Foundation for Three (33 page)

Alex bent over the table with his cue in hand. “You in a hurry to get back to your honey?”

Now the guy was pissing him off. “I like Zoey just fine. She prefers Thad.” Or would prefer him if she thought about it. He and Thad hadn’t given her much of a choice about which one she wanted. She was almost shot, and both he and Thad happened to be there to pick up the pieces. He’d never asked what she wanted.

Alex punched his stick into the stack of balls, and they went flying. The sound brought Pete back to the present. One of the striped balls dropped in the pocket. “Nice shot,” Pete said.

“Thanks.”

Two couples wandered into the back room. One went to the dartboard, while the other surrounded the Foosball table. With more people around, Alex might not discuss Pete’s personal life. Before he took his turn, he polished off his whiskey, wishing he’d at least get a buzz to blot out his thoughts. Alex drove in two more balls then nicked the pocket. The ball rolled on by.

Pete walked around the table to decide on the best shot. He aimed and sank the first ball. Alex nodded approvingly at the accomplishment. Pete sank another one, but missed the third. When he stepped back to give Alex room, another Jack Daniels replaced the one he’d just finished. He liked the service around here.

“Thad okay with you going rogue on him?” Alex’s voice sounded so unconcerned, it was as if he’d asked what Pete thought of the new paint color on the wall.

“He didn’t say much. Now can we get on with the game?”

Alex laughed. “You know what your problem is?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

P
ete wasn’t in the mood to listen to Alex’s shit. “No. Tell me what my problem is.”

Pete’s former partner swallowed a smile, lined up the cue stick, and ran the table. “I win. Now, bring your drink. Let’s see if we can find someplace quiet to talk.”

No way Pete would agree to that. He didn’t need to be answering questions, especially from Alex. “Rematch, then maybe.”

“Didn’t realize the guilt ran so deep. What the hell did you do? Sleep with someone else?”

The accusation hurt worse coming from Alex. Pete never cheated and Alex knew that. “Fuck no.” Pete retrieved the balls from the side pockets and organized them in the rack. It was his turn to break.

“Then you found someone else.” His statement made the irritation scrape Pete’s insides raw.

He was tired of this game and considered tossing down his cue and walking out. “Wrong again. I’m not a womanizer.” He hadn’t had time to even date someone else. Didn’t want to.

“By whose definition? Brenda’s? Lisa’s? Jane’s?” Alex counted on his fingers. “Shall I go on?”

“You little shit.” Pete leaned his stick against the table and tossed back his drink.

Alex laughed. “You’re so in denial. Every time you called when I was with Dad, all you’d talk about was how the lady you were with was ‘the one.’ Then after a month or two, you’d pull away. Find some excuse why it wasn’t right.”

That was what Thad said, but they didn’t know the truth. Didn’t understand. “Might look like that, but this is different.”

“How is it different?”

Pete didn’t know why Alex had to press so hard. “It just is.” With more force than was required, Pete broke. Balls flew but none dropped. In fact, he wasn’t left with much of a shot. If he studied the table long enough, Alex might lose interest in his line of questioning. Or better yet, leave. Pete bent over, moved the stick back and forth then stood. “Don’t have many options here.”

“I know what you’re doing, Pete. But go on. Stick your head in the sand.”

Sometimes Alex could be such a dick. Pete tried the shot again. It went wide.

Alex moved into position. “You’re just like your dad, you know.”

Pete’s lips firmed and his fist clenched. “That’s a low blow.”

Alex shrugged. “You both think very little of yourself.”

“I’m not an ass to the hired help.”

“No, but you both don’t think enough of yourself to let another person in.”

Pete wasn’t quite sure what Alex was referring to, but the pain stabbed him in places he didn’t know could be hurt. “You’re saying because my dad regrets his past that he’s afraid to love anyone?” That was what Zoey had said.

Alex glanced to the ceiling then laughed. “Sometimes I wonder how you ended up running and owning your own business. For someone who seems to get what the client wants, you can be such a fucking moron when it comes to people.”

Alex was pissing him off royally. Pete needed another drink and waved to the waitress for a refill. “You saying I don’t understand people?” Alex must be doing drugs or something.

Alex waved a hand as if to dismiss his question. “It shouldn’t matter what your dad has done or is doing. You’re almost forty fucking years old yet act like you’re nine. You, Pete Banks, need to grow up and be a man. If you’re not happy with the way your
daddy
has treated you, get over it.” His friend stepped closer and got up in his face. The scent of beer was strong. “Why do you have to depend on his goddamn actions? Ask Zoey what that makes you. Codependent? Juvenile? Doesn’t matter the term. You’re a child and a whiner.” Alex tossed the cue stick on the table. “I’m finished. Clear the table yourself.” With that, he stormed off.

“Fuck you, buddy.”

No way he was going to let Alex dismiss him like that. Pete charged, collared his friend and spun him around. He expected Alex to hold up his hands, but his friend punched him in the gut instead, sending him backward. Having downed those three Jack Daniels caused Pete to lose his balance. His butt hit the edge of a chair and sent it sprawling. A girl cried out from near the dartboard.

“You want to fight?” Alex motioned with his fingers. “I’ll give you a fucking fight.”

Pete got up and dusted himself off. Alex dipped his shoulder and rammed it into Pete’s belly, pushing him into a table. As it upended, glass shattered. The momentum caused them both to land on the ground, and Pete’s back took the brunt of the impact, but his brain was too numb to feel much. Instinct took over. They wrestled, twisting and turning, until Alex slammed Pete’s head into a chair leg, which unceremoniously went flying. Alex’s fist then connected with Pete’s face. Shit. Pain streaked across his jaw, possibly loosening a tooth. The next blow connected with his nose. That did it. Pete thrust his leg up and flipped the two over. He delivered a punch to Alex’s face. Damn, that felt good, but his knuckles stung from the impact. His friend grunted, shook off the daze and did a quick and complicated maneuver that resulted in Alex on his knees behind Pete. In seconds, Alex had an arm wrapped around Pete’s throat. The bastard held on tight, too. Try as he might, Pete couldn’t get loose. Alex yanked inward, nearly crushing his windpipe. Christ.

Using what strength he had left, Pete grabbed Alex’s wrists and tugged hard, but the brute wouldn’t give in. Pete had spent his entire life lifting wallboard, developing muscles on top of muscles, and a few shots of whiskey had weakened every one of them.

“Break it up.” The gruff voice came from one of the bouncers.

Alex was pulled off him, allowing a liter of air to rush down his windpipe.

Someone helped Pete to his feet. He swayed as he stumbled over to the chair. “Sit and don’t move. I’ll get you some ice.” It was Christie. Bless her heart.

Reality finally entered his brain. His lungs hurt and his eye was beginning to swell shut.

The bouncer returned. “We’ve called the cops.”

Fuck
.

*     *     *

Making love with Thad had been magical. The intensity. The passion. Thad’s caring touch convinced her that these men were right for her. Everything had been absolutely perfect, except for Pete’s poorly timed phone call. If he’d had been there to make love with them, she’d have marked this day down on a calendar as a time she never wanted to forget. Zoey totally got that they had busy lives. Hopefully, only something as important as a call from his folks would cause Pete to leave again.

She’d wanted to contact him to see how things were going with the plumbing issue at his parents’ house, but Thad kept saying they shouldn’t disturb him. From the way he kept changing the subject every time she brought up Pete’s name, she got the sense something was wrong.

Thad was snuggled against her back, his arms holding her tightly as if he never wanted to let her go. “I’m not sure if Pete mentioned it, but one of his workers let him know that your window is fixed.” Thad kissed her neck and shivers of delight raced up her spine.

“When do you think I can go home?”

“Not until I’m convinced it’s safe. I need time to find out about the threat from our burglar turned arsonist.”

Zoey was fine with that. Staying with the men gave her a warm feeling of comfort. She tried to doze, but every time she fell asleep, she’d wake, thinking her house alarm was going off. Perhaps she needed Pete in bed to make the night complete.

The clock on the nightstand next to the bed read 2:13 a.m. Had Pete decided to stay the night at his parents’ house to make sure his repair held? He should have called or texted. She rolled over, and Thad woke.

He cupped her face. “Can’t sleep?” he asked. From the slight moan in his voice, he’d been dreaming.

“I’m worried about Pete. He’s not home.”

“Mmm.”

So much for Thad being concerned. “Did he text you?”
And you forgot to tell me?

“I’m sure he had a good reason. Go back to sleep.”

That was a shitty answer. “How do you know he’s not lying in a ditch somewhere bleeding to death?” She hadn’t meant for her voice to escalate. “Maybe the gangs decided to hurt you by harming him instead.”

Thad blew out a breath, sat up, and turned on the bedside lamp. “All right. I was planning to wait until tomorrow to tell you.” He yawned. “I should amend that. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to tell you tomorrow, that Pete would come to his senses.”

“What are you talking about?” Her skin turned clammy.

“I don’t even know how to break this to you.”

His evasive comments caused acid to burn a big fat hole in her belly. “Just tell me.”

“Pete wants out.”

She must not have heard him right. “Out of what?”

Thad dropped back onto the bed and dragged his forearm over his face, the ugly red scar a bad reminder of how he could have been killed. “Pete’s running scared, that’s all.”

The words finally began to make sense. She wanted to see Thad’s eyes and lowered his arm to his stomach. He groaned. “Thad. Look at me.” He cracked open an eye. “Are you saying Pete doesn’t want to be with me anymore? When did he tell you this? You must have misunderstood.” On top of the mountain, Pete had been wonderful, patient, fantastic.

“His parents never called him. He made that up.”

She needed a moment to put the facts in order. “There was no water leak?” The deception slammed into her. “He lied?”

“Yes.”

Her pulse pounded. “I can’t believe he’d do that to me.”

Thad rubbed her arm. “This isn’t the first time he’s pulled this trick. As soon as he falls for a woman, he runs scared. I’m finished with him. He’s acting like a fucking child, and I don’t think he’ll ever change.”

Her mind reeled. “I need to talk with him.” Desperation clawed at her belly. As angry as she was, she needed confirmation that Thad had interpreted Pete’s actions correctly.

“Zoey.” Thad clasped her hand. “It’s two o’clock in the morning. You’re tired. Pete’s probably drunk. Get some sleep. We’ll figure something out in the morning.”

Easy for him to say. Just when she thought she’d found the two perfect men, this had to happen. Now what was she going to do? She wanted to get out of bed and pace, but Thad held her tight. As their girlfriend, what she wanted to do was throw something, pound a wall, yell. As a therapist, she needed to think. Did Pete realize what this would do to his relationship with Thad? She found it hard to believe Pete would throw away that friendship. She pounded her pillow and grunted.

Thad nuzzled her neck. “I’m pissed too, babe, but we’ll work it out.”

She hoped he meant the three of them would figure something out. Her gut told her he was only talking about the two of them.