Page 66 of Wrecked
The tension . . . the worry . . . it'll all start easing away when the alcohol soaks into my system like a balm.
“Tough night?”
I jerk my head in surprise when a guy I didn't notice drying his hands with a paper towel speaks to me.
“What?”
He nods his head to the flask in my hand and repeats, “Tough night? Looks like it.”
“Don't know yet.”
He quirks a brow, expecting me to continue, but I don't. I'm not getting into some deep and meaningful conversation with a stranger in a restroom.
“Ahh,” he says, not taking the hint. “Blind date?” Apparently, this guy is psychic because he shakes his head the next second and says, “No, that's not it. I think you have the girl already.” I pull some gum out and pop it into my mouth, but the guy's not done yet. “Maybe meeting the parents . . . or a family member. I've been there.” He nods to himself, walks over to the garbage by the door, and tosses the paper towel into it. “Am I right?” He takes my non-answer as an answer and nods again. “Well, what does it matter what they think? You're not dating them, right?”
Irritation at this guy finally pushes me to bark out an answer to him. “It matters becauseshefuckin' matters. If she cares about it, then I do, too. So why don't you mind your own fucking business?”
The guy raises his hands in an 'okay chill'type manner, but he still has the slightest hint of a smirk on his face as he walks out the door.
I shake my head at the guy's nerve and decide to have one more mouthful before splashing my face and drying it off with a paper towel. I've got to get back to Jasmine.
I can feel myself loosening up a little now. Thank fuck. But that all changes when I'm halfway across the restaurant and see the same guy atmytable, withmygirl, hitting on her like he has a chance. I increase my pace as the rage starts to burn through me, and I'm ready to lay this guy flat.
But as I get closer, an even worse feeling begins to fill my gut.
I was wrong. He's not hitting on her.
He's her fuckingbrother.
I think about bolting, texting Jasmine, and making up some shit about why I had to leave. But I'm too late. Jaz makes eye contact with me a second later, followed by the guy.
Her face lights up and then breaks out into a smile as I drag my feet closer to the table. His face, however, shows no flash of surprise as he watches me approach.
He already knew exactly who I was.
“Graham, this is Campbell. Campbell, this is my brother, Graham,” Jasmine says, her face holding an appearance of calmness, but I can tell underneath she's a little nervous.
I hesitate the slightest second, waiting to see what her brother will say or do.
Is he going to out me? Will he tell Jasmine how I was drinking in the restroom?
His expression holds no hint of his next move, so I can only hope that he'll spare me the awkwardness and humiliation.
“Nice to meet you,” he says, extending his hand across the table.
It surprises me, but I take his hand to shake anyway while trying to figure him out. “Likewise.” It appears he's not going to reveal anything, but what was the point of saying that shit to me in there in the first place?
He gives one firm squeeze before letting go, as if to assert his big brother status without Jasmine seeing, and then settles back into his seat.
Before anything more can be said between us, a waitress approaches and asks for our drink orders. Jasmine asks for a glass of Prosecco, her brother gets a Whiskey sour, and I get a Coke. Graham eyes me curiously, probably wondering why I was drinking in the restroom but not out here. But I really don't think I should be having any more before eating. As it is, I probably had a bit too much on an empty stomach.
Jasmine, on the other hand, smiles softly at me like she's proud of me for being so chill in this situation and not needing a drink to relax me as others would. It makes me feel like a fucking fraud who's full of shit because I'm running on a nice little buzz at the moment.
I drag my gaze from Jasmine's pretty face over to her brother's. I should have noticed in the restroom how similar they look. Besides his hair being a lighter shade and the more masculine features he has, they share the same colored eyes, and their nose and lip shapes are the same.
He tilts his head to the side, and I realize I'm staring at him.
“So, Campbell, what are your intentions with my sister?”
