Page 10 of Wasted

"There's a bucket." She pointed beside the bed.

"You are not serious."

"I am." She squatted, digging something out of a bag on the floor. "I can give you some privacy."

"This is really happening." I slumped forward. "So, how is this supposed to work?"

"Honestly," Taylor circled the room, the legs of a chair scraping against the floor as she dragged it behind her, "I have no idea. I didn't think this was a good idea either, but I'm here, and so are you." She plopped down in the chair, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. "So, maybe tonight we drink, and we work your shit out."

I had no intention of working shit out with her, but if I was stuck here with her, I was going to need something strong to drink. Blowing out a breath, I nodded. "Pour." I nodded to the bottle in her hand. She tipped it. "Wild Turkey, huh?"

"I knew it was your favorite." Our gazes collided. "Or it used to be."

It was also what we drank in the barn loft the night before she decided she was marrying my brother. Our last night together before she destroyed me.

Chapter Five

Taylor

Standing on the 10th-floor balcony outside the suite that overlooked the city of Nashville, I pulled my jacket tighter as a cool breeze whipped around me.

"How's it going?" Bailey asked through the speaker of the phone.

"Well," I glanced back at Cole, still cuffed to the bed, tossing another shot back, "he's still cuffed to the bed," I muttered. "But I brought a bottle of Wild Turkey with me, and he's working his way through it now."

"Have you two had a chance to talk?"

"He's done most of the talking." I sighed, leaning over the balcony. "But I did manage to get out that he was ruining his life and what that looked like for him."

"That's something," she said. "Did he hear you?"

"I think so, but honestly, it's hard to tell. I guess we'll see what happens once I release him."

"How are you?" The tone of her voice softened. She was worried about me, but she had nothing to worry about. I was a big girl, and I could handle whatever Cole threw at me.

"Honestly," I sighed, "I don't know. I don't really have any right to feel anything..."

"That's not true, Taylor," Bailey said, cutting me off. "Feelings are feelings; they're not right or wrong. They just are, and you have the right to feel whatever you feel." I nodded like she could see me. Bailey always had a way with words. "You should tell him the truth."

"I doubt he would listen even if I tried. He's angry, and I don't blame him."

"I put Caleb's letter to Cole in your suitcase." I tilted my head back, staring into the starless dark sky in silent exasperation. Cole didn't want the letter. He'd sent it back three times. "Maybe you can get him to keep it this time."

"He doesn't want anything to do with me or his brother, and I'm not sure there's anything I can do to change that."

"All you can do is try. Everything else is on him."

I wish I thought the same, but this was all on me. If I hadn't agreed to Caleb's plan, then I wouldn't have destroyed their relationship. "I should get back inside. I'm pretty sure he's already finished the bottle without me."

"Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

I disconnected, sucked in a deep breath, and slowly exhaled before shoving open the sliding glass door and strolling in. His eyes shifted up for a brief moment, and his gaze lingered on me for a moment too long, a flicker of something—regret? longing?—passed over his features before the mask of indifference slammed back into place.

Cole filled my shot glass. "Do you ever wish things had been different?"

Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I saw the old Cole—the one who could read my thoughts with a single glance. The Cole I'd fallen in love with. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

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