I blow out a hard breath. “That hadn’t even occurred to me. Fuck. She’d die if that happened.”
Beau grits his teeth and shoots me a tight smile. “Sorry to bring it up.”
“I’ll follow you to your place. If Daph’s not coming tonight, the drinking starts now.”
I check my phone for texts for the fiftieth time tonight. Not even joking. When there’s still no response, I lift one of the shot glasses that’s lined up in front of me on the kitchen island and drain the vodka in one go. I slam the little glass down. Blink. Glance at Xander and Beau sitting to my left. Scarlett’s across the counter munching on veggies and dip, her eagle eyes appraising me. I shift my gaze back to the action out on the patio where Griffin and his friends are chilling. Two of the girls get tossed into the pool, and from all the shrieking and laughter, I’d say they’re having a great fucking time. I’m certain my bad attitude has everything to do with why my friends are in here keeping an eye on me and not outside with everyone else.
Slowly but surely, I’m getting well and truly fucked up.
I make a shooing motion in Xander and Beau’s direction. “You should go have fun. I don’t need a fucking babysitter,” I grumble.
Xander side-eyes me as he pours another shot for himself. “So, this is how we handle shit like this? Shots? Because I don’t know if I can keep up with you.” He clears his throat. I don’t miss the look he sends Beau and Scarlett. The one that says they do, in fact, need to watch me tonight.
They probably aren’t wrong. Doesn’t mean it won’t piss me off.
I throw back another shot that burns all the way down my throat. I deserve to feel that column of fire. I want to feel the pain. Want to punish myself. And I’ve lost track of how much I’ve had. Groaning, I mumble, “I wish she had come over. I need her. Need her with me.” My eyelids droop a bit before they flick back open.
Scarlett shakes her head, pressing her lips together in a tight line. With a sigh, she says, “You’ve got to give her some time. This whole thing has been really embarrassing for her. And people do realize it was her, so lips are flapping all around town. It’s only a matter of time before every single person who knows her—her teachers, the coffee shop owner, customers at the bookstore—is aware of what happened.”
“So, you’re saying it’s my fault?”
She jerks her head sharply. “No. Alora’s responsible. I don’t know if there was a way you could have stopped her once she had the video. She’s fucking certifiable. Who creeps around recording people like that?”
Xander reaches across the island and snags a baby carrot from the tray. “Is Max with Daphne, do you know?”
No one seems to be sure. My girl is probably home alone, wishing she’d never had the misfortune of getting mixed up with me.
Resting my elbows on the counter, I hold my head up with my hands, swaying on the seat when I close my eyes. The vodka is hitting me hard. My head swims, thinking of every last moment spent with Daphne in the past few weeks. Her luscious lips. Her gorgeous green eyes…
Beau thumps his hand on my back. I barely feel it. “Well, like you said, Alora can’t really hold it over your head anymore, so at least there’s that.”
Conversation flows on for several minutes around me. My ears buzz and everything is a little hazy when I pick my head up out of my hands to look around. “She’s so beautiful. And so fucking smart. Smarter than any of us.” Once I’ve started rambling, I can’t stop, even though I’ve shut my eyes again. I see her in my mind’s eye and all I want to do is be with her. “And she knows so much stuff about Star Wars and other sci-fi movies and physics and all sorts of cool shit. So fucking smart. Did you know she says there are no explosions or noises in space like in the movies?” No one responds. The room spins when I open my eyes. “And she tastes so fucking sweet.”
Beau chokes on his drink next to me. “Ooo-kay, buddy. You’re toast. And veering into territory I don’t think you want to visit.”
I open my eyes, scanning the half-amused, half-concerned looks on everyone’s faces. “Sorry.”
“I’ll help him upstairs. He should sleep this off.” Xander stands from his stool and grips my bicep, helping me up.
Beau laughs, shaking his head, then stands on my other side, steadying me. “I think this is a two-man job.”