Page 61 of Nothing At All

Shoulders straight, I kept my breathing even. “Do we need to go somewhere so we can talk?”

Relief flashed in her eyes, and I watched the end of us roll through my brain like the inevitability of a disaster movie.

She was about to dump me.

The earrings grew into a heavy lump of disappointment in my pocket.

Somehow, I pulled my shoulders taller. I would not be a dick about this. Might go home and bawl, but I would not make her feel bad for not wanting me like I wanted her.

I needed her loving me freely or not at all. I needed a relationship – or an ending – that was fair to both of us.

Jaw clenched, I glanced around. The Cue Club was packed tonight, but we could talk in the parking lot. I frowned. She might not feel safe doing that in the dark. Maybe I should just take her home–

“Dude.” Josh slung an arm around my neck. “Wait ‘til I tell you about Nicole.”

“What?” I glared, dragging my attention from Lila’s tense, miserable face. I didn’t care about Nicole.

Tightening his hold, Josh steered me toward the high-top where Vic, Santillan, and Lacey gathered, wings and longnecks littering the table. Vic’s gaze honed in on Lila behind me, flicked to me, and back to her.

Hell.

She saw it, too.

Shrugging Josh off, I turned, intending to gather Lila and get us out of here. Santillan slapped my back. With his beer, he gestured toward a booth near the bar, where Nicole and Allison leaned forward over nachos in an intense conversation. “Hear about your girl Nicole?”

I gritted my teeth. “She’s not my girl.”

“Dude, she got suspended by the city.” Josh reached for a cheese stick. “For taking fraudulent leave. Apparently, you can’t lie about being pregnant and on bedrest.”

“Wait.” Lila pushed into the circle, shoulder jostling my arm. “What?”

“HR asked for medical excuses.” Josh grinned around a slug of beer. “She couldn’t get a doctor’s note.”

Frowning, I held up a hand. “How do you even know this?”

“Pillow talk.” Josh waved away my concern. “Evelyn in HR is sleeping with Mel, and she should know he can’t keep a secret.”

“Who lies about something like that?” Lila’s infuriated tone bordered on a shriek. Her narrowed gaze, blazing with wrath, locked on mine. “You got hurt because of her.”

“I’m okay.” I shrugged. “Her behavior isn’t, but I am.”

If anything, her anger flared hotter. “How are you so calm? Dan–”

“Hey.” I wrapped my hand around hers and drew her away, aware Allison’s attention had settled on us, a slight smirk of satisfaction curving her mouth. I took a chance, cradling Lila’s jaw in my palm even though she might be on the verge of dumping me. I didn’t want her upset. “I’m okay.”

Frustration vibrated through her, fiery gaze sliding over my shoulder to the back of Nicole’s head.

“You’re not kicking her ass.” I sighed. “Don’t want to bail you out of jail.”

“You’re not funny. That night was awful, Dan, and could have been worse. You were in that situation because she lied. And she lied because she wanted you.”

“I know. But she doesn’t have me.” I inhaled, about like I did before I stepped up to the driver’s window on a stop. “You do–”

“You bitch.”

Lila stumbled into me, colliding with my chest. I wrapped an arm about her waist, shifting to put myself between her and a familiar blonde.

I scowled. “What the hell, Krista?”