[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
ask. In the end, he asked anyway. Everything okay, Gattison?
Yeah, I lied poorly. Just fine. I turned my chair back to my desk, not caring if he
believed me or not. I didn t watch him leave.
Instead, I stood up and headed to the men s room. I leaned against the sink and pulled my
phone from my pocket. I sent Carter a text, telling him they had a house sitter.
The bathroom door opened, and Will stopped when he saw me. He closed the door and
leaned against it. He looked confused. Are you leaving for a month?
Yeah, I answered. I need some& Then I corrected myself. Carter and Isaac need a
house sitter and someone to mind the dog and cat while they re away.
He nodded slowly. Mark, I
I put my hand up to stop him. Will, it s fine. You don t have to come to the wedding if
you don t want. Actually, the way things have been lately, it s probably best if you didn t come.
I walked over to him and, grabbing the door handle, had to wait for him to step aside so I
could open the door.
I m not sure why I said that. I wanted to give Will an out, so he didn t feel obliged to
come with me. I just didn t mean to say it like that. But I felt a little better at the hurt on his face
as I left him in the bathroom.
And then two-point-five seconds later, I felt a hundred times worse.
Fuck.
The next hour waiting for our lunch break was hell. The silence from Will was deafening,
the clock ticked too fucking loud, and every time Will s phone buzzed with a message, my
stomach twisted into knots. The second the clock ticked over to one o clock, I was up and out of
my chair.
I wasn t hungry. But I had to leave.
Mark? Will called out.
I turned around to face him. You know what? I said. If you want to believe him over
me, then that s your choice. I can t change that.
Mark, Will said. He stood up and took a step closer to me. Why does me being with
him mean losing you?
Why do you believe him and not me? I shot back at him.
He s not like that. He s really kind of perfect, actually, Will said. He s sweet,
romantic, and charming.
I wouldn t make this shit up. I wouldn t lie to you about something so serious.
You have no proof, he said quietly. Just hearsay from a barman, who Clay probably
turned down. Why are you trying to ruin this for me?
Other people in the office were looking at us, and I didn t give a fuck. I m trying to help
you, Will. But you want proof? Fine. I ll get you proof.
I stormed out of the office, and too fucking angry to wait for the elevator, I took the
stairs. I needed to find some evidence that Mr Perfect was actually Mr Asshole, and so I started
at the beginning.
I needed to speak to Pete.
* * * * *
I didn t even know if Kings would be open at one o clock in the afternoon, but the sign
on the door said it was, so I took a moment to catch my breath before walking in.
I d never noticed the stale stench of the place before. Or how dingy it looked in the
daylight. I guess I d never been there in the cold, sober light of day before. The floor wasn t
exactly clean, the furniture was discolored, and the disheveled patrons looked like they fit in.
Jesus, nighttime, a dozen drinks, and neon lighting had a lot to answer for.
But I was in luck.
A guy walked into the bar from the back storeroom carrying a large box, and when he put
it on the counter, I saw it was Pete.
He looked at me, and then looked again. Mark?
Yeah, hey, Pete, I answered.
You re a little overdressed, he said with a smile.
I looked down at my suit and tie. Yeah, corporate armor.
He smiled. What can I do for you?
Something you said the other night, I started. I wanted to ask you about that Clay
Damon guy.
Pete nodded as though he presumed as much. You left in a bit of a hurry the other
night.
Is it true? I asked. Because I told Will and he doesn t believe me.
I wasn t here the night it happened, but the staff talked about it, he said. We don t
have a lot of trouble here, so the few instances we have kinda stick out. That s why I remember
the guy s name. Everyone thought he was the catch of a lifetime, but yeah, he really isn t.
I nodded and told him what I already knew. The guys on the door said they knew it was
a fireman who bashed his boyfriend.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]