Page 47 of My Last Dance

I immediately chased after Kappy, too worried about him to care about the rest of the group.

But as soon as I burst into the frigid snowy night, my head swam, letting me know I had way too much to drink.

“Richard?” I called out, but the sidewalks were completely empty. Panic ratcheted up in my chest.Where the hell did he go?“Richard!” I called out desperately and started to run, but the snow-covered sidewalk was going all wonky on me. I hugged myself against the cold and screamed out, “Richard!” I was a few seconds away from a full mental breakdown. “Please wait for me!” I called out to seemingly no one. I didnotlike drunk me, she was way too winey.

A set of strong arms scooped me up from behind, hooking under my knees and back. Thinking it was that awful man, I started screaming and thrashing around violently.

“It’s me! It’s me!” Richard yelled, and his voice was like water to flames, making me immediately deflate.

Looking up at his dark, warm eyes, I sank into his arms. “Oh my God, where were you?” I smacked his chest. “I thought you left me.”

“Never.” He shook his head and a boyish grin appeared on his lips. “I think you went out the wrong exit. I ran as soon as you called me.”

Looking up at him as we walked under a streetlight, I gasped and reached up to touch the side of his jaw. It was already red and starting to swell. “You okay?”

“For sure,” he said with a smirk.

My stomach sank with regret. “I’m so sorry.”

Anger slid into his eyes. “Don’t you dare apologize. That wasn’t your fault at all. That guy deserved it. He was being a creep to girls all night. It wasnotyour fault, got it? I’m just sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. You okay?”

Closing my eyes, I nodded slightly. Sucking in a deep breath of the cold night air, I tried to steady myself, but it still felt like my brain was all off-kilter. “Okay, you can let me down, I can walk by myself.”

“Nope,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re recovering, you need rest. And…not sure you’d be able to make it in these heels, girl.”

“I’m fine,” I said stubbornly, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

He held tighter. “Relax. Be thankful I’m not carrying you like him,” he said, jutting his chin to the side. I looked over to see Colt holding Mer’s body over his shoulder like a fireman.

“Where are they going?”

“Colt’s probably taking her to a pizza shop to sober up. You need any?”

“No, I’m tipsy, but I’m good.”

“Good.”

“Wait, where’s Ali?”

“Al Pal and JP wanted to stay out a bit longer.” He frowned in thought. “Probably for the best. Seemed like she needed it. You know anything about that guy she’s seeing?”

“Mark? Not really, why?”

He grimaced. “JP said he’s getting some bad vibes. She seems a little…”

“On edge?” I finished.

He nodded. “How are you? You seem…” I held my breath, waiting for his chosen word. “Upset.”

He nailed it right on the head, and it was hard to keep my resolve. I squinted in the distance. Lately, it felt like I was stuck in a hole that I’d never escape from. The thought of being happy ever again seemed ridiculous and completely out of reach. “I’m a mess,” I tried to play it off, but my eyes burned.

“No, you’re not,” he argued.

“Yeah, I am.”

A beat of silence passed. “Well, I’m good with messes, used to get paid to clean ‘em up and everything. Remember my little mop back at Centre Ice,” he joked, the corner of his mouth lifting with an attempt at a smile.

I just bit my lip, trying to hold in my tears.

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