Hot Finish (Fast Track #3)(55)
Author: Erin McCarthy

In a fit that made her jump, Ryder threw the bottle cap at her refrigerator door where it pinged off it and landed on the floor, spinning across the tile. “Goddammit, Suzanne.”

Then throwing his hands up in the air, he stomped out, her front door slamming shut behind him.

Suzanne waited for the tears to fall but they seemed to have evaporated.

Just as well.

She knew that fairy tales were fiction and that happily ever after didn’t exist for her.

TY stood next to Elec as they both watched Ryder out on the dance floor doing the sprinkler and wearing some woman’s bra on his head like a do-rag.

“Okay, we have to do something, this is embarrassing. And God knows someone will take a picture and we’ll see it on that Tuesday chick’s blog tomorrow.” Even though they were in the corner, leaning on the bar, Ty still had to yell a little to be heard over the pounding dance music. Taking a pull on his beer for fortification, he tried to assess the best way to enter the throng of scantily dressed women gyrating on the dance floor.

Didn’t these girls know it was December? They were dressed like it was June in Key West, with tiny skirts and cle**age-baring tank tops. Probably the liquor and the dancing were keeping them warm. Not to mention that several of them seemed to be downright hot for Ryder, which was unnerving Ty. He didn’t think that Ryder had the sense to say no at the moment.

“I know. I can’t believe how much rum he drank. It was like one minute he was just sipping a drink and the next the bottle was mysteriously empty. He’s going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow.”

“He’s going to wake up with a pounding head, cotton mouth, and a naked twenty-something whose name he can’t remember wrapped around him.” Ty shuddered. “God, I’m glad I’m not single anymore. That would have been me a year ago, and now I can’t imagine waking up with anyone but Imogen.”

“I hear ya. I love being married.” Elec used his beer bottle to point. “My brother, on the other hand, seems just fine single.”

Evan was out there, too, doing some kind of grinding dance with a cute brunette. “He did plan this bachelor party for Jonas, so I guess he’s entitled to enjoy it.”

“I was impressed with the limo so we don’t have to worry about driving. Evan’s not usually that organized,” Elec said.

“He told me your sister did everything for him.”

Elec laughed. “Oh, I bet that thrilled Eve. Where is Jonas, by the way?”

“He’s with his friend whose name I can never remember playing one of those gambling machines at the other end of the bar.”

“At least he has the sense to stay off the dance floor.” Elec set down his beer. “I think it’s time to rescue Ryder from himself. He’s on the floor now doing the worm.”

“Oh, my God.” Ty abandoned his own beer and shook his head at the sight of his friend making a total ass out of himself. Imogen had told him that Suzanne and Ryder had been having a rough time of it since Vegas, but that was no excuse for rolling around on a dirty booze-stained floor on your gut.

As they maneuvered through the crowd, Ty could have sworn someone grabbed his ass. He turned and stared down a girl who couldn’t have been much more than eighteen. The girl just giggled.

“I’m sorry, I think I accidentally brushed against you,” he said.

“No, I grabbed your ass.”

Well, that was disturbing. She wasn’t even going to deny it. All his mother’s dire warnings about bold and loose girls rose up in his mind and he started to think maybe there’d been some truth in that.

“Let’s make out,” she added.

“Go home and watch cartoons,” Ty told her.

Elec shoved him forward. “Don’t even make eye contact. I feel like a hunk of raw meat with the lions all circling.”

Good point. Ty reached Ryder, who was back up off the floor, thank God. He didn’t even want to contemplate what would happen if he had to bend over to haul Ryder up.

“Hey, guys, wassup?” Ryder slapped an arm around Ty and almost fell over.

“We’re heading out, it’s one. Time to go home, dancing queen.”

“But I’m having fun! I don’t want to go.” Ryder lifted his drink and gave some kind of party yell that had the girls around him all squealing and cheering.

“Nah, it’s time to go.”

“Evan said we’re going to a strip club. He wants to see Jonas squirm.”

That was something Ty had no interest in seeing. “Let’s talk about it in the limo. Come on.”

“Alright, alright.” Ryder turned to the pack around him. “Good night, ladies. It’s been real.” He started to follow Ty, then stopped. “Oh, whatsyourname. Here’s your bra back. I’m not sure why you gifted me with it in the first place, but I liked it.”

The woman giggled as Ryder took it off his head, grabbing her arms and shoving them through the holes so that she was loosely wearing her bra on top of her tank.

Ty was losing patience, so he tapped Ryder’s arm. “Let’s go.”

“What’s your problem? You’re a real drag tonight.”

“Yep. A drag, that’s me.”

It took both of them to get Ryder shoved into the limo, and when Elec went to tell Jonas they were taking Ryder home, Ty climbed in next to his friend and assessed Ryder. “Man, what’s going on with you? You don’t normally drink like this.”

Ryder was trying to find his mouth with his plastic cup and gave up after a few tries. “Just having fun, helping Jonas celebrate. Marriage. Three cheers for that.” Ryder raised his cup and sloshed rum over the side of the cup.

Maybe if he questioned Ryder while he was drunk, he’d get the true story, so Ty said, “What the hell happened with you and Suzanne?”

“I don’t know.” Ryder shrugged. “She hates me. I love her and she hates me.”

Drama alert. “She doesn’t hate you.”

“Yes, she does. I’m good enough to f**k, but that’s it, man. Good for nothing else, just a quick lay.”

It just got better and better. Ty shifted on the seat, wishing he could be doing anything else other than having this awkward conversation. “That’s not true and you know it. Suzanne has been in love with you for years.”

“Then why won’t she be with me?” Ryder slumped forward and stared into his cup. “We’re having a baby, did I tell you that? We’re having a baby and she still won’t be with me.”