By His Vow: Chapter 61

“There you are,” Lori cries when she spots me walking through the bar toward the table she’s claimed at the back.

As if I’ve got the weight of the world on my shoulders, I drop into the chair with a loud sigh and let my purse crash to the floor.

“Here,” Lori says, pushing a pretty pink cocktail toward me.

Without any hesitation, I lift it from the table and take a massive sip. Sweetness coats my tongue and I groan in satisfaction as the strong liquor burns down my throat.

Fuck. This is exactly what I need. Alcohol and my best friend.

“Oh my god, that’s so good.”

“Right?” Lori agrees before taking a sip of her half-empty drink, her eyes focused on me over the rim.

“So?” she starts, prompting me to begin talking.

We’ve chatted briefly this week, but we’ve both been too busy to spend enough time together to dive into the shitshow that is my life right now.

Resting my elbows on the table, I drop my head into my hands.

“Oh, sweetie,” Lori soothes, reaching over to squeeze my shoulders.

“It’s awful, Lor. No one knows what’s going on. Everyone is freaking out. I…I hate it.”

“How many job losses are there going to be?”

I shrug. I’m sure that if I’d bothered to ask either King or Miles they’d tell me everything. Hell knows both of them have tried time and time again. But I don’t want the details. I don’t want to be pulled into their world and end up stuck in a position I don’t want to be in.

I am not them.

I’m a marketing manager with a kick-ass team. I am not senior management material.

“They haven’t gone into that much detail yet. They’re going to begin holding meetings with each department next week. Some will obviously have more losses than others.”

“Of course,” she muses. “I guess you’re safe though, right? I mean⁠—”

“I told them to lay me off to save them having to force someone else out.”

“What?” Lori shrieks. “Why would you do that?”

I shrug, sipping another mouthful of my cocktail.

“Why not? I don’t have plans to stay there long-term. I don’t need the money right now. If me stepping away means that another marketing manager gets to keep their job, then I’m happy to do that.”

“Tate, you are…” Her words trail off as she shakes her head. “Why aren’t you my boss?” she cries, changing tactics.

“Because you like numbers, and I…do not.”

“And my boss doesn’t like people, but it doesn’t stop him from trying and failing to deal with them.”

Guilt eats me up inside that I haven’t even asked her how her week has been. Although, history would tell me that it’s been awful.

“You need to leave,” I say, like I have a million times before.

“I know, Tate. But while he might be an asshole, he also pays well.”

“As he should,” I mutter before taking another sip. I’ve barely eaten today. I’ve been too busy attempting to keep everyone calm while their worlds begin to spin out of control.

I hate it, but I also know that Miles would never do this if there was another way. I also know how much strain all of this has put on him. One look in his dark eyes and I know he’s suffering right alongside our employees.

I’m glad he’s got Kingston standing beside him. I’d hate to see my big brother go through this alone. If he was, that might just be the thing to force my hand about standing up there with him.

But rightly or wrongly, I trust the two of them to do the right thing. It’s going to be hard, beyond hard, but I know every decision they make will be well thought through and with the future of the company and the lives of our employees at the forefront of their minds.

“As soon as I can find something that pays anywhere close that wants me, I’m gone.”

I nod, wishing that I could do something to help. Not that she’d accept it even if I did. My best friend is stubborn and fiercely independent. I learned very early into our friendship that she wouldn’t accept any kind of help, financial or otherwise. While I respect the shit out of her for it, I just wish she’d let me share the load every now and then.

“It can’t get any worse,” I point out as she waves down our server to order another round of drinks.

“I need food too,” I point out as I reach for the small menu in the middle of the table. “Ooooh, chicken wings.” My stomach growls and my mouth waters.

“Deal,” Lori says before placing our order. “So, fuck work and all that bullshit. Tell me all about life as Mrs. Callahan,” she says, rubbing her hands together in excitement.

A bitter laugh spills from my lips as I shake my head.

“Don’t get too excited, I don’t have any scandalous stories for you.”

“What?” She gawks. “You looked a little like you’d been mauled by a feral beast the morning after your wedding. Do not tell me it hasn’t continued.”

“Sorry to disappoint. I’ve barely seen him all week. Most nights he’s still been at the office with Miles and Kian long after I’ve gone to bed.”

“I’m attempting to live vicariously through you right now. It’s not exactly working in my favor,” she sulks.

“Why? What’s happening with Matt? I thought⁠—”

“His grandmother died, and his grandad has dementia. He had to go home.”

“Oh shit, that sucks.”

“Just when I thought things were going somewhere,” she complains, slumping lower in her chair.

“He’ll be back, and I’m sure you’ll pick up where you left off.”

“Yeah,” she agrees, although I’m not sure she believes it. “He’s just been…I dunno, distant, I guess.”

“That’s understandable given the circumstances,” I argue.

“Yeah, I know. I get that his family needs him right now. He’s where he should be. I just…” She shakes her head. “Ignore me. I’m being a whiny little bitch.”

“No, you’re not. If you feel like something is wrong, then you shouldn’t ignore it.”

We both fall silent, my words of advice hanging heavy between us.

“I miss you, Tate. Griz too.”

“Lor,” I breathe, my heart twisting up in my chest. “I’m so sorry. All of this is my fa⁠—”

“No, don’t do that. You’re doing exactly what you need to do right now. You have nothing to apologize for. Oh, have you opened that insane collection of wedding gifts yet?” Her eyes twinkle with excitement for whatever might be in the box I’ve spotted at the top of the pile with her name scrawled on the gift tag.

“Nope, haven’t even started,” I confess, cringing.

“Why the hell not? What have you been doing all alone in that huge penthouse?”

“Wallowing in self-pity and the direction my life has taken.”

“Oh boo hoo, life is so hard being married to the city’s sexiest man while living in a fancy penthouse,” she mocks.

“Money and looks aren’t everything. Honestly, though, I’ve no idea what I’ve been doing. I’ve been so exhausted I’ve crashed most nights. All this emotional bullshit is draining.”

“It was a beautiful wedding, though,” Lori muses. “I can’t wait to see the photographs.”

“Yeah,” I agree. Well, with the first part anyway. I’m unsure how I feel about seeing the images the photographer captured that day.

At best we’ll look like we’re really in love and ready to spend our lives together. At worst…we’ll look like we’re really in love and ready to spend our lives together.

Something tightens around my ribs as I remember how I felt walking down the aisle toward Kingston. Of the way my heart fluttered when he said his vows, how my body burned for him when we danced.

It all felt too real. I can only imagine that it looked the same way.

I can’t get my head around how it all makes me feel. I’m not sure I’m mentally prepared to see the emotion that I know is going to be as clear as day in my eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Lori asks, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand as she studies me closely. “You had that same look in your eyes the morning after.”

I shake my head, blowing out a long breath as I fight to find the right words.

“I…” An unamused laugh tumbles from my lips as I think about her teasing me about my life right now. On the outside, it looks like I’ve got everything. But why don’t I feel like I have anything?

My entire life right now is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

“Tate?” she asks, her brows drawing in, leaving a deep frown between them.

“I don’t…I don’t know if I can⁠—”

“Chicken wings?” the server says, lowering two fully stacked plates onto our table.

The sweet and smoky scent of the barbeque sauce fills my nose, but I’m not as hungry as I was when we ordered them.

“Thank you,” Lori says in a rush. But no sooner has the server gone is she back with fresh cocktails.

Reaching out, I lift my glass to my lips and drink half in the hope it’ll help settle whatever is spinning out of control inside me.

Lori watches me, concern filling her eyes, but she doesn’t push. She knows that I’ll tell her everything when I’ve found the right words. If they exist.

Reaching for a wing, I lift it to my lips and rip some meat off.

“Oh my god,” I moan as the sauce hits my tongue.

“I know, so good,” she groans, her eyes rolling back in pleasure.

We demolish half a plate each, barely coming up for air. It gives me some time to try and make sense of my thoughts, and I just feel like I’m getting somewhere when I sense someone behind me.

Lori looks up, and the second her eyes widen, I can predict exactly what’s about to happen.

Heat blooms down my side before a very familiar hand reaches out, stealing a chicken wing before his giant body drops into the vacant seat beside me.

With his free hand, he undoes his jacket and gets comfortable.

“Seriously?” I hiss between licking the sticky sauce from my fingers.

Kingston’s eyes jump between mine and my lips as he eats my fucking wing.

“Isn’t that a little too unhealthy to put into your temple of a body?” I quip, fighting the glare I want to give him for stealing my food and clearly fucking stalking me. But the way he works that chicken wing with his full lips stops me from saying another word. Fuck.

I can’t help it; I shamelessly squirm in my seat. It’s been a long, stressful week. I could really use a little relief right now…

My lips part to demand he leave when another shadow falls over me and the final chair at our table is pulled out.

“Oh goodie, you brought a friend,” I deadpan as Kian makes himself comfortable.

He points at the plate in front of Lori before asking, “You mind?”

“Good to know that one of you has some manners,” I scoff.

“What’s yours is mine, baby,” Kingston teases.

“No,” I counter. “What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is also mine.”

I smirk, holding his stare firm.

“Ah, I have the world’s best sister-in-law,” Kian muses before stealing another wing, much to Lori’s irritation.

“Finally,” Lori muses. “Something we can agree on.”

Ripping my eyes from Kingston, I focus on my best friend, lifting a brow in question.

“Ignore her, she’s just bitter that she didn’t get to spend your wedding night with the best man.”

Lori’s eyes almost pop out of her head, making Kingston laugh.

“Okay, did I miss something here?”

“Just the moment Mr. Callahan here got his ass handed to him on a silver platter. Not often you get turned down, is it?”

The air crackles around us and I startle when Kingston’s large hand lands on my thigh.

“This was a great idea,” he muses. “But I think we need more wings.”