Second Chance Boyfriend (Drew + Fable #2)(9)
Author: Monica Murphy

I’m so f**king shocked by what the a**hole says that by the time I find my voice, he’s gone.

Fable

I hurry back to the private party room, thankful Drew doesn’t follow me. Even more thankful Colin doesn’t follow me either. I wish I could sneak off to the bathroom to gather my thoughts, take a deep breath, something, anything, but I need to get back and help Jen. It’s not fair, leaving T in there helping out when she should be supervising the restaurant.

But I can’t stop shaking. Breathing deep, I can smell him. Drew’s familiar clean scent clings to my skin and my clothes. I press my lips together, run my tongue over them.

God, I can still taste him. He’s all over me and I don’t know if I can stand it. The words he said, how my body reacted when he touched me, when he kissed me…

I want him. But I don’t. He’s put me through hell and back and with one glimpse of him and a few whispered words, I’m lost.

Drew Callahan is my absolute weakness. Like a drug I can’t get enough of. He’s my addiction and if I’m being honest with myself, I’m not looking to kick that particular habit anytime soon.

Slipping inside the room, I see Jen standing in the corner closest to the door by herself. T must’ve left and I feel like immediate crap.

“Are you okay?” she asks me as I approach.

Jen’s low-spoken question pulls me out of my Drew-addled head and I offer her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. Just…tired.”

“The guys are leaving.” She studies me, her dark gaze careful. “I heard about what they said. They’re a**holes, Fable. Don’t let them bother you.”

Great. So they were still talking about how much of a slut I am. In front of my new coworker and potential friend. “Maybe what they said is true.” I square my shoulders and stiffen my spine. Trying for defiant and probably failing miserably.

“I don’t care.” Jen shrugs. “Who am I to judge?”

I think I could like this girl. Could possibly consider her a friend, and I don’t remember the last time I had a close female friend.

We watch as the guys stroll out of the room, the majority of them offering us leering stares as they pass. The birthday boy is the only one who shoots us a semi-apologetic look when he approaches, then slaps a one-hundred-dollar bill into my palm and another one in Jen’s simultaneously.

Well. That made the insufferable evening a little more worth it. Just barely.

“We’re continuing the party elsewhere. This place has turned into a drag.” Ty stops directly in front of me, blowing his beer breath in my face. I wrinkle my nose in disgust. “Wanna come with us? Bring your friend? We’ll show you both a good time, I promise.”

“Screw off, jackass,” Jen mutters, startling Ty.

And me.

Grinning, I tilted my head toward her. “You heard the lady. See ya later.”

He glares at us for a long, quiet moment, his nostrils flaring before he flees the room, leaving us completely alone.

“What a jerk,” Jen says, shaking her head. “I can’t believe he’s so….”

“Blatant? Rude?”

“All that, wrapped up in disgusting slimeball. What a waste.”

“What do you mean?” I start cleaning up the room, as does Jen.

“He’s not bad looking. A complete waste of a handsome face.” She shrugs. “The bigger a**holes are usually the really good-looking ones, I’ve noticed.”

She has a valid point.

Colin strides into the room, his gaze alighting on me as if he’s been searching for me for days. “Who’s the guy you were talking to?”

I’m taken aback by his question, the tone of his voice. “What does it matter?” I ask warily.

Jen’s watching us, I can see her out of the corner of my eye. I really don’t want to be having this conversation with her as a witness.

“Jen, could you give us a few minutes of privacy? Why don’t you help out in the bar for a bit?” Colin suggests, his gaze never leaving mine.

She leaves without a word, and we’re alone. The noise from the restaurant dims and I shift on my feet, waiting for the axe to fall. He’s going to fire me, I can sense it. And on the very day I finally felt comfortable enough and gave notice at La Salle’s.

I bet I could beg for my old job back if I had to.

“I don’t like having old boyfriends sniffing around my restaurant staff in a proprietary manner,” Colin says.

His words startle the crap out of me. “Old boyfriends? Who are you talking about?”

“The guy I caught you with outside. He told me he’s your boyfriend.”

My lips part but nothing comes out. I’m still so disgusted by what Ty said to me and Jen, I thought at first Colin was talking about him. But he was referring to finding Drew and me together outside. Drew’s arms around me, holding me close, kissing me. “Not anymore,” I finally say because as far as I’m concerned, we’re not together. We never really were.

But Drew said he was my boyfriend? This…baffles me.

“Well, maybe you should explain that to him. Last I saw, he was still hanging around outside. Almost like he’s waiting for you.” The disgust on Colin’s face is clear. He doesn’t want to deal with my personal problems lingering around his business. Not that I can blame him.

I feel like an absolute screwup.

“I’m sorry. Do you mind if I go see if he’s still around? I can tell him to leave.” Such a weak excuse. I just want to catch a glimpse of him again.

“By all means, get rid of him.” Colin waves a hand toward the door.

I start to go but he stops me, grabbing hold of my arm before I exit the room. “If this becomes a problem, you become a problem. You do realize this, right?”

I nod, embarrassment making me want to run. But I face him head-on, my gaze meeting his. I want him to know I’m not about to risk my job over a guy. They’re so not worth it. “I understand. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Better not.” His voice gentles, as does his touch, and he slowly releases his hold on my arm. “I like you, Fable. I don’t want to have to lose you because of your personal problems.”

Ouch. His honesty hurts but I need to face up to the fact that I caused some trouble tonight. The fight happened because of me. Yeah, the guys had been drunk but the arguing all stemmed from me. My slutty—and not so slutty—past is catching up to me and messing with my future.

I hurry down the narrow hall that leads to the back door and push it open, coming out into the alley to find myself alone.

Drew’s gone.

Glancing toward the parking lot, I see him with the rest of the jerks. For whatever stupid reason I feel betrayed. He doesn’t really like those guys. Never felt as if he fit in, he admitted that to me during our one week together.

So what’s he doing? Why’s he with them? I watch in disbelief as he climbs into the car of one of the other guys, leaving his truck in the parking lot. He’s actually…going with them. I’m stunned.

Irritated.

Without thought I stalk back into the restaurant, seeking out Colin. I find him in the front, at the hostess station, and I go to him, tapping him on the shoulder so he turns around to face me.

“The problem’s been taken care of,” I say with more finality than I actually feel. I’m lying to Colin since I didn’t talk to Drew but I’m not too far off base. No way is Drew coming back here to bug me.

I won’t let him.

“You talked to him.” He raises a skeptical brow.

I nod. “Sure did. Told him not to bother coming back. That we don’t want any trouble.”

Colin is contemplating me. Looking at me like I’m completely full of shit. Which I am. “He comes back here, I’m going to be mad. At you and him.”

“I know.” I swallow hard.

“I don’t like trouble at my restaurant. I don’t like my employees dating each other, I don’t like jealous boyfriends and girlfriends lingering around, waiting to catch their significant others in a bad position. I’m sick of that crap. You need to walk the straight and narrow, Fable, if you’re going to work here. I know I can’t tell you what to do on your personal time but your business time? My time? I expect you to adhere to my rules.”

What a drill sergeant. His words, his attitude surprises me. He usually seems so much more laid back. “I get it. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Colin nods and without another word leaves me where I’m standing. I can almost guarantee it’s never going to happen again because I’m so pissed at Drew, I don’t want to see him ever again.

He left with those guys. He’s off f**king around and doing whatever crazy, stupid thing a bunch of oversexed, drunken jocks do on a Saturday night. And he’s right there with them. Probably going to drink and flirt and mess around just like all the rest.

Tears sting my eyes and I blink them away. I don’t own him. I rejected him outright only moments before. Gave him a free pass to do whatever the hell he wants.

So why am I so upset? Why do I feel like he somehow still belongs to me?

Chapter Six

Don’t give up just because things are hard. – Fable Maguire

Drew

They brought me to a strip club that’s on the outskirts of town, the building nondescript and small, the sign flashy and bright in the otherwise dark, cold night. Gold Diggers is what the place is called. I’ve heard of it before but have never been there.

Usually I’d protest, bail on them, whatever. But when Jace asked if I wanted to ride with him here, I readily agreed. Didn’t help I was still blown away by what Fable’s f**king boss said to me.

Her boss. She’s messing around with her boss. I can’t believe it. The devastation that still lingers within me is strong. Like bring-me-to-my-knees powerful. I don’t know what to think. I can’t think. It hurts too damn much.

So I left. Running away from my problems as per my usual mode. Funny thing is, I’ve surrounded myself with other people. Guys I know and would like to consider my friends. I wonder if my shrink would be proud of me for at least this part of my denial.

I’m definitely a little drunker than I was when we first arrived, and I’m still angry—at Ty for insulting Fable. At Fable for pushing me away. I can’t win. Avoiding her led me straight to her. It’s inevitable that we see each other again. How could I prepare for the shock, seeing her there? Beautiful. Angry. Believing she’s still mine when she’s already moved on.

Pain lances through me and I let it, soaking the near physical emotion just like my body is soaking up the alcohol. I hate letting my emotions control me so completely. I’m usually numb to this sort of thing. Enduring what I’ve gone through in my past made it easy for me to throw up barriers and pretend everything was fine—or more like nothing mattered.

She matters, though. Or at least, she did.

So I’m sulking like a baby and watch half-naked women gyrate on a stage, their decent bodies on blatant display, their expressions bored, like they’ve done this sort of thing a million times and they hate it, which they probably do. The club is packed, we’re probably the youngest guys there and the beer is flowing.