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“No.”
He drags his hand down his mouth. “Sorry, sometimes I forget you’re her brother.”
“Anyway, all I’m saying is… I get it.”
I peer over at him. “Does Everly? Because… I don’t want her to worry. And I want her to be free to live her life, I do. And I get that she can’t help with Bear when you guys have your own brood but… I don’t know.” I play with the cardboard coaster beneath my drink, the casino logo wearing from the condensation left behind. “I don’t like talking about this shit,” I huff, tugging the label from the bottle.
When I’m in a relationship, what me and her do is for us. I don’t wanna talk about what we do in the bedroom or how I feel for her or any of that shit— not with anyone buther.
I’ve always been that way. Relationships to me are private. But I know that isn’t how everyone is, and I also know that Ev and Deuce are only trying to help. In their own way. “I don’t wanna sleep with Tiffani when I know there’s no future.”
But I do want to stop feeling strange things for Dolly. That, even with the beers in my veins, I don’t say. Instead, I offer, “It would be nice to have a relationship, though. I won’t deny that.”
Deuce catches a burp with his shirt sleeve. “Don’t tell your sister I had terrible manners all weekend,” he warns before stacking his boots on the barstool and leaning in. “You really aren’t a one-night stand guy, huh?”
I shake my head. “I’ve had exactly zero one-night stands.” I finish my drink, fully drunk now. “I don’t want any, either.”
“You haven’t been laid since your ex?” He lets out a low whoop of shock, one that has no effect on me. I’m wearing my booze shield. “You must be close with your hand, eh,” he laughs, shaking his head.
“We aren’t talking about this,” I breathe, pushing awayfrom the bar, glancing over to see Trace covered in doting women, a stack of chips up to his head in front of him. “Now, it’s your last weekend free from Everly’s clutches. Let’s go make shitty choices and gamble.”
Deuce gets to his feet, dropping his arm over my shoulders. “Let’s fucking do it.”
Jesus Christ. Is this hotel room on the surface of the fucking sun? My hands shoot up from beneath the sheets, getting tangled as I curse and groan in a hurried attempt to block the glaring light and heat from my face.
“Motherfucking, cocksucking…” I slur, stumbling violently out of bed. One of the grommets pops loose from the rod above as I fall into the blinds, yanking them closed, darkness enveloping me. I fall onto the other queen bed, still neatly made, and hold my head.
I don’t hardly drink and I don’t hardly curse and I almost never gamble.
Last night was… I think it was great. Though I can’t be so sure because as of right now, the only thing I’m focused on is… “Water,” I say aloud.I need water.
I stumble to the sink, taking the paper hat off one of the tiny glasses. Holding it beneath the faucet, I fill it and finish it at least ten times. Damn tiny playhouse-sized cup. Assoon as I can get myself in the shower, I’m heading downstairs for some more water followed by coffee.
Just then, my phone vibrates on the nightstand.Shit.Today is the farmers market. In my drunken stupor last night, though I’d checked in with Bear and Ev before things got too wild, I forgot to send a reminder text for final details.
Everly knows, so it’s a moot point, but still, I feel like an asshole leaving her with my son and the market without so much as a good-luck and thank-you text this morning.
I stumble to the phone, getting to it right in time.
“Hello?” I couldn’t see who was calling, but I know as soon as she speaks that it isn’t Everly.
“Hey, Hudson,” Dolly greets, and despite the egregious amount of beer still in my system and the fact I haven’t taken a piss yet, my cock stirs at her soft, effusive tone. The good part about a dark hotel room in Las Vegas? The guilt doesn’t seem to know where I am, because my cock gets fat as I fall back against the pillows, holding the phone to my ear.
“Hey, Dol, how’s it going? You guys ready for the farmers market?” My voice is hoarse, stretched thin from talking over machines and Deuce all night. I sip from the tiny water cup I brought from the bathroom.
“Oh, yeah!” she says proudly, which makes me grin as I shift beneath the sheets, searching for a pocket of cool fabric. I take another drink of the water as she puts Bear on the phone.
“Hey, buddy,” I greet my son. “Are you excited for today?”
“Yeah,” he says, out of breath from running around like a crazy person, no doubt. Another smile hits me as I envisionthe farmers market on my property back home, all of the town out there, smiling and chatting. “I got to help Dolly, Ivy and Juni set up the boofs–”
“Booths,” I correct softly.
“Yeah,” he breathes, “those. And it was so much fun. And this morning before the market, me and Dolly did another painting together in her barn. And Dolly promised she’d take me to the creek for two full hours today after. Daddy, I’m so excited. I’m having so much fun with Dolly!”
I stroke my hands over the stubble coating my chin, finding I’m still smiling. “Where’s Aunt Ev?” I knew Everly had wedding things to do, and that she was working those errands in with the market errands, but from Bear’s perspective, Dolly’s doing an awful lot of work.
“She’s here,” he says, answering nothing. “Anyway, love you, Daddy, I gotta go.” He disappears from the line, and I envision Dolly’s phone with a lit-up screen sitting in the midst of the dirt as he takes off, oblivious. Fortunately, that’s not what happens, because Dolly’s soft voice is back a moment later.
