I turn to look at Matthew, his face pale. “Please don’t tell Bella,” He says.
“Have an honest and real conversation with her, decide to be with her or leave her, and I won’t.” I shrug. “It’s simple.”
He pats my shoulder once as Bella reaches us. She taps the shoulders of the child. “Matthew, can you help me find his mom?”
“Sure, we can’t have you lost.” Matthew ruffles his hair.
I’m sure this is just one step in the right direction. It’s not a cure all. It certainly doesn’t solve everything, but it gives them a reason to start talking. Bella nods to me once as they take the kid away. She knew I was meddling.
Stumbling a little, I brace myself against the wall until Gunner comes to me. “Are you good?”
“You arewavy.” I say, then laugh. “Used all sobriety helping Bella.”
“Sophie will love that.” Gunner looks me over then shows me a one-dollar bill. “I hope she didn’t miss your table dance.”
“Her loss.” I grumble.
Gunner tosses me somewhere nice and warm, soft. A few minutes, or seconds, later there’s water in my hand. A halo of dark brown hair is above me. “Angel.”
“Si, drink.”
I drink the water obediently.
Holden appears next to me after a bit, smiling and telling jokes that are so bad not even Gunner laughs. Holden points at me. “Wha .... what’s reindeer’s problem?”
“Dunno,” I groan.
“No baggage department.”
I stare at him as he cackles. After my third glass of water, I feel a bit better, better meaning able to sleep. I push Holden when he tries to cuddle me, but the second time, I accept it. He’s warm after all.
We snuggle together and the last thing I remember before I go to sleep is Sophie clinging to Roman, afraid of Matthew.
Never again.
“Fuck.”Holden groans next to me. I’m already popping the Advil left behind and following it with Gatorade. He does the same, then points at me. “We need to have a limit.”
“Lower your voice.” I sigh. “No need to shout.”
He makes a confused face, but downs his whole Gatorade before scanning the room.
“They’re already gone for the morning. Sophie left a note about coffee.” I grumble.
“Boo.” He flops back.
We both get through a shower, clean ourselves up, change, and look for anything we can eat to stop the nausea and lingering headache. Finally, Gunner crashes into our lives.
“Rise and shine beautiful drunks!” He yells.
I groan and Holden grips his head. Sophie says something softly before checking on us. She takes my face between her warm gloves and kisses my nose, then my forehead, and my temple.
“How are you feeling, Nick?”
“Better ... confused ... sick.”
“Gunner has bacon, coffee, and some maple donuts.”
“Sold,” I agree, giving Sophie up to try and calm my rolling stomach and every other problem.