𝑻 𝑯 𝑬 𝑵 𝑨 𝑵 𝑵 𝒀 (18+)

twenty-seven

                                  DOMINIC

Going to the bar after work was always a bad idea especially when Dan was involved. It was always last minute and the jackass always ended up leaving me with hundred-dollar tabs that he had no plans on paying me back for. I loved him like a brother but I had to get better fucking friends.

"What are you doing?" he peeked over my shoulder at my phone before whistling, "texting your girlfriend?"

"No," I scoffed, "I'm texting Amara and I'm telling her I stopped by the bar with you before going home."

Dan's brow raised suspiciously before he started smiling, "Why are you telling her what you're doing after work? Aren't the kids at David's?"

"Your point?" I watched him order another drink and prayed for my wallet, "I'm just saying it feels a bit domestic that you're updating her on your after-work activities."

"She gets nervous in the house all by herself. She won't tell me but it's pretty obvious, there's nothing wrong in letting her know changes to my schedule," I defended myself though he partially had a point.

"I see, do you also tell her what time you're going to bed big man?" He smacked me and I nearly knocked him off the bar stool, "fuck off alright? I already have enough on my mind." One person to be exact and I couldn't seem to get her out of my fucking head.

"I'm assuming that has everything to do with the drop-dead gorgeous graduate student in your house right now?" He tipped back his beer and mumbled to himself, "That's high praise from you."

"Oh come on Dominic, just because I haven't said anything doesn't mean I'm blind. Besides, I don't want to step on your toes or anything. If given the chance between me or you well—"

"Alright, that's enough but can I be a little candid here? I know your Stephanie's brother and everything and we usually shoot the shit but this is different okay?" Dan was always a neutral party in whatever went on between me and Stephanie but that didn't mean I forgot that they were siblings. As good as a friend he was to me he loved her and wanted the best for her and hearing about how happy her ex-husband was moving on without her wasn't exactly the best way to spend a Saturday night.

"Look man I told you I don't hold anything against you or my sister for whatever happened in your marriage. She fucked up and she knows that and you've moved on. I'm not going to shame you for being interested in other women just because you and her called it quits. I care about the both of you so don't worry about alright?"

I ground my teeth together before finishing off my drink, "good because I feel like I'm losing my fucking mind."

                                           ❥              

"She said she was a lucky girl?" Dan knocked back the rest of his beer before laughing. "Maybe David's right, you are pretty fucking oblivious."

"She didn't mean it like that, I don't even know why I'm telling you in the first place." He was the last person I should've come to for any of this but I'd been out of sorts for the past couple of days and I needed fucking help. "You're telling me because you've been thinking about it and you've been thinking about her. You guys got any closer since that long-ass hug the other night?"

I ran a hand through my disheveled hair and cursed to myself, "So close I could've kissed her last night. I didn't obviously or else we'd be having a completely different conversation right now." I laughed into a glass of bourbon. She was at home now, probably sitting on the couch with her feet tucked under her and a remote in her hand. She'd pretend like she wasn't on her way to nodding off when I came home and suddenly that was all that I could think about. The conversations we had when I'd stumble into the house in the middle of the night. I found myself looking forward to them every night and I didn't know what to do with that. After being married for so long, I hadn't been interested in another woman in years, the last person I expected to be stealing glances at was my fucking nanny.