Page 10 of Heartless
“Yes. And Jess,” I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry about the way I left last time.”
The last time I left her house, I’d accused her of holding me back from having a life. But three months without her made me realize I didn’t need her help to keep myself isolated. I did that all on my own.
“Let’s talk about it tonight, okay?”
“Okay. See you later.”
I lay on the lounger, replaying different ways I could make it up to Jess for cutting her out of my life three months ago, when my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen.
Tyler: Drinks tonight?
Shit.
The text was in a group chat Ryan had set up for the three of us. I considered pretending I hadn’t seen it, but with Ryan still on-site, he’d just come to find me if I ignored it.
I hoped he already had plans for the night. If not, I’d have to explain that I was busy, and that was something I didn’t want to do. I wasn’t about to call Jess and reschedule, either.
The three dots showing Ryan was typing danced on the screen.
Ryan: Sure. What time?
Damn it.
Me: Have you dealt with the issue at The Sapphire?
Ryan: No.
Me: Then you shouldn’t be on your phone texting.
Ryan: Yes, boss.
I closed the chat and dialed Tyler.
“Are you coming tonight?” Tyler asked as soon as he picked up.
“Shouldn’t you stay home with your pregnant fiancée?”
“I should, but I still have to run the bar.”
“Hire someone to do it for you.”
“You could hire someone to run The Gem for you, but you’re not doing that.”
“I don’t have a family to spend time with.”
The pain that usually came with that statement had dulled somehow, without me noticing.
“You’re right. I’ll have to come up with something.”
Tyler and I got to know each other after he moved back here from Boston a few months ago. He’d reached out more times than I could count, and one night, after leaving Jess’s house feeling like hell, I went to his bar. One drink turned into half a bottle, and somewhere in the alcohol-fueled haze, I realized Tyler was a decent guy.
Unlike his older sister, Madison.
“So? Are we drinking tonight or not?” I asked, hoping he’d say no.
“Not after you dad-shamed me.”
I laughed. Tyler didn’t know the meaning of the word shame. He also was so involved in his baby niece’s life that I was sure there was no way he’d ditch his pregnant fiancée to spend the night with me and Ryan, just like that.
