that she spent without me. With Seth. I shake my head and swipe at my eyes.
“So, here’s the short story.” I slam a shot back, choke on it, and look at Dax. “She’s happy. Or at least she was until I showed up the other day. She practically freaked out when she saw me. I thought she was going to have one of her panic attacks. Anyway, she eventually calmed down and realized I wasn’t going to hurt her.”
“Wait, what?” Dax interrupts me, looking concerned. “She thought you were going to hurt her? Dude, not good. What the fuck?” His anger flares, and I realize he thinks the worst.
“I was angry when I got there, and I think I may have scared her. But I would NEVER hurt her. Ever. I’m not like Pops and I never will be.” Shit, I feel even worse about my interaction with her. “You believe me, right?” I am not like him. I would never hurt a woman. I would never hurt her.
“Of course you’re not like him. At. All. But you need to keep your temper under control. Take a look in the mirror the next time you’re angry. You get fire in your eyes.”
“She’s not with Seth anymore. She’s alone,” I blurt out as I down my last shot. I lick the whiskey off of my lips, making my tongue tingle and glance over at the bar again. Tabby looks angry and is shaking her head violently. I feel sick to my stomach, thinking that I am making her feel this way. I try to figure out what she’s talking about. Maybe she’s angry with me. Telling Kirsten what an asshole I am.
“Oh?” Dax replies, bringing my attention back to him. “Interesting development.”
I shake my head. “There isn’t a development, Dax. Do you really think I would take her back?” I say angrily, trying to stop his line of questioning. This is a lie, though. I would take her back, and every ounce of me today wants to make that happen.
Shit, I’m drunk. I feel woozy as I look over to where Tabby and Kirsten sit at the bar. I have to squint to see them. They are still engrossed in what seems to be heavy conversation, but it looks like they just made a decision. They both look over at me and catch my stare. Shit. Tabby looks like she’s going to be sick. They slide off of their stools and hesitantly walk toward Dax and me. I stop breathing when I see her standing in front of me.
Kirsten hiccups and then squeals, “Dax! Alex!”
And just at this moment, Garrett and Tristan appear. It’s a fucking reunion.
Tabby looks at me and our eyes lock onto each other. Hers glisten and her nose is pink like she’s been crying. Shit. I feel terrible. I’m sure she was telling Kirsten all about my visit the other day. About how I scared her.
“Ladies, so very nice to see you again.” Garrett slides into the booth next to Dax.
“Kirsten, after you.” Tristan winks and gestures for her to slide into the semi-circle next to Garrett. This forces Dax to scoot around near me, leaving the only open spot at the table next to me. I’m still holding her gaze and nod toward the bench. She’s the last one left standing and has no choice but to sit next to me.
She sits down and looks around the table. “Hi everyone. It’s – it’s nice to see you all again.” She looks down at her hands before quickly putting them under the table.
“Oh, it’s our pleasure, Tabs . It’s been ages.” Sarcasm rolls off of Garrett’s tongue. He just can’t help himself. He’s always given Tabby a hard time, and now is no different.
Thankfully, Tabby ignores the remark and looks past me to Dax. “Hi, Dax, Tristan, Garrett .” She speaks through gritted teeth. She’s drunk, too, but her confidence seeps through her comment.
“It has been ages!” Kirsten slurs. “Tristan, it’s so good to see you.” She leans into him and smiles. If she only knew how much he thinks about her, she’d be stoked. It’s obvious she is totally into him. Tristan is a ladies’ man and has had his share of hookups, but there’s always been something about Kirsten that
“So, here’s the short story.” I slam a shot back, choke on it, and look at Dax. “She’s happy. Or at least she was until I showed up the other day. She practically freaked out when she saw me. I thought she was going to have one of her panic attacks. Anyway, she eventually calmed down and realized I wasn’t going to hurt her.”
“Wait, what?” Dax interrupts me, looking concerned. “She thought you were going to hurt her? Dude, not good. What the fuck?” His anger flares, and I realize he thinks the worst.
“I was angry when I got there, and I think I may have scared her. But I would NEVER hurt her. Ever. I’m not like Pops and I never will be.” Shit, I feel even worse about my interaction with her. “You believe me, right?” I am not like him. I would never hurt a woman. I would never hurt her.
“Of course you’re not like him. At. All. But you need to keep your temper under control. Take a look in the mirror the next time you’re angry. You get fire in your eyes.”
“She’s not with Seth anymore. She’s alone,” I blurt out as I down my last shot. I lick the whiskey off of my lips, making my tongue tingle and glance over at the bar again. Tabby looks angry and is shaking her head violently. I feel sick to my stomach, thinking that I am making her feel this way. I try to figure out what she’s talking about. Maybe she’s angry with me. Telling Kirsten what an asshole I am.
“Oh?” Dax replies, bringing my attention back to him. “Interesting development.”
I shake my head. “There isn’t a development, Dax. Do you really think I would take her back?” I say angrily, trying to stop his line of questioning. This is a lie, though. I would take her back, and every ounce of me today wants to make that happen.
Shit, I’m drunk. I feel woozy as I look over to where Tabby and Kirsten sit at the bar. I have to squint to see them. They are still engrossed in what seems to be heavy conversation, but it looks like they just made a decision. They both look over at me and catch my stare. Shit. Tabby looks like she’s going to be sick. They slide off of their stools and hesitantly walk toward Dax and me. I stop breathing when I see her standing in front of me.
Kirsten hiccups and then squeals, “Dax! Alex!”
And just at this moment, Garrett and Tristan appear. It’s a fucking reunion.
Tabby looks at me and our eyes lock onto each other. Hers glisten and her nose is pink like she’s been crying. Shit. I feel terrible. I’m sure she was telling Kirsten all about my visit the other day. About how I scared her.
“Ladies, so very nice to see you again.” Garrett slides into the booth next to Dax.
“Kirsten, after you.” Tristan winks and gestures for her to slide into the semi-circle next to Garrett. This forces Dax to scoot around near me, leaving the only open spot at the table next to me. I’m still holding her gaze and nod toward the bench. She’s the last one left standing and has no choice but to sit next to me.
She sits down and looks around the table. “Hi everyone. It’s – it’s nice to see you all again.” She looks down at her hands before quickly putting them under the table.
“Oh, it’s our pleasure, Tabs . It’s been ages.” Sarcasm rolls off of Garrett’s tongue. He just can’t help himself. He’s always given Tabby a hard time, and now is no different.
Thankfully, Tabby ignores the remark and looks past me to Dax. “Hi, Dax, Tristan, Garrett .” She speaks through gritted teeth. She’s drunk, too, but her confidence seeps through her comment.
“It has been ages!” Kirsten slurs. “Tristan, it’s so good to see you.” She leans into him and smiles. If she only knew how much he thinks about her, she’d be stoked. It’s obvious she is totally into him. Tristan is a ladies’ man and has had his share of hookups, but there’s always been something about Kirsten that
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