I shrugged him off, a mixture of surprise and suspicion clouding my expression.
âYou hardly touch alcohol these days, especially after getting married.
Whatâs with the sudden urge today?â
Carlos shrugged casually, his grin never faltering.
âWell, itâs all because of you, buddy.
I saw you looking pretty down, so I thought Iâd take you out for a drink to cheer up.
â
Arching an eyebrow, I couldnât help but be intrigued.
âArenât you worried about Sally getting mad? Last I checked, she hates you drinking.
â
Carlos coughed awkwardly, a sheepish grin spreading across his face as he scratched his head.
âYeah, actuallyâ¦Sally and I had a bit of a spat today.
Sheâs still steaming, so I figuredâ¦whatâs one more reason to add to the fire, right?â
âA spat?â My curiosity piqued.
âWhat was it about this time?â
âJust some small fry stuff.
â Carlos brushed it off with a wave of his hand.
âBut you know what? Todayâs the day I put my foot down.
Iâm determined to have her apologize first! Canât keep letting her walk all over me.
â
His reasoning sounded like something out of a sitcom.
As I pondered his words, memories of my own conflicts with Debra flashed through my mind, where I often found myself swallowing my pride.
It was a shame things couldnât return to the way they used to be.
The mental image of Debra intertwined with Andrew, her new beau, soured my mood.
With a resigned sigh, I agreed to Carlosâ proposal.
âAlright, letâs hit up a bar and drown our sorrows.
Canât hurt, right?â
We were just getting ready to head out when Alexandria chimed in, âCarlos, are you heading out for drinks without inviting me? Iâm part of the team too, you know.
â
âNo way!â Carlos waved off her suggestion instantly.
âItâs not that, Alexandria.
Itâs just not ideal for you to join two guys for drinks.
You should head home after work.
Itâs late, and your family will worry.
â
âFair enough,â Alexandria replied with a smile.
âJust remember not to overdo it with the drinks; itâs not good for your health.
â
âs BunnyBookery
With that, she gathered her things and left.
After a satisfying dinner at the restaurant, Carlos and I decided to check out a new bar in the pack.
We werenât in the mood for games or flirting, so we found a quiet corner and ordered our drinks.
The chaotic lights, the lively crowd, and the pulsing music formed the perfect backdrop for drowning our sorrows.
After a few strong rounds, I could feel a warm flush in my cheeks.
The alcohol lifted my spirits, and I finally broached the subject.
âSo, what really happened between you and Sally? It canât be as trivial as youâre making it sound.
â
Carlos let out a heavy sigh, downing another drink before answering, âSally got upset after I mentioned whatâs been going on between you and Debra.
â
I was puzzled.
âHow does that concern Sally? Debra and I had a disagreement this morning, thatâs all.
â
Carlos looked utterly defeated as he explained, âWell, after you kicked me out, Sally called to check on Debra.
I couldnât lie to her, so I told her the truth.
â
âAnd then?â
âShe was furious when she found out Debra had left.
She insisted I confront you for answers, but how could I do that right after you kicked me out over the same issue? I just told her it wasnât the right time since you werenât in the mood to talk.
â