Page 44 of Hooking the Captain
“Hey,” he greeted, looking to the left and right of me. “Where’s your man?”
I swallowed hard and rubbed the back of my neck. “We … uh … broke up.”
Hayden drew in a breath. “Oh no. I’m sorry, Coop.”
“Yeah, and actually, I need to talk to you two about it.”
“Of course.” Hayden opened the door more to reveal Tyler waiting a few steps away.
“Hey,” I acknowledged him.
“Hey.” He stuck out his hand. “Can I get you something to drink?”
I shook his hand and replied, “Yeah, whiskey straight up.”
“That bad?” Hayden asked as he closed the door.
“You have no idea.” I sighed.
I followed the couple into the kitchen and Hayden gestured for me to take a seat at the island. After I sat down, I grabbed an almond from the charcuterie board they had set out and popped it in my mouth.
Tyler handed a glass to his boyfriend, who poured me two fingers of Jameson. After he passed it to me, I quickly downed it, the whiskey smooth as it slid down my throat. I gave the glass back.
“Another?” I asked.
“Of course. We have a spare room if you need it.” Hayden grinned and then turned for the bottle of booze.
“I’m not so sure you’ll want me to stay after I tell you what I need to tell you.”
“Oh?” my friend asked. “You’re worrying me.”
I turned my attention to Tyler as he leaned on the other side of the island, facing me. “You two might want to sit down.” They shared a look and then I stood. “Actually, you two sit here and I’ll stand.”
“Coop. What the hell is going on?” Hayden asked.
I motioned for them to take the seats at the island. “Sit. Please.”
Once they did, I took a sip of the fresh drink Hayden had handed me. Taking a deep breath, I said, “The guy I was dating … it was Ford Mahoney.”
“What?” they both bellowed at the same time, and Tyler stood, causing the legs of the stool to screech across the wood floor.
“Ford Mahoney?” Hayden inquired again. “The same Ford who tried to get me fired when he found out Tyler and I were together?”
I nodded, my heart hammering in my chest. “I didn’t know he was the one who had reported you to the dean,” I told them. “It wasn’t until two days ago when I mentioned dinner here that he confessed.”
Tyler gritted his teeth, his hands formed fists. “That manipulative son of a bitch!”
My broken heart broke a little more at Tyler’s words. I still loved Ford, and I hated to hear Tyler say anything negative about him, but I understood. What Ford had done to Tyler and Hayden was unforgivable.
“And you dated him?” Hayden growled.
“I didn’t know either of you knew him,” I replied, trying to defend myself. “He never mentioned it while we were together in Hartford.”
Tyler paced back and forth, seething with rage. “He was probably just using you to get back at us.”
“Tyler!” Hayden warned.
I felt a lump forming in my throat, but in my heart, I knew Ford hadn’t been using me. There was no way someone could fake the connection we had, right?
