Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I honestly thought he was the one. I clearly couldn’t have been more wrong.
About ten feet from the open doorway to Andrew’s office, I hear Dane’s deep baritone voice from within. “Come on, buddy… You have got to get back up on the horse. Your dick is going to shrivel up and fall off from lack of use.”
I choke down a sharp laugh, positioning myself just to the side of the doorjamb so neither of the men can see me. I have no qualms with leaning against the wall and eavesdropping on my two best friends discussing their love lives.
“It’s not like I’m celibate,” Andrew tells Dane.
“Oh yeah,” Dane says with just the right amount of snark. “When’s the last time you got laid?”
Andrew doesn’t respond, but I can hear him shuffling papers around on his desk.
Dane gives a bark of a laugh and taunts his friend. “Just as I thought… You can’t even remember the last time.”
I can absolutely imagine the look on Andrew’s face. A mixture of disgruntlement and pure embarrassment. It almost makes me feel sorry for him. But honestly, over the years, it’s become sort of a tradition for Dane to egg Andrew on and try to push him out of his comfort zone. I suppose that applies to sex as well.
“You’re coming with me to The Wicked Horse tonight,” Dane says. “It’s high time you experienced the best debauchery that Vegas has to offer.”
“I don’t need a sex club,” Andrew grumbles. “I’m perfectly fine finding a woman on my own.”
“No doubt you are,” Dane says in a somber tone. “But why not go somewhere where it’s a lot easier?”
At this point, I decide to help Andrew out of his discomfort so I push off the wall and walk into his office. I pretend not to notice Andrew’s flaming-red face as he visibly wonders if I was listening to them. Dane just shoots me a wink as I plop down in the chair next to him.
“How are you doing?” Dane asks me gingerly, and it’s not a general request. He wants to know how I’m really doing.
I give a nonchalant shrug. “I’ve moved on.”
Dane turns in his chair and leans toward me, placing an elbow on the armrest. “For all outward appearances, sure. The last three days you’ve shown up to the office earlier than ever, produced brilliantly flawless work, and you did it all with a smile on your face. But I’m asking again… How are you doing?”
I grit my teeth because I don’t want to talk about Jamie. While I know Andrew and Dane have the best intentions and they are truly only worried about me, it’s a complete embarrassment that my relationship failed and I didn’t see it coming. And I am not about to tell them that because I still haven’t figured out what I’m going to do about these terrible feelings Jamie has caused within me. Because in addition to the sadness and heartbreak, I am pissed. I’m so angry with Jamie right now for doing something so stupid to ruin us that I’ve had a low burning in my stomach that won’t go away.
“Come on, Avril,” Andrew adds. “Lay your pain out. There’s nothing you can’t share with us.”
This is true. I would share most anything with either of these men. Being my best friends is not just a title. They are the two beings I trust most in this world. They are as close, if not closer, to me than family.
But just because I love them dearly does not mean I want to share my feelings with them right now, particularly when my anger is at the boiling point and I’m more likely to erupt like a volcano. My friends don’t need to see that because it serves no purpose and besides, I’m tougher than that. After I can process and figure out my mistakes, the anger will go away. Because let’s face it… I’m as angry at myself as I am at Jamie.
And the best way to avoid sharing with my buds is to deflect.
I turn my gaze to Andrew and give him a little smirk. “I’d rather continue the discussion about you not getting laid in at least a century.”
Dane makes a pointed cough into his hand. Andrew glares at him briefly before turning back to me. “Since when are you two so interested in my sex life?”
“Dude,” Dane says as he leans back in the chair and casually crosses one leg over his other. “You are my best friend. Why would I not care about your sex life?”
“I care about your sex life, too,” I say with a somber nod of my head. “It makes the world go ’round, so you need to jump on that ride.”
Andrew’s mouth drops open in astonishment, and I’m sure it’s because he thinks this is awkward territory to talk about given the fact I’d caught Jamie in bed with another woman just a few days ago. But honestly, I’ve pretty much determined the sex wasn’t broken in our relationship. Our sex life was active and very healthy. I’m adventurous and Jamie had a smile on his face most nights he went to bed, so I know it’s not from a lack of sex.