Page 2 of Only One Tent
“I kind of know Daniel. Drew actually—”
“Thought so.” No one who knew Danny called him Daniel. Even if that’s what he put on the invitation and announcements. Danny and I worked at Drew’s law firm, and Crow was apparently still a client, which surprised the hell out of me because Drew had principals, and Nelson Crowell did not.
“Thought so what?”
I grunted. How did he not get it? “You really did a number on me and nearly fucked up my career. You may take that casually, but I do not. I’ll tolerate you since, apparently, you’ve fooled Drew somehow, but that doesn’t make us friends. Got it.” I lifted my eyebrows. He had better get it. “Crow.”
He held his hands up. “Got it.” He ordered an old-fashioned. Was that pretentious or what?
Then he took it back to the table and I ordered another double vodka martini. I didn’t have to drive after the reception since I had a room booked at the hotel. An expensive room that I would be enjoying. Alone.
I took my drink back to the table and made myself stick around for the main course. I needed to soak up some of the alcohol. Thankfully, I wasn’t a lightweight.
After the admittedly delicious dinner, the music started, and the whole party moved to the cocktail tables. I got another martini and sat beside the pool. I took off my loafers and rolled up my slacks so I could stick my feet in. Crow plopped his sorry ass down beside me as if he belonged there. “Is it heated?”
I threw my hand toward the giant hotel looming above us. “Would this place not heat their pool?” They were one of the top luxurious beach hotels in all of Florida, not the bay area alone—all!
“Good point.” He had switched his hard alcohol for beer, and I probably should too, but I hardly cared. “Are you staying at the hotel? You’re not driving, right?”
“Don’t judge me.”
“I’m not. Just thinking of safety.”
I made a raspberry. Well, he wasn’t wrong. “Yes, staying here. And I’ll probably have another drink, then head up.”
“You have to wait for the cake, Sky.”
“I do not. And don’t call me that.” Something about him shortening my name, as if he were a friend, grated on my nerves, making me want to grind my molars.
He held his hands up again as if exasperated. Behind us, the party cheered and clapped, and the music shifted to something slow. The DJ said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, our grooms for the evening. Mr. and Mr. Carpenter. Their first dance as husbands.” Danny took Lee’s last name. I hadn’t expected anything else from their dynamic.
Then they stepped out into the open space and danced. It was nice. Their pants were still rolled up—still barefoot. But they’d lost their vests. They looked fantastic. And happy.
I wanted that.
Two more drinks later, I ordered another when I shouldn’t have, so I took the last drink up to my room. I planned on crashing, passing out, and dealing with life in the morning. But as I hit the bed, I was still thinking about one Nelson “Crow” Crowell. Crow was such a stupid nickname.
And why was I still thinking about him?
Chapter two
Drunk at the Wedding
After Skyler left, I sat at the bar and ordered another old-fashioned. Or three. I hated how sad he looked. Damn, that boy needed a firm hand—a good daddy. But I would never be that for him. Since he hated me. No matter how hard I tried with him, screwing up his case was too much for him to get over. Isuspected he didn’t know why I did it, and he didn’t care. He was selfish, unable to see outside himself for even one damn second. Fuck him anyway and his cute ass and sassy mouth. I didn’t need that.
I ordered another drink. Finally numb now. And that was a good damn thing because I couldn’t stand thatfeelingof wanting anything. And that deep hole inside of me that needed to be filled with things I didn’t have often got me in trouble.
I wouldn’t mind wanting Skyler on his knees in the bathroom, though. Damn. That man had no clue how sexy he was.
Warner joined me at the bar, slinging his arm around my shoulder. “Dude. What’s going on?”
“Nutin.” I laughed, hearing how dirty that sounded, but Warner glared at me, unamused.
“How many of these have you had?”
“Before or after Skyler left? Lost count after…”
Warner was my best friend in the whole world. He had my back. My ride or die. So when he kissed my cheek and said, “You’re done here, Crow,” I didn’t even bother arguing. Warner tugged me off the bar stool and aimed me inside the hotel toward the lobby. I stepped onto the loud-ass, busy carpeted floor and its weird geometric pattern that would not stop spinning left and jerking right.
