Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 15

“I-I-I-I don’t mean back to before the guys were in our lives. Not at all. I just mean--.”

Zane held up his hand. “We get it.”

Brenden nodded. “We understand completely.”

I paused. “Do you, though?”

Karina hissed at me. “They’re trying, just give them a chance.”

I cast her a look. “You’re doing it again.”

“We’re going to defend our men, Roxy. You can’t stop us from doing that.” Kelly told me.

I leaned back. “Yeah, just like they can’t stop you from going out without me because I’m single and you’re not. Right?”

The silence hung even heavier this time, and I was ready to throw in the towel on this evening.

“Is being a front desk secretary what you want to do for the rest of your life?” Zane asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Brenden leaned forward. “What kind of other things are you interested in?”

Karina smiled. “She likes having a good time!”

Kelly nodded. “And partying.”

“She’s also a whiz on drinks. She could take bartending classes.”

“Oh, sis! You’d be so good at bartending. You’d get all the tips with your outfits and things like that.”

I paused. “I have a job, but thank you.”

Kelly shrugged. “We’re just thinking more long-term, that’s all.”

I sighed. “No, you mean like building my own fashion line or heading up an entire department. Not just being some lowly secretary.”

Karina pinned me with a glare. “That’s not what we mean, and you know it. Stop twisting our words.”

I shrugged. “Not very hard to twist at this point.”

Kelly threw her napkin onto her plate. “That’s it. I’m done with this.”

Brenden gripped her arm. “Sit down and just hear her out.”

Karina stood. “No, I’ve had enough of this. Roxy, just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you get to sling around the kind of vile you’ve been spewing all night. If you had issues like this? It’s your problem for letting them fester and get to this point. You should’ve approached us a long time ago and addressed these concerns instead of keeping them so pent-up like you have.”

I slowly stood. “Well, forgive me if I can’t get any time with you two between the day trips to the beach and the spa retreats in the middle of a fucking Tuesday afternoon.”

“That’s it!” Kelly exclaimed.

“We’re leaving,” Karina said.

I held up my hand. “Oh, no-no. Don’t let me inconvenience the mother and the girlfriend of the year. No, no, I’ll take my leave.”

“Roxy, just stop,” Zane said.

I shot him a look. “You’re lucky I came around to liking you after the shit you pulled with Karina. How many times did she call me up crying and ready to dump you like a bad habit back in Hawaii? I lost count. You’re lucky I’m even in your corner. So, can it.”

I stormed out of the room and charged through the multiple blackjack tables. I headed straight for the bar before I ordered myself an entire bottle of wine. I carried it straight up to the second floor, where my own personal V.I.P. room had been set aside for me. A treat for myself, of course. I shelled out the money once I got here to have a room with only my name on it because I knew I’d need a place to go where no one could find me.

“I hate my life so much,” I murmured.

As I poured myself a very full glass of wine, I started thinking about their questions. What did I want to do for the rest of my life? Was being a front-desk secretary as good as it got for someone like me? I mean, I didn’t have the business acumen that Kelly had. I didn’t have the stomach for stupid people like Karina had. And it wasn’t as if I went to college. Hell, I was lucky enough to scrape by during my two-year medical transcriptionist program that I ended up not doing anything with.

Maybe you’re nothing but a party girl who can’t grow up.

Tears sprang to my eyes as I leaned back against the leather couch. I gazed out over the muted casino and saw everyone gathering downstairs. Kelly and Brenden; Karina and Zane. All of them were standing around someone with smiles on their faces and laughter on the tip of their tongues.

Then, I saw the person in the middle turn my way.

“It can’t be,” I murmured.

I saw Clint glance up to my window before he pulled away from the crowd. I watched him weave his way through people before he disappeared beneath me, and I shot up from the couch. He wasn’t really coming up here. He wouldn't have that kind of nerve, right?

I waited with bated breath as my eyes stayed locked on the door that led into my room.

And when the doorknob turned, I let out the breath I’d been holding.

“I hear there’s a birthday girl up here who isn’t very happy,” Clint said.

The door swung open, and I noticed he was wearing a new suit.

“You changed,” I said.

He stepped inside. “Got some alcohol on my other one.”

I lifted my glass. “Cheers to that.”

He closed the door behind him. “Pretty full glass you’ve got there. Mind if I join you?”

He brandished a wine glass from behind his back, and I shrugged.

“Suit yourself.”

I sat back down on the couch as he poured himself a half-glass of wine. Then, he had the nerve to sit down beside me. I chugged my glass of wine before I went to get up. But, Clint reached for the bottle and refilled my glass for me.

“There you go,” he said.

I nodded slowly. “Thanks.”

He crossed his leg over his knee. “So, why are you really up here?”

“Like I’d tell you.”

He shrugged. “I’m the only one up here. You might as well.”

“Happy birthday to me.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that sounded sarcastic.”

“Well, at least wartime didn’t rattle that old brain up there of yours, yeah?”

He chuckled. “Do you always use insults to deflect? Or, is this a new thing with you?”

I chugged my second glass of wine.