Page 99 of The Recovery Coach
Hazy did not have to be told twice.She practically jogged out the door, her gaze searching the parking lot for his car as she carted him along behind her.
When they were buckled, he asked, “Where are we headed?”
Her smile disappeared.“Uh, to your place?”
He shook his head.“My place isn’t an option.”
“We always go to your house.”
“We could go to yours.Or I could get us a room.”He reached over the center console to squeeze her knee, but she slapped his hand away.
“Stop,” she said.“Wait.”
He recoiled as if her skin burned him.“What’s wrong?”
She frowned, searching his face for something.“Why can’t we go to your house?”
“It’s occupied at the moment.”
“By who?”
Hazy cleared his throat.“A friend.”
She leaned away from him, her head resting against the passenger seat window.“A girlfriend.”
“No,” he said.“My best friend.”
“Lover is in Houston.”
Fucking hell, when did Tiffany become worried about who his friends were?
“I do have other friends, you know.”He grinned at her.“Like you.”
“You aren’t helping your case.”She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him, demanding an explanation he didn’t owe her.
He rested his head on the steering wheel.“It’s not like that.”Itcouldn’tbe like that.“Livy is an old friend.That’s it.”
“She’s an old friend, but you can’t take a date to your own house because she’s there?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Hazy faced her and opened his mouth to answer, but no words came.
“Sounds like she’s more than a friend, dude.I won’t be the other woman.I like you.You’re a good lay.But I am not here for drama.You need to figure your shit out.”
He buried his head in his hands.“Fuck.I know.”
Tiffany remained quiet, allowing him time to think before asking, “Do you want to talk about it?”
He took a deep breath and blew it out.“You want me to tell you about my problems?”
Tiffany pushed his arm in a friendly gesture.“I wouldn’t say Iwantyou to tell me.But I’m here, and I’m willing to listen.”
Hazy debated the implications of telling this woman his business.She’d been discreet about their hookups over the last year.Anyone she might tell wouldn’t believe her.If his secrets ended up on the internet, he could explain it away as baseless gossip.He couldn’t tell any of his other friends.Daisy and Roxie might keep it from Lover, but it would kill them.He needed to talk to someone who didn’t have any skin in the game.
“She’s my best friend.And Lover’s girlfriend,” he blurted, before he could talk himself out of it.
