I let him go and he stumbled to the side as the elevator doors opened. I stepped in, stabbing at the button to take me to the lobby.

As the doors closed, he yelled, “You crazy bitch!” I smiled. He had no idea.

By the time I reached the sidewalk, everything that happened hit me like a ton of bricks. Not only did this whole situation suck because Peter turned out to be monster douchebag, but it also meant that Drew had been right about him.

Sure, I always knew Peter was playing a game that, in his mind, ended with me naked, but I could never have predicted that he would be that much of an asshole. I realized that I should have just trusted Drew when he said the guy was shit. I would never have been in that situation if I wasn’t so damn pig headed.

If I was being honest with myself, I wasn’t upset that things didn’t work out with Peter. Don’t get me wrong, I was plenty pissed about what happened, but I was never really interested in being with Peter. There was only one man I wanted, and now there was really only one thing left for me to do. Time to follow Madeline’s advice. I had to talk to Drew.

***

I had rehearsed everything I was going to say a hundred times in my head by the time I reached his building. I had a plan. I was going to apologize to Drew. I was going to make everything right between us, then tell him how I felt.

His car was parked at the curb, so I knew he was there. I took a deep breath and headed up to his apartment.

While standing in front of his door, my determination turned into complete and utter terror. I closed my eyes, giving myself a little pep talk to steel my nerves, then knocked. After a few moments, there was no answer, so I tried the knob and it turned easily in my hand. I stuck my head in through a crack in the door.

The lights were all out except for the one just above the stove in the kitchen. Maybe he was asleep. I stepped in, closing the door behind me and headed down the hall to his bedroom. I heard what sounded like a sheet rustling. He was definitely in bed, but alone? Oh God! Please let him be alone. My curiosity got the best of me. I quietly stepped to the door and pushed it open.

I caught sight of the bed and the bare back of a woman with bleach blonde hair. She moaned as she rocked and arched her back. I tried to back out of the room before anyone saw me, but the floor board creaked.

The girl turned, and I froze. This had to be a fucking joke. Gwen! I locked eyes with her and she smiled, the bitch fucking smiled, as Drew looked around her. His eyes went wide, and I turned to run, smacking my shoulder hard into the door. So much for exiting with my dignity.

“Alex!” Drew called as I ran for the exit, holding my injured arm and trying desperately to erase that image from my mind.

“Alex, wait!” He sounded frantic, but I couldn’t wait, not after that. He was having sex with Gwen. Fucking Gwen, the bane of my existence, someone whose entire goal in life was to ruin mine, and he was fucking her!

Tears streamed down my face as I ran out of the apartment, not caring if I closed the door behind me. I ran all the way down the stairs and out the front door. I kept running until I reached the square and stopped to catch my breath, which, with all the sobbing, was pretty hard.

He wasn’t coming after me, so I took a seat on a bench and tried to calm myself down. The tears kept coming. I put my head in my hands. How could he? Why her? He could have any one. Women threw themselves at Drew all the time. He could have had anyone else in the entire goddamn city. Why did my Drew have to have sex with Gwen motherfucking Stevens?

After a few minutes, I managed to slow my breathing. I didn’t feel like I was going to suffocate anymore, but my heart was aching. It was such an intense physical pain.

Taking in my surroundings, I realized where I was. I wasn’t really sure how I got there. This was our place, the spot right in the middle of the square between his apartment and mine. The tears came back in full force. I had to get home, away from this place where I was surrounded by him, his laugh, his smile, and that stupid dance. It was all there.

I headed toward my apartment. When I got there, I numbly climbed the stairs and fit my key in the lock. I pushed my way in, slammed the door, and flipped the dead bolt, heading for my bed.

When your best friend breaks your heart, who is left to call to help you pick up the pieces?

Chapter 15

Drew (Then)

I was so fucked. I lay in bed, staring up at my ceiling, cursing my dumb ass for getting into this situation in the first place. I was not a relationship kind of guy. What the hell was I doing? Not to mention, if anything did happen with Red and it didn’t work out, I would lose the best thing in my life. This was such bullshit.

I heard my phone vibrate on the nightstand and reached over to see who it was. Shit, it was Red.

Alex: Thanks for getting me home last night.

Drew: NP, How you feelin?

Alex: Like maybe that 4 th shot was a bad idea.

Drew: Yeah you are probably right.

Alex: You up for a little hair of the dog and lunch?

I couldn’t see her right now. Fuck, I didn’t trust myself. I typed a quick response, then laid the phone down on my chest.

Drew: Can’t today. Rain check?

Alex: Sure. you ok?

Drew: Yeah, just have a web design due first thing Tuesday.

It was only half a lie. I did have a web design due, but I was almost done. I needed some space to clear my head.

Alex: K. I’ll talk to you later.

Drew: Yep.

I rolled over. My phone slid off my chest and hit the bed. What the fuck was I going to do now? My phone vibrated again, and I picked it up. This time it wasn’t Alex.

David: Wake up, asshole! I’m in town. Meet me at Spike’s.

Drew: See you in 20.

I gotta give the man one thing, he has great fucking timing.

I walked into Spike’s half an hour later and David was already there with a pitcher of beer and a huge plate of nachos. I gave him a hug, clapping him on the back.

“You look like shit,” he said.

“Thanks.”

“What’s up? Rough night?” He didn’t even know the half of it.

“If we are going to get into this, I’m going to need a shot.” I flagged down the waitress and ordered a shot of Jack Daniels.

“This is serious,” David said.

The waitress came back quickly with my drink and set it down in front of me with a glare. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her. I took the shot and waved at the waitress to bring me another.

“Dude, what is with you?”

“Alex. Fucking Alex.”

“You’re fucking Alex?”

“What? No! I’m not fucking her. I’m starting to, you know…”

“You’re starting to what?” A ghost of a grin appeared on his face.

“Come on, man. Don’t make me say it.”

“Oh, I’m going to make you say it.”

“I’m starting to have feelings for her, okay, asshole! Is that what you want to hear?” I dropped my head into my hands.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you were capable.”

“Of what? Having feelings? Or falling for her?”

“Falling for her?” he asked. “You said you were starting to have feelings for her. Now you are falling for her?”