Page 92 of Perfectly Complicated
Drinking can really mess a guy up—I saw that firsthand as a kid—which is why I don’t have a problem stopping Brendan from doing something dumb.
He slowly stands, his brow furrowing in frustration. “Step out of my way, Rourke.” He sounds nothing like the usually laid-back man I know. Right now, I’m staring into the eyes of an ex-Marine who’s also my conditioning coach—and could take any of us down if he wanted to. “I’m watching that man put his hands on her. What does she see in him anyway?” His voice is laced with frustration.
“She’s not your girlfriend,” I remind him. “She came here with Jaxon.”
“Because I didn’t ask her first.” He tries to take a step forward, but I put a hand out to stop him. He motions toward her. “And now look at her. She’s smiling at him.”
“Brendan.” I grab his shoulder firmly. “You need to go home. I’ll get you an Uber.”
He steps back, then slumps against the bench again. “I’m not going anywhere. Not while he’s…” His gaze drifts toward the stairs, where Jaxon is now whispering something in Scarlett’s ear.
“Bren…” I say, getting in his face. “Nothing’s going to happen while they’re here. Jaxon’s not stupid.”
He stares at her, gut-punched. “What does he have that I don’t?”
“Come on, Bren, you know Scarlett can handle herself. She’s a grown woman who can make her own choices.”
Brendan’s eyes snap to her, and he’s visibly pained by the sight of them together. “But I don’t want herchoosinghim.”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
But Brendan isn’t listening anymore. His attention is focused on Jaxon, leading Scarlett away for the scavenger hunt.
“Where are they going?” Brendan lurches to his feet.
“Brendan, stop.” I step directly in front of him to keep him from making a fool of himself. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing,don’t.”
“I’m not thinking,” he says. “I’mdonethinking.”
He tries to push past me, but I grab his shoulder before he can follow them. “This isn’t you, man,” I say urgently. “The Brendan I know doesn’t act like this.”
“What?”
“Like you're about to challenge Jaxon to a duel. Scarlett won’t respect that.”
He pauses, studying me, like I’m finally getting through.
“You're right.” Then his face lights up like he has another idea. “Wait…maybe she needs to see another side of me.”
I don’t like the sound of this. “What side is that?”
“Myromanticside.”
I shake my head. “No. Definitely not a good idea.”
“Just you wait—” And with that, he shrugs off my grip and stalks toward the bottom of the stairs. “Scarlett!” he calls, oblivious to all the people staring at him.
Scarlett turns around, leaning over the second-floor railing with a concerned expression. “Brendan?” She glances around nervously as more people turn to stare at the man making a scene. “What are you doing?”
“I need to talk to you,” he says. “Actually…no,not talk. I want your attention.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose as if he’s thinking through the fog in his brain. That’s when I start to wonder how many drinks he’s had tonight.
“I think…” He blinks hard, then squares his shoulders. “I want to serenade you,” he says, far too loudly.
Scarlett’s eyes widen. “Brendan…uh, are you okay?”
“I’m better than okay,” he exclaims, with the bravado of someone who shoulddefinitelynot be making decisions right now.
