“Didn’t know you two were friends,” Ian said slowly.
“Well, my circle has dwindled. You guys take a lot of time and effort.”
A grin softened his mouth. “We like having your time.”
“And your efforts,” Coop tacked on.
“But,” Ian continued and gave Coop a look before focusing on me again. “If she’s your friend, we’ll try not to be assholes. I think we can manage that.”
“Yeah okay, I’ll try,” Coop said. “But I’m not promising anything for Archie or Jake.”
Ian snorted. “You know they can make their own apologies.”
Not likely, Jake already made it clear he wouldn’t apologize for anything except hurting me.
“You going to be okay to go home?” Coop switched the subject.
“I have to see her sooner or later. Lately, she’s never there, so…” I shrugged.
“Can I hitch a ride home with you?” Coop asked.
Ian frowned, then said, “Or I can follow you home. Or both. Just so we can make sure you get there, and if she is there, you have an escape route if you need it.”
“Guys, she’s not going to do anything. If she is home… I’ll just tell her I’m tired and go to bed.” If Archie’s dad was there? I’d grab some stuff and go sleep in my car.
“Just looking out for my best friend… besides the party’s kind of a bust.”
Considering the noise level? I somehow doubted it.
“If you really need a ride, I’ll take you home, but I’d rather just be on my own for a bit.”
Coop sighed.
“I’ll make sure he gets home,” Ian offered. “Will you text us when you get there?”
“Please?” Coop added.
“Okay.” I could do that. It was a plan at least.
Ian squeezed my hand, and then Coop stood up and motioned toward the far fence. “There’s a way out over there, I can walk you up the driveway to your car, save you the trouble of having to go through the party.”
“Can I call you tomorrow?” Ian asked. “Maybe before you go to work? Just to say hi?”
“Let me call you? If I’m up for it?” I barely knew how I felt right this second, I had no idea how I’d feel in the morning.
“Okay.” He accepted it easily enough.
“And I’m not working tomorrow.” I couldn’t remember if I’d told Archie that or not. “I planned to take it off cause I was supposed to spend the night.”
His expression fell. “And we screwed it all up.”
The fact I wanted to comfort him messed with me a little. “I’ll text when I get home.”
He nodded before he started to reach out to me and then withdrew his hands and put them in the pockets of his trunks. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Arms folded, I followed Coop along the path toward the fence, then we paralleled it. There was a gate, tucked there in the corner. I guess that made sense. The gardeners had to get in. It let us out on the small service path that circled the house. It shouldn’t have surprised me when we emerged out front that the number of cars in the driveway had grown to a ridiculous number. There were easily a dozen between where I’d parked off to the side and where the driveway was down to a single lane to get out.
There was no way I was getting my car out any time soon.