Dad's best friend secret baby

Chapter 31

Ethan

"Give me your strongest whiskey."

The bartender hesitated briefly before nodding.

I noticed the flicker of fear in his eyes. It was subtle but noticeable. Something that occurred each time I interacted with common people that knew who I was.

"A glass of Macallan rare cask coming right up, sir."

He turned, gliding his thumb over bottles. My eyes followed his movement for a while before I turned in my stool, bringing my elbow from the marble bar.

The lighting was warm against the velvet sofas and mahogany tables.

The air was filled with the scent of exotic blooms and whiskey, complimented by soft jazz music.

The ambiance was everything I disliked. Still, it wasn't enough distraction for me.

"Here, sir." I turned to the bartender and picked up the glass of whiskey he slid to my end.

This glass was my third? Fourth? I didn't know. I'd lost track.

I needed a distraction. It was why I was here.

Work used to be my distraction. It'd always been.

But it seemed I'd encountered something far greater. I'd encountered Evie.

I brought my eyes past the railing to the ground floor, where a few bodies littered.

Faint, vibrant music streamed through the floor.

You could tell that the patrons were having fun from the way they gyrated against each other.

Perhaps if I wanted a real distraction, I needed to leave this VIP section. Go to the ground floor... mingle... dance.

A small, humorless laughter escaped my lips at the thought. I never thought about odd things.

The guilt was very much still there, but it was worrisome that other thoughts—thoughts of her— were slowly overshadowing it.

The urge to have her in my arms waxed stronger every day.

The urge to see her... talk to her... reassure her that everything would be fine.

It shouldn't be that way.

I should be blinded by guilt. I lost my best friend... hurt him.

I should be thinking of how to make things right... Not the opposite.

I was a terrible person– a bad friend.

But all this did not alter the reality.

I still thought about Evie, and not just because I was responsible for dragging her into the event.

What was wrong with me?

I downed the liquid. The burn from this one was hotter than the previous glasses.

It should get me drunk... to the point where I didn't have to feel anything.

A small smile tugged my lips at a memory. It was one of me and James.

"I can understand two glasses, but more than that in one sitting? Count me out."

James was a stress-free man. He never tried to live above his means, and he cherished his family beyond anything.

...plus you're family too.

I recalled his words from twenty years ago.

He was wrong. Family would never do this to him. Family would not still think about his daughter after being in so much mess.