Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Cheers to that,” he said, and we clinked glasses.
We made some more small talk, and then I took him around the table and introduced him to everyone. He loosened up even more as the beer flowed, and I noticed how Shawn, who looked a bit tipsy himself, kept topping him off. I ignored Mom’s meaningful looks until she thankfully said her goodbyes about an hour in. It wasn’t her sort of bar anyway.
We played several rounds of pool, and Jasper seemed to get along well with everyone, which would definitely help with future relationships. On its face, Mom’s idea was a good one.
Once the celebration headed to a close, Shawn suggested a new dance club nearby. As the group of us walked out to the parking lot, I’d planned to beg off, but I noticed Jasper stumbling on the landing in front of me, so I grabbed his elbow to steady him. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I… Jesus, I shouldn’t have drunk that last one.” His hand slammed over his mouth, his eyes bulging. “Oh fuck, I’m gonna hurl.”
And then he did, in the bushes near the entrance. Thankfully, the rest of the group was nearly to their cars and didn’t realize the new guy was puking. But damn, the dude couldn’t hold his liquor. I felt guilty for encouraging him after Mom introduced us.
“Hey, how about I get you home?” I said, patting his back.
He groaned. “Oh God, I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it.” Been there, done that. Hopefully this wouldn’t be a repeat event for him. “Your secret’s safe with me. Let’s just get you home.”
I steered him to the passenger side of my car, punched his address into my GPS, and drove to his apartment, which was actually close to mine. He was asleep by the time I pulled into the parking lot, completely out of it when I nudged him awake, so I felt obligated to help him inside.
All the way up in the elevator he kept slurring apologies, still unsteady on his feet, and I continued telling him it would be okay. He seemed like a decent enough guy. I didn’t know his work ethic yet—or anything much about him, really—but he’d be okay once he got this night under his belt. We’d deal with the rest later.
As soon as I helped him with the key to his apartment and got him inside, he almost didn’t make it to the bathroom to puke again.
Not interested in watching, I backed away and glanced around. His place looked nice. I didn’t want to snoop, so I only casually noted a degree in a frame along with some family photos.
When I didn’t hear anything but silence from the bathroom, I stepped inside the door and saw him lying on the floor, his cheek on the cool tile.
“You okay?”
He didn’t answer, only moaned and held his stomach.
He would definitely be all right, but I didn’t want the guy to choke on his own vomit. So I decided to stay a little longer, and by then his stomach would likely be empty.
I walked to his kitchen, found a glass, and filled it with water. I set it on the vanity for him to drink later when he woke up with cottonmouth, and then I retreated to a comfy chair in his living room. I scrolled through my phone, my eyes growing tired, so I shut them, just for a minute…
Startled awake who knew how many hours later, I didn’t recognize my surroundings for a moment, and then it all came rushing back. Ah hell. So much for watching over him. I stood on stiff knees and padded to the bathroom to check on him, afraid of what I might find.
Jasper was sleeping soundly on the floor, his mouth hanging open. I considered helping him to his bed, but that might prove awkward. Instead, I tugged a throw from the couch and carefully placed it over him, then drove my ass home.
It was nearly dawn when I padded through my apartment door, then crawled into my sheets to sleep for a couple of hours. I absently noted my bed was empty, which meant Skylar was sleeping in his own. Made sense, since I hadn’t come home. I was so tired, regret couldn’t find its way inside me, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was dead to the world.
21
Skylar
The last thing I expected when I got home the night before was for Clark not to be there. I noticed his light was off but figured he’d gone to bed already. He wasn’t up every night when I got home anymore, so I took care of my nighttime routine, checked to make sure there was nothing hanging on the door, and sneaked inside.
The second I got close to the bed, I realized he wasn’t in it. At first I freaked out. Panic seized my chest, my mind going to all these odd, dark places it shouldn’t go to just because a twentysomething guy wasn’t sleeping in his bed after a night out.