SIXTEEN
Luke
I didn’t see anyone else at the reception. In fact, I was pretty sure Baker tried to slow me down when I left the house, but I wouldn’t be stopped. I couldn’t. Not until I gained control of my anger. I was still shaking with rage when I reached my apartment. I tossed my keys on the coffee table by the couch and watched them slide all the way across the table and smash into the floor. I ignored them where they lay against the carpet and made my way to the fridge.
I popped open a beer and downed half of it in one long gulp. I wiped my mouth and stared at the beer. Just a week ago, Mallory had called me a nothing, just like the men in my family before me. Was she right? I dumped the rest of the beer out in the sink, refusing to be like my father. Or grandfather. Or any other man in my family who chose the bottle over living a fulfilling life. I knew I didn’t want to be like them.
But that didn’t mean I was okay with the situation. I put my palms on the edge of the counter, holding on while I took several deep breaths. A knock at my door had me dreading answering it. I walked over and pulled it open. Gabby stood there in black, her makeup just slightly smeared.
“Hey Luke,” she said.
She walked into my apartment before I could protest, although I don’t know that it would have done any good. She was a stubborn one, at least as mule-headed as Mallory.
I tried not to sound annoyed. “What’s up, Gabby?”
“What’s up is you left Mallory in her time of need,” she said with a glare.
She even had the audacity to put her hands on her hips as she gave me the stink eye. Another calming breath was necessary before I answered her, although it didn’t help much.
“What’s up is Mallory threw me to the curb. Again. And before we even got started. Don’t blame that on me.” I seethed with anger.
Her confused expression let me know she hadn’t taken the time to get the full story.
“You just assumed I left her? You’ve known me for years, Gab—do you really think I would do that to her?”
“I—I’m confused, Luke. She told me the two of you were done, and I just assumed since you’d left in such a rush that you pushed her away,” she admitted. “But I guess that’s not how it went down.”
I sighed. “Not even close. Mallory held my hand and let me comfort her at the funeral service, all while she planned on ripping my heart out again. I was an idiot to think she would want to stay in Casper, especially for me.”
I felt like such a girl for being so honest, but I loved Mallory. Losing her wasn’t exactly something I was prepared for a second time around.
“I thought …,” she trailed off, stunned by what I told her. “I guess I was wrong.”
Damn right she was wrong. She didn’t have any idea what today had done to me. First I had to deal with losing a dear friend and father-figure, and then I had to mourn the idea of Mallory and me as a couple. I wanted to shout with anger, but I simply looked at Gabby.
“Oh, Luke, I am so sorry!”
She took two steps and threw her arms around my neck. She’d been one of very few women I’d become friends with over the years. We were as close as brother and sister.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed. We stayed like that for a full minute. It was in that position, with our arms entangled in a friendly hug, in which Wolfe and Baker found us.
“Son of a bitch!” Wolfe roared from my front door, which was still open.
Gabby and I pulled apart and just in time for Wolfe to tackle me. We slammed into the floor and then rolled a bit. He got in several good punches before I managed to hold his wrists so he couldn’t beat my face anymore. I wasn’t much of a fighter, but I could hold my own. I also knew why Wolfe was so upset.
I looked up and found Baker and Gabby standing there, side-by-side, staring in shock at the two of us. I waited for them to blink before I spoke.
“A little help?” I asked.
They both snapped out of it and held on to Wolfe’s wrists while I got up.
“Wolfe, there’s nothing going on between me and Gabby,” I insisted.
Gabby’s eyes grew wide and she let go of one of Wolfe’s arms to cover her mouth. He formed a fist with the other and knocked Baker in the cheek. Wolfe was on his feet in a second, coming after me again. I was ready for him, though. When he brought his fist toward me, I blocked him and then slammed a fist into his stomach. He bent at the waist reflexively and I grabbed his left hand. I pulled it behind his back. Baker was right there to grab his other hand and together, we secured him. Baker held on to both his hands while I went around to face him.
“There aren’t many people I let punch me, Wolfe. Especially not more than once. But regardless of what you think, Gabby and I are, and always will be, just friends. She came to lecture me about Mallory, actually,” I explained.
Wolfe’s wild eyes started to calm, the fight slowly going out of him. I could understand his predicament. He was still in love with his wife. He wanted her back, so the thought of any other man making a move had him furious. I could, unfortunately, relate to the sentiment.
“Wolfe, what the hell are you doing? Luke and I are only friends, just like he said,” Gabby said, reinforcing my words.
I worried she might be the one to start throwing punches next. And since Wolfe was the one her anger was directed at, I guessed it would be him. When she took a step toward him, I moved between them.
“Easy, Gabby. Everyone makes mistakes. Let’s give Wolfe a break,” I suggested.
She didn’t like what I had to say, but she met my eyes and gave me the slightest inclination of her head. She agreed. For now. I didn’t want to be present when they had their next battle.
Baker let go of Wolfe’s hands and Wolfe rubbed his wrists. “I’m sorry, Luke. I guess I overreacted,” he confessed. He thrust his hand my way and I shook it. He looked at Gabby. “I’m sorry,” he said to her. He didn’t elaborate, but I figured his apology was for more than just his misconduct today.
Again, Gabby didn’t reply; she gave him a quick nod. She looked back at me.
“What are you going to do about Mallory?”
“Is there anything I can do? She’s a grown woman with a stubborn streak. I don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to try to win her back and make things worse, either,” I said.
“I wouldn’t suggest talking to her right away. Give her some space, Luke. She has feelings for you, whether she admits it or not,” Gabby told me. “Don’t give up on her, though.”
“I promise I won’t.”
She looked at Wolfe and Baker. “I’ll just get out of here. I wouldn’t want to intrude on guy time. Plus, Mallory and Rainey are probably wondering where I am,” she mumbled, avoiding eye contact with Wolfe. “See you guys later.”
Baker and I said our goodbyes but Wolfe remained silent until after she left. Once the door closed, he released a breath I guessed he’d been holding for a while.
“She is something else,” he muttered.
“She’s hot,” Baker commented. “Even in high school she was a hottie. When’s your divorce final, Wolfe? I want to ask her out.”
Wolfe’s eyes flashed again until I laughed.
“You wouldn’t have a chance with Gabby. She’s way too sophisticated for you, Baker. I’m still trying to figure out what Rainey ever saw in you,” I laughed. Wolfe chuckled as he realized we were kidding. Baker was always good for a laugh.
Baker winked. “Oh, you mean what she still sees in me?”
“What? When did that happen?” Wolfe asked. “I figured she would be smart enough to stay away from you after the horror stories I heard about the first time around.”
Baker glared but he explained. “She said that she’s here for a week and we can be friends with benefits while she’s home. She’s probably going to come home for the summer, too, so I guess we will be spending a lot of time together.”
“But what made her decide to be with you?” I asked.
“Har-har. Very funny. I am actually a really great guy. I make the ladies laugh,” he said, boasting.
“Yeah, when you take your pants off.” Wolfe rolled his eyes.
I laughed aloud.
“I guess she decided she wanted to get me out of my pants again. So we’re kind of dating, but not really. It’s a perfect relationship. She doesn’t want anything more than the summer.” He smiled.
I was happy for him. I was. But I was so far from a perfect relationship with Mallory that my jealousy formed a fireball in the pit of my stomach. Why did their connection have to be easy when I fought every day to get close to Mallory? I pushed down the jealous part of me and focused on being happy for them.
“Congrats, man, that’s great.” I hoped I didn’t sound too lame.
“Yeah, you’re living the dream! A relationship with a woman that doesn’t get emotional or needy. Good for you,” Wolfe said. “Who wants a beer?” He made his way to my fridge. He pulled three cans out but I waved him off.
“I’m good,” I said.
He shrugged and tossed one to Baker. I grabbed a bottle of water while they sat in my living room. I joined them a minute later.
“So I see you haven’t made much progress with Gabby,” Baker said to Wolfe.
“No, not really. She refuses to talk to me until we go before the judge again. It’s like she’s afraid having any kind of conversation with me at all will make her fall back in love with me. But she’s never mean—she is the epitome of being civil. I don’t know how to get her to change her mind about me.”
“Get her to sleep with you,” Baker suggested. At our questioning looks, he grinned sheepishly. “Seriously. She will feel emotionally tied to you again after she sleeps with you. It’s how all women work.”
“Okay, first of all, when did you become knowledgeable about women? And second, if you truly believe what you say, why is Rainey immune?” Wolfe asked him.
Baker looked truly worried as he considered Wolfe’s words. He remained silent.
I shook my head at the two of them. “Can we talk about Mallory yet?”
“Sheesh, what a girl you are,” Baker teased.
Wolfe laughed.
“Yeah, well, it’s not like I’m getting anywhere with her,” I mumbled.
“Did you sleep with her?” Wolfe asked.
I didn’t answer but the look I gave them told them the truth.
“Way to go!” Baker raised his hand for a high five. I glared at him and his hand went down. “So you’re already on the path of making her emotionally attached.”
“I don’t understand you, Baker. Why would you give advice about getting a woman emotionally attached when you clearly have no intentions of evoking an attachment in your own relationship?” I asked him.
“Women are supposed to fall in love with us. It’s the way of the world,” he said with authority.
“So women are supposed to fall in love with us and we’re supposed to, what? Toss them aside?” Wolfe asked.
Baker flashed a grin. “Exactly.”
“No way. I only want one woman. I agreed to be her husband forever and I will be. I just have to figure out how to make her mine again,” Wolfe said, more to himself than to us.
“Sex. I’m telling you,” Baker started.
“Shut up, Baker,” Wolfe and I said at the same time, which caused another round of laughter.
We spent the rest of the day discussing our women troubles, since we were all in the same boat. The only difference was that Baker was the only one happy in his boat. I envied him.