Page 81 of Having Henley
“Why?” I cock my head, nailing him in the eye with a hard glare. “Did you know it was her went you sent me over to her last night?”
“What?” Dec jerks back like I spit on him. “No. You think I would—” He stops himself before he can finish the question. He knows exactly what I think of him. There’s no need to ask. “No. I didn’t recognize her. Did you?”
Did I?
“No.” It’s a lie. I know that now. I think I might’ve on some weird subconscious level. “Had a bit of an accident,” I say, gesturing toward the pile of whiskey-soaked papers I scraped off the floor after Henley left. “Sorry, bro.” I push past him and into the hallway. Not more than two steps away before I hear the door slam shut behind me. He’s mad. Probably because he thinks I did it on purpose, just to fuck with him. I didn’t. But I let him think it because I like it better when Declan’s pissed at me.
Closing time was about an hour ago, so the place is empty. Patrick’s behind the bar restocking the garnish stations and making sure the wells are full, and the waitresses are long gone.
Tess and Henley are still sitting in my booth, drinking and laughing. “You ready to go?” I say to Tess careful not to look at Henley.
“Actually, we’re heading over to Benny’s,” Tess says on the tail end of a laugh. She’s not what I would call fall-down drunk, but she’s definitely not sober either. “You want to go with us?”
Us. Meaning her and Henley.
The thought of spending the next two hours sitting within feet of her makes my skin feel tight. Like I’m trapped inside my own body. Like I need to get the fuck away from her before I do or say something both of us won’t be able to walk away from.
“No,” I say, in a bid for freedom. “I’ve got somewhere to be.” I spit out the lie before forcing my mouth into a cocky grin. “Last chance, sure you don’t want a walk home?”
“I’m sure,” Tess says, giving me a small, knowing smile. She knows I don’t have somewhere to be. That I’m running from Henley like a scared little bitch. “Henley can drive me home after Benny’s.”
“Suit yourself.” I backed away from the table forcing myself not to run. “See you later,” I say before I spin on my heel and head for the door.
I have no idea where I’m going, but I know that if I want to hang on to even a semblance of self-control, it’s going to have to be far, far away from Henley O’Connell.
