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Ryan shook his head. “I gotta keep some secrets.”
“Fair enough. It, uh, wouldn’t happen to be Tyler Hayes, would it?”
Ryan was dumbfounded. “How the…?”
Chris pointed over to the entrance of the bar, where Hayes stood, head on a swivel.
“Shit,” Ryan dropped his head into his hand before looking back at Chris. “Hey: secrets,” he reminded him, polishing off the rest of his drink and putting his fist out.
Chris bumped it with his. “No clue what you’re talking about. Ryan, good luck with…everything.”
“Thanks, man.”
He walked up to Hayes. “Hey.”
“Oh my God. The fuck you doin’ out in public right now lookin’ like someone trash-picked you?” Hayes pointed to his outfit. “Are you kidding me with this shit, Rook? Have people been throwin’ spare change at you?”
Ryan shrugged. “I needed to get away for a minute.”
“Well, it’s been more than a minute. She was worried, asked me to come look for you.”
“And you always do whatever she wants you to, don’t you? Like a good little lap dog.”
Hayes threw his hands up. “The fuck you want from me, Rook? Huh?”
“Can we talk?” Ryan asked seriously. “I think…I think we should talk.”
“Fine,” he muttered, turning and heading back inside. The lobby was practically empty, so he motioned to a couple of somewhat secluded couches, where they each took a seat on a separate one. Hayes crossed his arms. “So? Talk.”
“I feel like there’s a lot we need to say to each other.”
“Like?”
“OK, well first, you should’ve used protection with her, or at the very least, pulled out. That’s just stupid, Hayes. I’ve been responsible for…” he paused, looked around, and lowered his voice. “For an abortion, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
“Don’t worry, we already talked. Hittin’ up a CVS on the ride home. Last thing the world needs right now is a little mini-Hayes runnin’ fuckin’ amuck, eh?” His attempt to make Ryan smile flopped, so he continued. “For what it’s worth, she asked me to do it.”
“I don’t care. You know better.”
“You’re right.”
“And just for the record, I…wait. Did you just say I’m right?”
“Yeah. See, you got this whole fuckin’ speech prepared, but you don’t even listen. It was dumb. I got caught up in the moment, and it won’t happen again.”
“Uh, this won’t happen again, Hayes. I never wanted this to happen in the first place, OK?”
“So why did it then?”
“Alcohol and testosterone.”
“You think either of those things are goin’ away anytime soon?”
“I knew how bad she wanted it, and I just wanted to make her happy, but…she’s never happy.”
“Rook, do you even know your own girlfriend, man? She’s a lot of great and wonderful things, but happy?” He laughed. “Happy isn’t one of them.”
Ryan rubbed his forehead. “Why do I feel like you know her so much better than I do?”
