Chapter 5
Brodie
The bachelor party turned out perfectly.
The bar was packed. I think every guy in Turtle Lake showed up for at least a little while to wish Jackson farewell from the single world.
We’d closed the bar to the public, making it men only, except for the women I’d hired to dance.
They’d done a decent job, too. After much coaxing from everyone and several shots of J?germeister, Jackson accepted a lap dance from Jayda, a beauty I’d had my eye on for about two weeks.
Just one of the reasons why I’d hired her.
Another one bites the dust, as the ‘holy grail’, aka our illustrious young mayor, Tom Grail, kept singing in and out of tune, messed up, slipshod way most of the night.
He’d finally passed out on the sofa in the office.
Jackson managed to get just as drunk and slurred about how much he loved Lena.
Repeatedly. My brother had it bad. But even I had to admit, Lena was a special find and I was happy for them.
I only hoped their love never faded the way I knew it could, maybe even would.
I didn’t know. It wasn’t something I enjoyed thinking about as Beth’s pretty face flashed before my mind’s eye.
I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my finger and thumb over them to clear the image.
Better to just live in the moment and lust the one you’re with, no chance of heartbreaks with that outlook.
It wasn’t so much that I thought about Beth anymore.
What she had done was unthinkable, and I would never forgive her or myself for letting it happen.
But I had forgiven her for what she’d done before that unforgivable act.
Only she couldn’t forgive herself. Beth and I had been together a long time.
We went to high school together. I knew her better than I knew myself.
At least I thought I had, until that day.
Now, I won’t allow myself to get that close to anyone ever again.
As I watched Jackson sit there, pretending to enjoy the hottie gyrating on his lap, I downed the shot of J?ger Doc handed me. I’d been holding back on drinking to make sure everything went smoothly, but my sour mood needed a serious ‘tude adjustment.
Jackson couldn’t have asked for a better bachelor party.
Well, maybe a trip to Vegas would have been fun, but then not everyone had the funds to get there.
Plus, Derrick, our other bartender would have had to stay home to tend to the bar, and I know Jackson wanted him to be included in the celebration, even if he was still behind the bar.
Well, a few of us were tonight, actually.
I think I even remember seeing Doc back there pouring for a while.
I’d hired three girls to come and dance, and I thought I might hook up with Jayda or one of them later, just to show my appreciation.
They were all dressed in a lot of lace, garters, and form-fitting bustiers, building up their lovely breasts.
The problem was, for some reason, I didn’t want to be with anyone tonight.
Until my mind flipped to g-strings made of pearls; sexy, long dark hair; and pink, shimmery lips.
Why did Gabrielle’s presence in my house bother me so much?
She’d made herself very clear over a year ago that she didn’t want anything to do with me, so why would the fact that she was spending the next two weeks sleeping in the room right next to mine have any influence on my desire to be with one of these chicks?
I didn’t need to bring them to my house.
They all had homes of their own, and I was sure any one of them would be more than excited to show not only their homes, but a little piece of themselves off to me.
Except Gabrielle was staying at my house and, damn it, I wanted to sleep in my own bed tonight, in my own room.
No, I wouldn’t be bringing one of these chicks home with me.
So what if I was alone? I could handle it.
I’d slept alone before. I wasn’t five years old and afraid of the dark for Christ’s sake.
I didn’t need a companion every night. I shrugged my shoulders at my thoughts and gave Jackson a salute with my empty glass.
The idea of Gabrielle being at my house was getting under my skin.
She was going to be sleeping at my house for the next two weeks, helping Lena prepare for the wedding. God, how would I ever survive it?