,” Matt started. He trailed off, and I motioned for him to go on. “When Lucas leaves, do you think we can all get together and hang out that night? Not at a bar, just—”

I nodded. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Because while Matt seemed accepting of the fact that Lucas was leaving, it didn’t mean it wouldn’t still hurt. It didn’t mean we shouldn’t all still be there for him. I already knew it wouldn’t be a hardship for any of us. Supporting each other had never been a hardship.

“Can you make it seem like it wasn’t my idea?” Matt’s request shocked me. “I just—I don’t want everyone acting like I’m breakable. You remember how they got when Noah and I broke up.”

“That was different,” I reminded him. “Noah was your first love.” And Matt had been devastated. I’d never seen him that low, not before and not after. Matt gave me a pleading look, and I nodded. “I promise. It will be completely my idea. I’ll even host.”

Matt gave me a weak smile that transformed into a larger, more garish one moments later. I was confused at first, until the reason appeared. Holden and Eli appeared at the table. Theytook two empty bar stools and grabbed beers of their own. Eli’s curls were drenched in sweat.

“Surprised we beat Seb back to the table,” Holden commented. He looked around, like maybe we were hiding Seb somewhere.

Conversation flowed between us, shouted over the loud music, until someone came over to talk to Eli. He slipped away with a wink tossed over his shoulder at us. I had a feeling that was the last we’d be seeing him that night.

“Did you drive or did he?” I asked Holden.

“We took an Uber.”

I nodded. “I’m probably giving Matt a ride home tonight. You want to ride with?”

Holden thought for a moment before nodding. “Think I can crash? I really don’t want to hear whatever Eli’s getting into.”

“Or what’s getting into him,” Matt shot back with a cheeky grin.

Holden almost choked on his beer. I reached over and rubbed his back in small circles until he stopped choking. It was like the conversation about Lucas had never happened.

I didn’t know how much later it was when Seb showed back up at the table. He had the man that had stolen him from our group with him. Introductions were made all around the table, before the man excused himself to go get another drink.

“He’s cute.” Matt was the first one to comment. “And I’m riding home with Jonas. If you wanted to…”

Seb shifted a little before nodding. “I think I’m going to. Someone thought that a hot hookup might be good for me, so let’s find out.”

“Someoneis right. And added points, you didn’t go to high school with him, so you won’t be repeating my mistakes.”

Seb laughed. “I’ll be sharing my location tonight.”

“I’ll watch it,” Matt volunteered immediately. “Do we have a full name on the guy?”

“Christopher Singh.” The answering voice was unfamiliar, until he showed himself. It was Seb’s hot hookup for the night. He rested an arm around Seb’s shoulders. “Does that mean I get to keep you longer?”

Seb looked at us before nodding. “Yeah, it does.”

I watched them leave together fifteen minutes later, grinning so big my cheeks hurt.

All it took was a flash of white blonde hair for the grin to slide off my face. I turned to Holden and Matt. “You guys ready to go?”

Thankfully, they didn’t question the sudden eagerness to be out of there. They just agreed that they were done.

12

I’d thought I’d seenhim the night before at Goliath, but by the time I made my way to the table I thought he’d been at, he’d been gone. A few beers sat abandoned on the table, still cold, the only sign that anyone had been there at all.

Maybe it hadn’t been him at all.

I was questioning it even more when I got to work the next day. Jonas looked better, and he certainly didn’t look like he’d had a night out at the club the night before. He was even chatting with Declan, instead of hiding himself away in his little corner desk. I was pretty sure it was the first time I’d seen him talking to any of our coworkers without prompting from Yvette.

The destructive part of me wanted to go over and join the conversation, just to see how good of a mood he was actually in. Isabel’s appearance kept me from giving into the impulse. She showed up just in time and lured me back to our desks with a simple instruction: “Leave him alone.”

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