Ev winked again, then scurried off, tapping on his phone as he called down the hallway. “Ozzy! I have a very important job for you!”
Aras was suddenly at least sixty percent convinced he was about to regret making this request.Forty percent is still good odds, I guess.
Chapter thirty-nine
Aras
Araswasreadytocall it off half an hour before anyone was supposed to come to his hotel room. They’d agreed to seven at night so that everyone had time—no one had said no, not that Aras expected them to—but now it was getting closer and he suddenly wanted to vomit for all different reasons. The fact he hadn’t eaten anything all day, and had several cups of coffee throughout the day, probably wasn’t helping that situation.
But he knew everyone was going to be focused on him, in his space, there because he couldn’t handle a break in a brand new relationship. Maybe most annoying of all, the fact Dane wouldn’t be there felt like a stake driven down his throat. Sharp, ragged, and blocking his breath. He could probably just sit alone in his hotel room and not interact with anyone as long as he made absolutely sure that he ate in the morning.
A knock at his door, soft but deliberate.Too late to pretend I have a stomach bug now.He plodded over to the door to see who the early bird was, but it was no surprise when he opened it. Robinson and Mason stood side-by-side, carrying green plastic bags packed full to bursting with white cartons. Mason grinned. “Chinese good? I’m hoping you still like hot and sour soup because we got a big container.”
“And kung pao chicken.” They were both in comfy clothes as they stepped in, Robinson in gray sweats and a blue tank top, and Mason in a black-and-yellow checked pajama set.
Aras ushered them in. “Thanks. Tell me what I owe you.”
“You owe us a happy friend and some relationship gossip.” Mason set the food down on the dresser next to the TV. “You’ve pretty clearly been doing bad since Dane left, and I fucking hate seeing it.”
Aras snorted. “How could you tell? Not like I’m usually sunshine and roses.”
“Well, you’re much less clever when you’re all fucked up.” Mason shrugged. “I think you called me a doorknob the other day? Which frankly, is not your best work.”
Aras grimaced. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been a dick.”
“Yeah, but you’ve beenbadat being a dick.” Robinson set his bag down next to Mason’s then lowered himself cross-legged onto the floor. “No offense, but you haven’t been on your game.”
Aras had to concede the point. He sat on the floor across from Robinson and stretched to pop his back. “I’m stupid and messed up over Dane. More than I should be.”
“Exactly as much as youshouldbe.” Mason was lowering himself onto the bed, but only got halfway down when someone pounded at the door. “Don’t get up. I think our booze delivery might be here.” He stumbled a little getting around Robinson and Aras, then answered the door.
Sure enough, the rest of the crew were there. Ozzy was in basketball shorts and a black tank top, carrying a clinking bag in his right arm. Ev waved over his shoulder, sporting the hotel-branded bathrobe. Jake hadn’t even bothered with that much cover, walking in wearing only sweats andalsocarrying a clinking bag.
Bunny was at the back in a pink T-shirt and some shorts Aras was pretty sure belonged to her husband. She locked her eyes right on Aras as soon as the door closed, then shrugged. “I told them we didn’t need twelve bottles, but they went off on some tangent about gay bars and how all your demons know how to swim. I’m not sure I understood it.”
Aras snorted. “Heavy pours and homophobia. And an excuse to over-drink.” Which, as far as Aras was concerned, sounded like a great idea tonight.
“Oh, was I supposed to get some for you too?” Ozzy grabbed out a bottle of peach schnapps, then took the office chair and flopped down. And then he handed over the bottle to Aras. “Sorry about Dane. Sucks.”
Aras took the bottle. “We didn’t break up.”
“Yeah, but it feels like it, doesn’t it?” Ozzy reached over and dug out another bottle. Some kind of rum, but Aras couldn’t get a good look at the logo. Ozzy cracked the bottle open, then took a swig and grimaced. “I know you don’t want to hear about me and Ev all the time, but we did that long distance bullshit for a while. And it was, like, between Washington and Oregon. Nothing but a long drive. Felt like we weren’t even a couple anymore, and talking and texting and shit only worked a little bit.”
They had been texting. Nothing more than that so far, but it was woefully inadequate. Aras wasn’t even the biggest fan of schnapps, but he cracked the lid off and trickled a bit into his mouth. Then he nodded to Ozzy. “Not that I like taking relationship advice from you two. But yeah. It sucks.”
Jake half-sat, half-tumbled onto the bed, then reached out and clapped his hand on Aras’s shoulder. “Me and Quinn are dealing with it too. Sexting helps. Or texting. Normal texting. Zero penises at all, obviously.”
Aras flipped him off, then took another drink before passing him the bottle. Schnapps wasn’t exactly high-proof, but taking it straight still burned the back of his throat just a bit. Good prep for something with a little more kick. “Please tell me someone remembered gin. If I’m oversharing and we’re all getting fucking sappy, I’m not going to do it sober.”
“Relax. I got your floor cleaner juice.” Ozzy rolled the office chair a little bit closer to the bags, then reached in and pulled out a round, black bottle. “You still fuck with Hendrick’s?”
“This is much better than your relationship advice.” Aras took the bottle by the neck. “I don’t suppose anyone brought mixers? Tonic water? Grapefruit?” He absolutelycoulddrink gin straight out of the bottle—and would—but that gave him too many flashbacks to the local lush back in Pine Point. Every time Aras came to fix something in her house, she had more empty gin bottles scattered around like a collection. None of them were even halfway decent gin, either.
“I took pity on the poor idiot.” Evander popped up and dug into the bag. “He was going to get the makings for Negronis, but heartache requires something a little sweeter.” He pulled out a bottle and tossed it to Aras.
He looked at the bright green label. Lime cordial. “Been a while since I’ve had a gimlet.” He nodded to Ozzy. “Negronis would have been fine with me, though.” His skin only itched a tiny bit, and he’d extended the offer to Evander. Why not Ozzy? “Come over some time when this bullshit’s done and we can drink and complain about your boyfriend.”
Ozzy clapped and laughed. “That sounds like a hell of a night.”
