Page 85 of Derailed
Connor sets our beers on white paper napkins and catches Mira’s gaze. “Let me know if you need anything else.” Maybe I’m reading into things, but our bartender seems awfully acquainted with mysister.
“I will.” She presses her lips together with a sharp grin. “Thanks,Connor.”
Oh, God. I grimace at the idea my sister brought me here to hit on thebartender.
“What’s going on in that head?” she asks on a scoff oflaughter.
“Did we come here to hit on Connor?” I ask and she almost chokes on her beer. “’Cause that’sweird.”
“Oh, my God, I forgot how funny you are.” She slaps my back. “I’ve missed you,Sean.”
“I missed you, too.” I lift the glass to my lips and take a long sip. “Oh, this isgood.”
“Yeah, that’s why we came here.” She winks and nods to Connor. “The view just makes itbetter.”
“Uh, I knew it!” I wrinkle my nose and glance away as Connor bends over. I wish I could erase the sound of her sigh as he doesso.
“So . . .” She turns in her seat and lifts an expectantbrow.
I mirror her posture and do the same. “So. . .”
She rolls her eyes. “Who is she and what’s theproblem?”
“Why’s it got to be a woman? Maybe I’m having problems with the band.” I take a sip of beer to avoid her knowingglare.
“Are you having issues with theband?”
“Both, or one and the same.” I blow out a frustrated growl. Fuck it. This is Mira. She’s like a vault with the secrets. “I’m in love with our new drummer’sgirlfriend.”
She winces and widens her eyes. “Ouch.”
“And we slepttogether.”
“Sean . . .” Her eyes bug out but she gives me grimsmile.
“And he hurts her. I don’t know how often with his hands, but with his words, all the time.” There. I saidit.
All humor drains from her face. “Does it even matter how often? Once isenough.”
“Iknow.”
“There’s no chance of getting Iz back, huh?” She asks the same question I’ve wonderedmyself.
“He’s so messed up, Mira. The first time I visited him in rehab, he asked me to buy himdrugs.”
“Brass balls, thatdude.”
I wince and squeeze my eyes shut. “I don’t want to think about hisballs.”
“Good point.” She tilts back her glass and drains it before pinning me with a stare. “So, what’re you gonnado?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know that there’s anything I can do. She doesn’t want me.” I shrug but I hate my own answer. It sucks to have no control over the situation. I feeluseless.
She stares a long moment and I just know I’m not gonna like what comes out of her mouth. “If she doesn’t like you, maybe you shouldn’t waste yourtime.”
“It’s not a waste.” I shake my head because I don’t regret any time I’ve spent with Jess. “Besides, it’s not like that with Jess. She has a rough past. Heavystuff.”
“Lots of baggage. I don’t know, Sean. Why don’t you just cut your losses and moveon?”
