Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 11

I looked between the girls. “You guys got anything to say? Maybe an apology, too?”

But, when they didn’t say anything, I picked up my purse.

“Come on, Roxy. Don’t do this,” Kelly said.

I shrugged. “I’m not doing it. You guys have already been doing it for weeks. And I’m done chasing after people who don’t care about me anymore.”

Karina scoffed. “Look around you, Roxy. Of course, we care about you!”

“If you can’t honestly see where I’m coming from, then you never will. While you guys have been off canoodling and setting this shit up that I could’ve set up myself in an hour or two, your so-called best friend and sister was out there alone. I am playing alone, gambling, alone, and winning alone. I’m even drinking alone! I’m sitting in my apartment alone while you two shop! I’m sitting home alone while you two go on spa retreats! I’m sitting at home alone, hoping and praying you guys will call to ask me to do something while you fuckers are off taking a damn day trip to the beach!”

I felt tears rushing down my cheeks as I turned to Zane.

“Don’t you ever invite Zane out whenever I’m around. We can’t be partying together. Not anymore. He’s my boss, you idiot.”

“Hey! Don’t you talk to him like that,” Karina said.

I held up my hands. “Trust me. It won’t happen ever again.”

There were so many emotions flooding my system all at once. Anger and depression. Frustration and confusion. Plus, I felt shitty for being such an asshole to Clint. If I ever had Karina or Kelly die right next to me, I’d never be able to function again. Even with the argument, we were having, I loved those two more than I could stand. I couldn't imagine what Clint had seen during his stint in the Navy, especially as a SEAL. And part of me hoped he returned to the party.

“Cake time!” someone exclaimed.

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you!”

I slowly turned around and saw some of the casino staff, bringing out a three-tiered cake. Everyone else around the table was silent, but the cake looked phenomenal. The royal blue fondant base made the glittering silver decorations pop. The bottom layer was polka-dotted with glistening silver circles of all sizes, and the middle layer was decorated with a sparkling edible silver purse, a pair of matching edible silver high heels, and a tube of silver lipstick with a crimson color spilling out over the royal blue of the cake. But, the last layer was what really took my breath away. Because in between the candles and the lit sparklers and the twinkling silver liquid that seemed to drip down the sides of the royal blue topper were two numbers. They were two small numbers that stopped me in my tracks.

A two, and a seven.

“Happy birthday to you!”

I’m twenty-seven years old.

“Well, go on, Roxy. Make a wish and blow out your candles,” Zane said.

As the girls stared me down with hatred in their eyes, I couldn't move. I felt paralyzed from head to toe, and suddenly I wished Clint was here to get me out of this situation. He always did that at work. He always had a way of cropping up at the best times to get me out of sticky situations with people who walked into his office at any given moment. And I yearned for him to walk up behind me with an excuse to pull me away from this insane evening.

Please, Clint. Come back. Help me.

Those two numbers taunted me as the servers set the cake down in front of me. I felt everyone looking at me as my eyes danced between the two and the seven. I was the oldest girl here. Hell, I was the second to oldest person there. And what did I have to show for my life? Karina was the head of Zane’s H.R. department. Brenden and Zane had their own multi-million dollar company. Kelly had her own damn fashion line that was making the big bucks now, and Clint was a war hero with a budding security company of his own.

And me?

I was a secretary, making an average wage, trying to dig myself out of credit card debt, with nothing to my name. No investments. No property. No savings account. Nothing.

“Roxy?” Kelly asked.

I blinked rapidly. “Here it goes.”

Then, I blew out the candles on my 27th birthday.

Everyone clapped, and Brenden even whistled. Food started coming out of the kitchen as I slowly sat back down into my seat. I felt the alcohol trying to drown out my own thoughts, and when the waiter placed a massive steak in front of me, my stomach growled out. I needed to eat something. I’d never get home safely if I left like this. And while I didn’t want it to seem like Kelly and Karina had won tonight, I didn’t have a choice.

I had to eat before I could leave.

“Are you feeling better?” Karina asked.

Zane whispered harshly to her. “Not now. Just eat.”

At least I didn’t have a man telling me what to do all the damn time. Though, I did toss Zane a glare.

“She can do whatever she wants, all right?” I asked.

Then, I sliced into my juicy steak and shoved a massive bite into my mouth.

And I found myself wondering what Clint was up to.