At First Light
Page 28
“Joe!” Sadie’s voice rose.
“Okay, okay! Jesus.” Joe snorted. Then he turned back to me, lowering his voice. “You know I’m right though. Right?”
I sighed. I had to admit, the idea did sound pretty awesome. I hadn’t had a night away from Ashley since that night. And that night was pretty much a lifetime ago at this point. Just the idea of sitting at a bar, having an adult beverage as I people watched. It sounded like a little slice of heaven.
It was also impossible. I wasn’t that guy anymore. I mean, I probably was, deep down, but I had other priorities now. My life was not my own.
“Dude!” Joe cried, slamming his fist against the counter, as if something had just occurred to him. Though I had a pretty good idea he’d been working up to this from the moment he’d started in on me. “I’ve got a great idea!”
I could see my sister shooting him another disapproving look, but he ignored her, rushing in before she could interrupt. “I’m supposed to check out this new club for my company’s Christmas party tomorrow night. You could totally come with me. They say it’s a hot spot for reporters—News 9 is right down the street. So it’d be perfect.” Joe nodded enthusiastically, as if he’d already gotten me to agree. “We’ll have some drinks, take in the sights . . .” He waggled his eyebrows. “Maybe even find you a little hotness for the ride home.”
I rolled my eyes, waiting for my sister to jump in and save me again. Instead, to my surprise, I found her nodding slowly. “You know, that’s not a terrible idea,” she said. “I could watch Ashley while you were out.”
“No, thank you.” I shook my head firmly. “No way am I just going to go and take off and leave Ashley to go clubbing.”
Sadie frowned. “Uh, Mac, you do realize you’re going to be forced to quote ‘take off’ on her every day once you start your new job, right? Consider this a trial run—not to mention a good lesson for the both of you. Like, you learn it’s still possible to have a life in addition to being a good father and Ashley learns that when Daddy goes away, he always comes back. It’s kind of perfect, actually.”
“It’s completely perfect,” Joe agreed. “In fact, you’d be a terrible father to stay home and deny your daughter this all-important life lesson. And I know you don’t want that.”
I sighed, looking from one expectant face to the other. They weren’t going to drop this, I realized. And I was sick of arguing.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll go. But,” I added before they could break into celebration, “don’t expect me to bring home anything but a hangover.” I’d go to their club, I’d have some drinks, but when it came to picking up women? That was off the table.
Joe snorted. “No problem. I’m sure Sadie can hold off picking out china patterns a few more days.” He paused, his playful face fading. “But seriously, bro, keep your options open. I mean, no pressure or anything—just see what’s out there. After all, it’s not fair to write off the entire female race just because of what happened with Victoria.”
I cringed. And there it was. The name that, spoken aloud, still had the power to send a cannonball of hurt straight through my gut. Hell, they might as well have put my balls in a vise and started cranking the handle.
“Look, I said I’d do this nightclub thing,” I ground out, forcing the lump back down my throat. “But we have to make a rule right now. From this point on no one ever, ever mentions that bitch’s name in my presence again.” I paused, then added, “Ever.”
I pushed back on my stool as I rose from my seat, the force of the movement causing it to crash to the floor. As I turned to pick it up I could feel my sister’s and Joe’s pitying stares burning into my back. Which, if I was being honest, was worse than their teasing.
I wanted to turn around and tell them I was just fine. That Ashley and I did awesome on our own and I didn’t need some stupid female to complete me. But I knew if I even started down that rabbit hole, I’d look like I was protesting too much. And in the end, it was better to just drop the whole thing all together.
The bitch was gone. I was still here. And evidently I was going clubbing.
It’s just one night, I told myself. What could happen in just one night?
Mari Madison is the author of the Exclusive Romance series, including Break of Day and Just This Night. A former multiple Emmy Award–winning television producer, she has worked at television news stations in Boston, San Diego, and Orlando and helped launch the nationally syndicated morning show Better in New York City. Under the name Mari Mancusi, she writes young adult books, including the Blood Coven Vampire novels, most recently Soul Bound and Bad Blood. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and young daughter and their dog, Mesquite.
What’s next on
your reading list?
Discover your next
great read!
* * *
Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.
Sign up now.