I was going to kill him!
“What I want to know is why you called the con artist Hunter?” Jack asked, standing near the bar with a scotch in his hand.
“Because that’s the fucker’s legal name. Hunter Aaron Dukes,” I clipped, marching over to Jack and taking the scotch out of his hands before downing it in one gulp.
“No alcohol, Jack,” I muttered, placing the now-empty glass back on the bar.
“No, it’s Fredrick William Hennessy,” Josie challenged. “I think I know who I married, George.”
Rounding on my best friend, I snarked, “How would you know? Your naiveté is showing, Josephine. You married a fucking con artist for Christ’s sakes, so excuse me if we all question your creditability.”
“Whoa. You hold it right there, young man,” LeeAnn snarked, glaring right at me as she jumped to Josephine’s defense. “It’s not Josie’s fault she got swindled by that two-bit hustler.”
“No,” Josie whispered, getting to her feet. “He’s right. I played right into his hands. That’s on me. I should have seen the signs, but because of my lack of experience, he knew I was ripe for the picking. I’m sorry I disappointed all of you. If you will please excuse me.”
“Josie, I didn’t mean—” My words fell on deaf ears as she walked out of the penthouse, leaving me alone with four very angry people.
“I ought to take a switch to your backside,” Granny huffed. “That poor girl hasn’t had it easy, and you decide to dig the knife deeper in her back. I taught you better than that, George Harrison Steiner. Now go apologize.”
“Let her be,” Jack piped up as he glared at me. “She won’t listen to anything you have to say. Not that I blame her. You sure stepped in it, boy. Big time.”
“Oh, he did more than that,” King growled from across the room, where he was standing against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
“Why are you even here, King? This doesn’t concern you.”
“Here for a meeting with those three,” he said, looking at the three buttinskis in the room.
Yeah, I didn’t even want to know what the three of them had to talk about.
“But I’ve got to say, this is more interesting. Not only did you just put your foot up your own ass, but you also publicly claimed Josephine.”
“The fuck I did!”
Pushing off the wall, King shook his head and grinned. “Oh yes, you did. You let your temper get the better of you and instead of thinking clearly, you claimed Josephine, right in front of your president. I might be getting on in years, but my hearing is better than ever.”
“I heard it too.” Jack grinned, reaching for LeeAnn’s hand.
“Me too.” Granny smiled happily.
“Fuck!” I roared. “For the last motherfucking time. We are just friends!”
Storming out of the Rosewood Ski Resort, I got back in my vehicle and sped away from the damn place as fast as I could. I was so tired of explaining my non-romantic relationship with Josephine to everyone. Apparently, no one believed that a man and a woman could just be friends. I didn’t know whateveryone’s problem was, but I was tired of it. My personal life and who I was friends with was no one’s business but mine alone.
And that’s all Josie was.
My friend.
Okay, so she was stunningly beautiful. Her smile was a captivating, dazzling display that could mesmerize even the angels, and her eyes sparkled like the morning dew. Her laughter, a melody as light as dandelion fluff, was enchanting, and with her around, nothing else held significance.
But all that didn’t mean I liked her inthatway.
Josie was special. I knew that from the first time I met her. She wasn’t like other women. She was better, and I refused to fuck everything up by sleeping with her.
She deserved better. Better than me.
A short time later, I parked in front of the Irish Rose Tavern and walked in. Finding a seat at the bar, I said nothing when Pyro walked over and leaned against the bar.
“Thought you went to the funeral?”
