Free Broken Holidays: A Broken Series Novella (The Broken Series) by Maegan Abel Page B

mock surprise. “Okay, Ms. Glass-half-full, what is the proper outlook?”
    “Fuck that. If the glass is only half-full, pour more liquor. That’s the proper outlook.” Nikki slid the fresh drink in front of me. “But maybe that’s just the bartender in me talking.”
    I laughed loudly. “Wow. Well, that’s an outlook I can definitely get on board with,” I said as I finished the drink I’d been working on like it was a shot. “But you didn’t really answer my question.”
    Her eyes wide, she shook her head as she removed the now empty glass. “No. I guess I didn’t. Honestly, you’re alive. You’re healthy. You have a beautiful kid and I know he’s the reason you’re hurting, but look on the bright side, he’s not going to remember this.”
    “That’s not the point,” I started, but sighed when she got called away. They weren’t as busy as I thought they’d be, but they were busy enough.
    As the night progressed, I ignored the advances of several women. Not because they weren’t hot, I really just didn’t want anyone tonight. I wanted the alcohol. Lili came by to check on me and between her and Nikki, my glass stayed full, which helped my mind slowly empty.

 
    “Are you sure you can handle him?” Nikki asked, eyeing Zane where he leaned against the bar. He was drunk. Very drunk. He’d had more tonight than I’d ever seen him drink when we’d been out, but I couldn’t vouch for the times he’d come home drunk before.
    “What do you mean? He’s drunk but he’s still Zane. He’s come home this way enough times for me to know how to take care of it,” I said, shaking my head as I finished restocking the bar. Shannon had let him hang out to wait for me so he wouldn’t have to catch a cab alone. I wasn’t sure he was going to last much longer, though. He was either going to vomit or pass out — possibly both.
    “I just meant, if he gets frisky ,” she purred the word, raising an eyebrow at me. “Can you handle him?”
    “Oh my God. Would you stop?” I groaned, clearing off the last of the bar. I was so ready to get out of here and away from Nikki’s suggestive comments about the things I could do to take Zane’s mind off missing Conner.
    “Seriously, though.” She stopped me, putting a hand on my arm. “People are never more honest than when they’re drunk. If he tries something, keep that in mind.”
    “Seriously, though,” I repeated, leaning closer to her. “People are usually horny when they’re drunk. Especially when they go out and drink to find a new lay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
    “Whatever. You really think you’d be able to deny the Hotness Monster, but I know better,” she said as she grabbed her jacket. “Bye, sexy,” she called to Zane, but he didn’t even look up as he waved.
    He was staring down at his lap. As I tugged on my jacket and headed toward him, I noticed it was his phone that held his attention. “Ready?” I asked when he didn’t make a move to acknowledge my approach.
    “He’s a prick. And she’s a fucking…” he trailed off, still staring at the screen.
    “Okay, well, let’s go home and you can sleep,” I said, grabbing his elbow to steady him as he swayed. “Come on, I’ll get us a cab.”
    “I drove.”
    Pausing us as we walked toward the door, I turned to face him. “You drove? Seriously? You knew you were going to be drinking.”
    “I didn’t realize I was going to drink this much,” he laughed through the words. Whether it was at the fact that he was drunk or at my pissed off expression, I didn’t know.
    “Where are the keys?” I asked, sighing as I patted his jacket pockets. He started to tip to the side as he fumbled toward his jeans. “Whoa. Easy. Here.” I reached in his pocket, avoiding his eyes as I slid my hand in and wrapped it around the metal of the keys.
    “Careful, or I might think you want more than just to give me a ride home,” he joked. I steeled myself against the embarrassment that wanted to