She twisted her mouth in a half-smile. “It makes me a curious little monkey. Are you okay to share details?”
He didn’t know if she meant professionally or personally, and he wasn’t sure it mattered. “High level. What about you? You got tossed in the shit pond too.”
“But you already know my details. Fired for sleeping with the boss. Apparently sold out by my best friend’s spiteful brother. She took his side, and if that continues we may never speak again. See? Nothing new.”
Most of it was, but he understood the desire to gloss over and make light of the situation. “It’s funny. Your story’s got a lot of the same details as mine. Boss quit. I told him he was an asshole for it but I loved him anyway. He doesn’t feel the same, and now we may never speak again.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He didn’t want her pity. “Me too. But I’m not ready to process yet. Give me a few days, and when it really sinks in, I’ll call you sobbing and beg you to bring over beer and ice cream.”
“Together? You’re on your own. But I’ll be there for the sinking-in bit.”
“I know you will.” It was amazing how much that meant, which led him to another realization. “You were right about one thing. Well, several, but one in particular.”
“What’s that?” She looked curious.
“You would have been a rebound girl if you hadn’t stopped me the other night. You deserve better than that.”
Her sad expression deepened, and she slid her hand under his. “Seems like we both got a bit fucked over.”
“It really does.”
“What now?” she asked.
It was the last question he was qualified to answer.
*
JUSTIN COULDN’T BELIEVEhow much of him felt bruised and battered—his heart, his mind, his soul. It wasn’t like when he and Lia broke up. He didn’t know what to do. How to approach Antonio. How to go back to being his friend after what transpired.
When left Lia left, the shock had faded under his drive to build PP regardless of what the board said. The next morning—bam. He had a distraction. That wasn’t working this time. Tuesday bled into Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, leaving them a smear in his mind.
Antonio wouldn’t talk to him. He worked with his office door closed, and business correspondence came in single-word replies, with any personal questions ignored.
Friday afternoon, Justin received word from Grant. The board had made its decision on his replacement, and transition wouldn’t be necessary. When Justin reminded Grant he was still a member of the board, he was informed buyout paperwork was being drawn up and he’d have it by Monday morning.
The news should have bothered him. Instead, it was a relief. He hated not knowing if Antonio would take his place or where their friendship stood, but he felt lighter than in ages, that he was no longer beholden to someone else’s vision for his company.
Friday night, he hit up the bar. He wasn’t really in the mood to drink, and he definitely didn’t want to hook up, but the background noise kept him tethered to the outside world.
He was nursing the same beer he’d had for the last hour, when a flash of color caught his eye. A familiar redhead sat alone near the pool tables. She didn’t see him; her attention was on her phone.
He pulled out the chair next to Emily, and she looked up, startled.
“Buy you a drink, my lovely siren?” he asked.
She smiled. That seemed like a good sign. “You can’t afford what I’m having.”
“No? What are you drinking that a hearty buyout check can’t buy?”
“A hardcore escape from reality.” Pain cut through the teasing in her voice.
“That’s where you’re wrong. Every single bottle on that wall will get you that.” He nodded at the glass shelves behind the bar.
“Until the morning after. Then thenowrushes back, polluted with regret.” Was she talking about them?
“Do you regret it?”