Page 86 of Hard to Judge

“No, you won’t,” Dobs declares without looking up from his mug.

The room goes still. Tension fills the space.

“Have you ever entered a drinking contest?” Hailey asks, propping her elbow on the bar and leaning into Dobson’s space. “I bet you have. I bet you’ve won them all, huh?”

His eyes tilt to her. “Actually, I haven’t. Not ever.” He scratches his beard. “There was a hot-dog-eating contest once.”

I can’t hold back my snort. Neither can Karris.

Before Dobs can get all bent out of shape about it, Hailey smacks the bar. “What have you been doing with your life?” She looks left and right as though in search of something. “We have to find you a drinking contest, stat!”

“Oktoberfest,” Arlo suggests. “Group trip? We have months to plan it.”

“Yes,” Hailey squeals. “I don’t need months. Just a few days.”

She rushes around the bar, but not before grabbing my hand and tugging me along. I barely have time to snag my glass. The wild woman corrals everyone around the rectangular table, basically assigning seats as she goes.

Of course, she puts me between her and Arlo.

It’s not that I don’t love being there. It’s that I love being there so much I’m scared to do the wrong thing and come between them.

Not two minutes in and a hand slides onto my thigh. It’s big and firm. More than that, the touch isn’t sexual as much as it is possessive in its grip. I don’t look because I don’t want to draw attention to it. Also, because I barely believe it myself.

My heartbeat ratchets too high for an at-rest reading.

A few moments later, Hailey’s dainty hand slides onto my other thigh.

Fuck me running.

I don’t know what the expression means really. I’ve never used it. This situation seems a perfect application, though.

While sitting there, with my heart expanding three times like the Grinch’s, Hailey organizes a trip to freaking Germany for allof us. She and Arlo. Me. Dobson and Karris. Astor and a plus-one. Celeste and her husband, if their parents can watch the kids.

Their newest will be almost one year old by that time. In fact, Cel isn’t back from maternity leave. This is her first outing without the baby, after her husband insisted she join us.

Hell, even Hard and whoever he wants to bring is invited. Arlo tacks on Natalia and her Frenchman too.

With her phone and one hand, Hailey finds an authentic lodge and things for the group to do while in Munich that don’t cause liver damage.

Just when I can breathe again, sandwiched between these two, Hailey checks her watch and grimaces. She looks across me to Arlo. “We have to go.”

He smiles at her with a big dopey smile and nods.

His hand squeezes my thigh and then releases me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Hailey pecks my cheek, then Astor’s, waves at Celeste, and she’s up, rushing toward the exit…but just like she did with me earlier, she grabs Hard’s hand and drags him along with her. Arlo wishes everyone a great evening and brings up the rear of their new fucking throuple.

Sorrow, akin to witnessing a plane crash, assaults me. It uses brass knuckles and cheap shots, poking at my every insecurity.

Abandoned again.

No one loves you.

You’re not good enough for the Kido name.

That last one lights a fire in my belly.

Someone asks me something. I’m up and moving before I even register who it was or what they asked.

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