Page 106 of Happy Hour

“I’ll talk to him.” I suggested leaving Emma and Kyle outside.

I peeked my head inside the door hesitantly, unsure if I would be hit with a flying object.

“Jameson?” I called out searching for him.

I found him slumped on the floor against the cabinets. With his head bent forward, his knees were raised, his hands resting on his knees with a piston in his right hand.

With his gaze fixated on the piston, he spoke. “You shouldn’t be in here right now, Sway.” Jameson warned. His voice surprised me, he sounded irate, a tone he rarely used with me.

I didn’t listen though. Instead, I sunk down beside him on the floor, looking over the wreckage in the hauler.

Parts, paper, and tools were scattered across the tile floor in the aftermath. Water dripped from the counter where he’d smashed a gallon container that was sitting there.

Watching the water drip forming a puddle, I jumped when I heard the door opened.

“Jameson?” a familiar nasally voice called out.

Seriously?

We both looked up to find Chelsea sticking her head inside.

I almost grabbed the piston from Jameson and threw it at her.

“Are you ready?” Chelsea asked looking at Jameson.

He hesitated for a brief moment before replying. “I’ll be...there in a minute.”

I looked over at him, on the verge of tears once again.

He stared back at me, his expression unreadable and then his eyes fell back to the piston.

That’s why he nodded? He agreed to go with her?

Chelsea smiled at Jameson again. “I’ll be waiting.” She turned and glared at me before walking out.

“I’ll let you get to...that.” I choked, tears threatening to overtake me. I felt as though my heart had just been lynched right then.

Jameson closed his eyes, shaking his head, unable to answer. His breathing was heavy and uneven. Similar to earlier today, he looked as though he was going to vomit. He swept his trembling hand across the back of his slick neck. I could literally feel his body trembling next to me.

If I wasn’t so upset right now, I would be concerned about his physical condition but no, Ididn’tcare. Well I did, but I didn’t.

Trying to hold on to some dignity, and telling myself not to cry, I rose from my place on the floor beside him and felt his hand grasped mine when I started to walk away, his warm fingers grazed mine.

“Sway,” his voice cracking as he tugged on my hand. “Don’t go,pleasehoney.”

I couldn’t look at him. “Why?Whyshould I stay?” An emptiness was lingering and I struggled not to fall to my knees before him.

“I...don’t want you to go. Not like this.”

Still refusing to look his direction, teetering on the edge of control, I maneuvered my hand away from him to lean against the counter with my back to him. My head fell forward against the cabinets. “Why, Jameson?”

A deafening silence spread throughout the hauler waiting for him to answer. The only sounds were my silent sobs and Jameson’s heavy breathing behind me.

What surprised me, the piston he was holding flying across the hauler striking the wall beside me, the metal wall indented on impact.

“Fuck Sway,” his voice was harsh with an emotion I couldn’t identify. “What do youwantme to say? Just fucking tell me what you want to hear and I’ll say it. I’ll say whatever you want me to!” He pleaded in a desperate but brusque tone.

That statement right there brought me back to reality. And though I wanted to hear he loved me and wanted me to stay, that wasn’t going to happen. It wouldn’t mean anything if I had to tell him to say it.

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