Page 6 of As a Last Resort
But on the bright side, business was booming.And I was slammed.I was in the market for another boat, a larger one that would accommodate double the people and cut down on the number of trips across.We had a pretty decent following on social media, thanks to a recent video of Patrick dancing on the top deck with an eighty-year-old guest that went viral on TikTok.She said it was the best day of her life and half the internet thought it was actually Usain Bolt.
The Bolt himself even commented on it and shared it.
So, I was busy.Too busy to be dating.
“So, what’s the verdict?”A silky voice pulled our attention to the end of the table, where a very persistentSHERRY—according to her name tag—stood with her hip cocked to the side.
“I can’t tonight.”I tried to sound as neutral as possible.“Got family plans with an early morning tomorrow.”
“He’dloveto, Sherry.”Patrick piped in, glaring at me.“But he’lltake a rain check.My boy needs to get out and I can’t think of a girl more beautiful than you who’d be more fun on a beautiful night like tonight.”
“Sure, rain check it is.”She eyed me and laid the cash-only bill at the corner making a quick pivot to saunter off to another table.
“I mean, do you see that walking away?”His eyes were about to pop out of his head.
“Why don’tyoutake her on a date then?”
“She’s not interested in me.She’s interested in some weirdo who hasn’t dated anyone in three years because he’s still sulking.”
“I amnotstill sulking.And I’ve dated, just no one worth dating more than once.”
“That doesn’t count,” he argued.“There are plenty of girls much better for you than Vanessa was if you’d just give them a chance.”
That name still stung.Not like it used to, though.
I stretched my neck to loosen the sudden tightness.“I’m busy running a business, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“She’s just here for the summer, man.Ain’t no harm in getting to know her and having a good time.”
“I don’t want a good time.You know that’s not my thing.”
“But youneeda good time.”He leveled his eyes on me.“Hey—”
“Uh-uh, no time for a heart-to-heart, brother.The family’s waiting.”I threw a couple bills onto the receipt.“I need to save some energy for tonight’s interrogation where my lack of dating prospects will be center stage.Again.”
“Just consider it, yeah?My friend deserves to be happy again.”His dark eyes did that lost-puppy-dog thing they do when he starts to get all serious on me.
“I am happy.”
“The grump line on your forehead says otherwise, boo.”
Here’s the thing—I’m not an overly emotional guy.But if youwere to ask me whose betrayal irrevocably rocked my world, I wouldn’t have to think hard.
My fiancée left me for my best friend.
I feel like I should get a bit of an extended pass for dealing with the shitstorm of that particular situation.
The whole thing had blindsided me.Tom was the childhood friend who took refuge at my place for days when his dad was a little too rough with him.The best friend who was socially awkward for the first sixteen years of his life then all of a sudden over the summer entering junior year discovered contacts, got a tan, gained twenty pounds of muscle, and learned how to throw a football in a perfect spiral for seventy yards like he’d been doing it since he was born.
He was the best friend who’d introduced me to Vanessa, the woman who’d become myfiancée.
And the best friend who later stole her out from under me.
“Here.Chop these.”Mom handed me a wicker basket full of onions, brussels sprouts, and carrots.
“I know what you’re doing and I’m not in the mood to talk.”
Ever since I was little, she’d corner me in our kitchen and give me a cooking task to get my hands working, then she’d slowly start to grill me on life questions and before I knew it, I was spilling my guts out to her.
