Page 25 of Dark Promises

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Bryan bellowed, and held his chest as if he had a pain and he could take a heart attack at any moment. “I don’t think I can go to work today. I have to call in sick. No one will miss me anyway down in that basement.”

“That’s on you, and you’d better not lose that job until you pay me for that wine.” I didn’t want to be repaid, but I did want some information.

“Tell me what’s going on with you and that guy?”

“You knew he wasn’t Daniel?” Yes of course. From the minute he opened his mouth. Daniel from what I remembered, his voice was low and soft. Easy.

“The minute he strolled into this room, I knew it wasn’t Daniel. Daniel has the most interesting sexy powerful seductive walk. He doesn’t know he’s doing it, he just does it naturally. He glides with his head held high and his hips swaying, and with me he always smiled—"

“That is until you up and left him and Sam. Oh, and my guy told me about Sam. He said Sam was being Sam. Out of control, and it must be because you left him when he was a puppy. You were his pack leader, and you disappeared. Sam should have therapy.” What the fuck does he know about therapy. I needed therapy, and my head examined for going along with Bryan.

“I’m tired of being blamed for Sam and Daniel. I know I have a lot to make up for, but I’m trying, but nothing is working out. Why did Daniel send him?”

“Because Daniel doesn’t know what to do anymore. It’s been so long that he’s out of practice and the dating scene. He thinks things have changed. He’s not meeting anyone the traditional way, and now it’s all about being on apps and when it matches you with someone, they’re never what you imagined, and they have absolutely nothing in common.” Bryan turned and glanced my way. It appeared he’d been suffering from something similar. “Can I ask a favor of you?”

I thought since Bryan tried to fulfill his promise I’d reciprocate. “Yeah, what is it you want?”

“Can I spend another night here and have my friend over?” He stared at me, and I rubbed my hand over my chin and let out a hard breath.

“Yeah. I guess so, but you have to remember this is my home. Just one night and you have to go back to your apartment.”

“My friend said that I could room with him as soon as he sold some property.”

“I’ve heard that before. What is your friend’s name who Daniel sent in place of him? That was a dirty trick on Daniel’s part.” Well, I had my nerve, because I’d put in a ringer as well.

“Sidney. And he’s ever bit as cute as his name. I like him a lot,” Bryan admitted.

“Sidney James? He’s Daniel’s brother.”

“I didn’t know Daniel had a brother,” Bryan said, twisting his mouth to the right side and passing his thumb over his bottom lip.

“Yeah, and I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting to move out of that cold-water flat you’re living in. I thought in two years you’d have moved by now.”

“Not everyone is as fortunate as you are, Cole.”

“If I remember your parents left you enough to get a nice apartment after you sold their home, they left you. You couldn’t wait to cash out. But your siblings stopped you.”

“There were a series of bad investment and a trip to Las Vegas after they died. I was distraught, so I tried to gamble my way out of depression.”

“Therefore, you decided to throw away their life’s savings when they thought enough of you to leave you something where you won’t be homeless at forty.”

“I’ve kicked myself over and over for this, and it’s not going to get any better. I think it’s time I moved on.”

“Well, while you’re moving on, you have one more night and that’s it.”

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