Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
He chugs it immediately, pushing it back to me and falling right back into his original stand-up routine. “Anotha one!”
I let my head fall back, and I stare up at the ceiling, silently wondering how in the hell I’m going to get him the fuck out of here before he ends up needing an ambulance ride to the hospital for a stomach pump. The bar doesn’t close for another two hours, and I don’t think he’ll last that long.
I could shut down and take him myself—or I could call someone who might actually get through to the fucker.
Since I don’t have Norah’s number, I call the one I know.
I don’t know if she’ll answer. I don’t know if she’ll tell me to fuck off. But Norah deserves to know Ben’s in full self-destruct mode because she loves him, and Josie is the only way to make that happen.
I pour Ben another glass of water, adding an even smaller dash of bourbon, slide it over to him, and head toward the other end of the bar to make the call.
It rings three times before her voice is in my ear.
“Clay?”
I hate how much my heart races at the sound of my name sliding off her tongue. After all these years, she still says it best.
“Sorry to bother you, Josie, but I need your help. Bennett’s here, and he’s a bit of a mess.”
I want to tell her I love her and miss her and explain that I couldn’t file the divorce papers because I couldn’t fathom living a life without her as my wife, but I know now is not the time.
“Shit,” she mutters sleepily. I listen closely enough I hear the sheets rustle with her movement as she sits up.
“Yeah… I figured Norah would want to know, and I was wondering if you could maybe help him get home.”
“Give us, like, fifteen minutes, okay?” she says in a rush. “We’ll be there.”
“Thanks, Josie.”
“Of course, Clay. Of course.”
The call ends, and when I glance down toward the end of the bar, I see that Bennett has decided to take a nap. His head rests on his forearm, and his back moves up and down in smooth and steady waves with each breath.
Clearly, he needs to sleep, but it’d be a hell of a lot easier on everyone if he didn’t pass out until he got home. So, I head over toward him and try to wake him up.
“Yo, Ben,” I say, but he doesn’t budge. “Ben,” I say again, shoving his shoulders this time.
The only response I get is him snoring loudly into his arm.
Without any choice, I do the absolute most assholish thing anyone could do in this situation.
“Hey, everyone!” I shout to the other customers in the bar. “Cover your ears!”
They all do as they’re told, and I grab the bullhorn I keep stored underneath the bar to scare the fuck out of people who decide it’s a good idea to start fighting and hold it directly in front of Bennett’s face.
It only takes two blaring blows for him to jerk his head up in surprise.
“What the fuck?” he shouts, and I smile toward him.
“Mornin’, sweetheart. Have a nice nap?”
He blinks several times, his mind swirling with too much alcohol to comprehend anything around him. Thankfully, he doesn’t put his head back down. Doesn’t do anything but shove his empty glass toward me, a sloppy request for another drink.
I shrug and do as requested, but this time, I don’t even add the bourbon. He chugs the glass of water down, too drunk to realize my trick, and shoves the glass toward me again.
We complete that cycle three more times before Josie walks through the door, Norah following right behind her. Concern etches the lines of both of their faces as they quickly close the distance between us.
Norah places a gentle hand on my buddy’s back, her mouth turning down in a deep frown. “Bennett?”
He moves his head toward her, but he’s too blitzed to have any clue who is talking to him.
“God, he’s a mess,” Josie says, meeting my eyes. “How much has he had?”
“Well, he doesn’t know I’ve only been serving him water for the past ten or so drinks, so I’d say a lot.” I round the bar to meet them on the other side. “Tried to keep count, but the bastard stole the bottle of bourbon from behind the bar and started giving himself his own refills before I realized what happened. Pretty sure he managed half the bottle.”
Norah sighs. Josie’s eyes go wide.
“Anotha one!” Bennett slurs.
Norah places a gentle hand on Bennett’s face, her eyes searching his with a sadness I can feel to my own bones. “Bennett? I’m here, okay? I’m right here.” Her voice shakes with pain. She loves this man, it’s written all over her face, and yet, he’s not letting her be there for him.