Page 41 of The Other Guy

No, he didn’t. Nick is an incredibly good looking guy and he and his wife make a beautiful couple. But I like the sentiment anyway so I don’t correct him. He’s hopelessly in love with his wife and son; it’s clear as he stares at their picture on his phone.

“Take your time. Finish up. Meal’s on the house tonight. When you’re ready to leave, come find me and I’ll take you home. Won’t leave until you’re packed up. Jeff’s a pussy but I don’t want shit to go down, either.”

I giggle a little at his use of words and nod, thanking him for his help and support.

He also brings me another beer. Usually after two I’m done but the third one tonight goes down incredibly smooth and I figure I deserve it. The fourth one gives me the courage of ten thousand soldiers and soon I find myself standing in front of Whitney and her friends. I’m a little surprised she didn’t leave but impressed, none the less. She didn’t allow Jeff to ruin her good time and for that, she gets a little gold star.

“I want to see your phone,” I demand.

“Excuse me?”

“Your phone. I want to see it. The texts with Textdoor Neighbor.”

“Are you… are you sure?”

“Yup,” I say, letting the p pop at the end. “Positive.” Though that word comes out a little slurred, sounding more like pothithive.

She hands me her phone after showing me the text.

Her: Hi, it’s me! So much fun last night.

Him: Sure was.

Her: Want to do it again? Maybe tonight?

Him: Not sure yet. I might have a meeting to go to.

Her: Sad! You know what they say all work and no play makes…

Him: Hmm. Maybe you should tell me.

Him: Wait. Scratch that. Don’t tell me.

Her: Why? Not up for sexting? I thought after the wild night we shared you’d be open to that. Kind of like how open I was…

Him: I’m not him. I’m him. But not him. Not who you spent the night with. I’m his Textdoor Neighbor and he used my number to give to you.

That’s the last of the texts. She must have stopped responding and Jack never reached out to see if she understood or if she was okay.

I quickly look up his number on her phone and commit it to memory before handing it back to her. Hopefully even in my drunken state I’ll remember it.

“You said you’d seen the messages? How?”

“It’s a crazy long story and one you’d probably not believe. I’m sorry Jeff did that to you.”

I titter on my feet, feeling a little whoozy but Nick is there in a flash, holding me up. “Shouldn’t have given you that last beer. They were tall ones, too.”

I smile at him and pat his cheek. “S’okay. Not your fault. I needed this tonight.”

Nick calls out to get someone’s attention and after I say my goodbyes to Whitney and her friends who look eager to watch me leave, Nick puts me in his car and asks for my address.

I give it to him and sit quietly as the beer and fried food settle in my stomach, souring as I think over the past few hours of my life.

The second he pulls up to our driveway, I bail out of the seat, emptying my stomach right on the concrete. Nick’s by my side, holding back my hair and rubbing my back, not bothered at all by the fact that I’m vomiting up my dinner.

When I’m finished, he helps me stand without a word and walks me to the door. I hand him my keys and he unlocks it, letting us both in. Toby greets me with a pathetic bark before sniffing at Nick and returning to me with kisses. The house is dark and a quick look into the attached garage shows me that Jeff isn’t here.

I look at my phone to see a single text waiting for me.

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