Page 33 of Say it Ain’t So

I shook thoughts of her away, then let out a long breath.

Weston stepped over from where he and the guys had been chatting, a tentative look on his face. “So, uh…” He rubbed his hand over his short beard. “We’re thinking of heading out.”

“What?” It took everything in me to ignore that whisper in the back of my head. They don’t care, Rylan. You could leave here tomorrow, and they wouldn’t care. “You don’t want to stay? The night’s still young. Lots of climbing left to do.”

He raised his hands between us, like he was talking to a damn mad man and not just a friend. “This has been great, really,” he said in full-on hostage negotiator mode. “But we can’t beat you at this. You’re too damn good. Racing each other is fun and all, but there’s no winning against you. You’re, like, a fuckin’ superhero when it comes to this shit.”

“So, what, you guys are calling it a night?”

Weston shook his head. “Wade wants to go out.”

“Out?” I forced a grin I didn’t really feel. “Like, out with a girl? Out of the country?”

“Wishful thinking.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Out on the town. With us.”

Wade reminded me of myself years ago, if I was being honest. Pre-Joss, I would’ve been all over something like that. Partying. Drinking. Dancing. Fucking.

Especially fucking.

But damn. That girl ruined me for anyone else.

She ruined me for myself.

Nothing ever came close to that single day I called her mine.

At this rate, I was beginning to think nothing ever would.

Weston shifted, then glanced at the watch on his wrist.

“You got somewhere to be?” I asked him, giving him a shit-eating grin, my mood lightening, knowing that the night wasn’t at its end.

He sent one right back at me. “Got plans later tonight.”

“Yeah? This with that same chick you saw last week?”

He prodded his cheek with his tongue, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Nah. I’ve got custody of Zalea this weekend. Supposed to pick her up from her mom’s later.”

“So, you need to go?”

He scoffed, rubbing his chin again. “Nah. It’s not ‘til later. Just want to make sure I’m not gonna get dragged out alone tonight.”

“Maxwell not coming?”

“Fuck man.” Weston shook his head and stepped closer. “You know how he is. Spends half the night staring at his damn phone and the other half fighting with Nicky.”

“So, you need me as your buffer?” I let out a laugh.

“Dude. Come on.” He laughed right along with me. “Just come with already. Come out and enjoy yourself. Maybe get your dick wet for a change.”

Damn, that sounded good. And yet…

No. Hadn’t I told myself it was time to move on? Joss Monroe didn’t exist, and it was about damn time I started acting like it.

I pulled my arm behind my back, reaching up my spine as I gave him a grin. “Twist my arm, why don’t you?”

He rolled his eyes and started to walk away. “You’re as bad as he is, you know that?”

“But more fun,” I called after him. I dropped my rigging at the counter, then rubbed my palms together and rushed after my friends.