Closing Time (Forever and Always #21) by Todd E. L

Author:Todd, E. L.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-09-30T04:00:00+00:00

“Shit, this is gross.” Flynn was gutting the fish and doing a terrible job of it.

“You aren’t doing it right,” I said.

“Either way, it’s gross,” Flynn snapped.

“Can’t we just cook them the way they are?” Sean asked.

“No one taught you how to prepare a fish?” I asked incredulously.

“Sorry, I was too busy going to college and running a company,” Sean barked.

“And I’m more fascinated by search engines and software than real life experiences,” Cortland said.

“I’m a writer,” Flynn said. “Not a hunter.”

I rolled my eyes and showed them again. Eventually, we grilled the meat and the house stunk of fish.

“As soon as I get home, Scarlet is going to smell me and hurl,” Sean said.

“I’m sure she does that anyway,” I jabbed.

Cortland laughed then dealt the cards.

I was so glad we didn’t head to a strip club or do something I’d regret later. Even though Janice and I hadn’t tied the knot yet, I still considered myself to be a married man. Going to a strip club was disrespectful to Janice, even if she didn’t care. That wasn’t how I wanted to start my marriage. Plus, Cortland and Sean were married. It would be a little weird for them to go. Fishing was exactly what I wanted, just the guys hanging out and playing poker. Besides, I wasn’t twenty-five anymore. If I wasn’t in bed by midnight, I was grouchy.

It was our last night together and we were all pretty exhausted. None of the guys liked waking up at four in the morning, which was understandable. I was just too excited to sleep.

“So, what were you so insecure about?” Cortland asked.

I knew this would come up eventually. “Janice is just too good for me.”

“How?” Sean asked. “It’s not like she’s a debutante.”

“She went to college and I never did. She’s better looking than I am. She works for a prestigious publishing company and I ink for a living…the list goes on.”

“But all of that is irrelevant,” Flynn said. “And you knew that from the beginning.”

“Yeah…” There was another reason.

“What are we missing?” Cortland asked.

Damn, that guy could read me like an open book. “I just…don’t come from a good family.”

“I still don’t see why that matters,” Sean said. “I love Scarlet for who she is, not because her mother is a piece of shit.”

I never told Sean about my mom. But she hadn’t bothered me in awhile so I assumed the worst was over. “My mom…kept coming around and I didn’t want Janice to get sucked into that…that was the main reason.”

Sean looked like he might faint. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell Scarlet.”

He looked angrier than I’d ever seen him. “Ryan, tell me what happened.”

I probably shouldn’t have brought this up now. Damn. “She called me a while ago and asked for some money. When I refused, she came to the shop and harassed me again.”

Sean dropped his beer on the floor and stood up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t necessary.” I raised my voice.

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