New Year Second Chance by Ashlee Price

Author:Ashlee Price [Price, Ashlee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Dax

The smell of cigarettes stuck to the walls. The peeling paint. The hard mattress.

I thought I was past sleeping in rooms like this, yet here I am in a broken-down motel, staring at a ceiling which has turned from white to taupe, a part of which is held together by strips of duct tape.

That part better not fall down on me or I swear I'm shutting down this hotel.

I sit up. My forehead throbs.

I'm thinking I drank a little too much whiskey last night. Then I see the nearly empty bottle on the table.

Alright. I did drink too much.

I touch the back of my head. What am I doing? Why did I check into this cheap motel instead of flying back home? Why did I get myself drunk enough to have a hangover in the morning?

Then the memories of last night come back. Right. Jenna. We had a fight. We broke up. None of this makes sense. I feel like I never knew her. I don't know anything anymore.

Just then, my phone rings. It's on the table, right next to the whiskey bottle. I grab it and look at the screen to see Victor's name.

I do know Victor is going to give me an earful about not showing up to work.

I answer the call anyway. "Victor."

"Good, you're alive," he says. "Are you coming to work today or not?"

I shift the phone to my other ear and suppress a yawn. "Good morning to you, too."

"Dax?"

"No. I feel like shit."

Which is every least bit true.

There's a pause on the other end. "Look, I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said - "

"None of this is your fault, Victor," I tell him. "But if you want to do something for me, cancel my meetings for today."

"Will do. And what do I tell Leon?"

Right. I'm supposed to decide whether to keep him or fire him.

I take a moment to think.

"Dax?"

"Tell him I gave him a chance and he screwed up so he has to go. I can't trust him anymore."

I can't trust anyone. Look at what happened with Jenna. I trusted her and she deceived me. She was the one who was being dishonest all along.

"Understood."

"I'll call you if there's anything else."

I end the call and pour myself a glass of water to drink. The cool liquid feels good down my warm throat, but I need something more to help me clear my head.

Coffee.

Hopefully I can get some in this goddamned town before I leave.

~

I have my driver stop by the first diner I see. I go in and sit in a booth in the corner. I assumed that and my sunglasses would send a message for others to leave me alone, but I've just taken my first sip of coffee when I hear a voice.

"Mind if I join you?" Emily asks me.

Emily, Jenna's friend. She and I talked a bit last night, though she evaded most of my questions.

I consider saying no. I don't really know her and I don't owe her anything, especially now that Jenna and I have broken up.

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