Of course she would be here to witness my rock bottom.
The girl was a pesky fly, and my life was the shit show she was drawn to. No, I take that back, she was more than just an irritation. She was a biting fly, the kind that would buzz around your head repeatedly and then attack, causing pain before flitting off to some other poor soul like she hadn’t just ruined your day. She’d been like that almost my entire life, so I shouldn’t have been surprised she was standing right there, witnessing my darkest moment.
Hazel Redding.
Once my friend. Now enemy number one.
“I hate to break it to you like this, but I think we both know this has been coming for a while now. You understand?” Titus ran a hand through his blond hair, reminding me of some ’80s rock band guy with the way it was growing out all feathered and fluffy with an amazing amount of body. He could have been in a shampoo commercial with height and dimension like that.
And no, I didn’t understand. For a guy who only ate donuts and coffee for breakfast and lunch, you’d think he wouldn’t have the nutritional profile to grow hair like that. Didn’t a human body actually need protein and vitamins and shit to grow hair and muscle?
“Rip?” Titus leaned down into my face, making me blink.
Jesus. I needed to focus.
“I know you’ve been pretty down lately, so I’ve put this off as long as I could. The B and B opening is next weekend and I really need to be there to get everything ready for opening day. You understand, right?”
I nodded, though I still didn’t understand. My best friend, the guy I’d known since high school, was moving out of the house we shared and moving in with his girlfriend, Amelia. Made logical sense, I guess. And I’d been expecting it. Kind of. Like one expects some day to grow old and have their back give out when they stand up out of bed, but you just think it’ll be one day way into the future. Until you stand up and your back pops and you’re on your knees in pain, wondering how the hell “someday” got here so quick. Titus moving out was kind of like that. Expected, but not.
“I’ve been trying to find you a roommate, but I’m coming up empty. I’ll still pay the rent for the next three months until the lease is up, so don’t worry about that.” Titus smiled and put a meaty hand on my shoulder.
Of course he couldn’t find me a roommate. I wasn’t exactly what you’d call a friendly guy. I dared a glance out of the side of my eye to see where Hazel currently buzzed. She had a huge cardboard box in her hands, lugging it out the door to Titus’s waiting truck while her long dark ponytail swung from side to side. Amelia followed right behind her with an end table from Titus’s bedroom.
In the back of my brain, I knew we should be helping. Wasn’t fair to leave the heavy lifting to the girls, even if one of them was the most annoying girl on earth, but all I could think about was the fact I was the last man standing. The last guy in our group of friends who hadn’t gotten engaged, married, or attached at the hip to a woman. I was the lone wolf. Without a roommate. Without a pack. Without a fucking clue what I was doing with my life.
It had only been a few months ago that I’d told Titus I needed a push to get my life going. This empty gaping hole in my chest at the departure of the last person in my life who cared about me sure seemed like the push I’d said I wanted. Hell of a lot more painful than I’d planned on, though. Rubbing my chest, I tried to sort through the conflicting thoughts running through my brain, competing for space.
“Yeah, sure,” I managed to say, my voice croaking worse than a bullfrog in summer.
Wow, real eloquent, Bennett.
Titus’s eyebrows furrowed and I realized my lackluster response was making him feel guilty for leaving me. Feel guilty for being happy with his girlfriend. What a shit friend I’d become for making him feel bad when he should be ecstatic at this life change. I had to do better.
“Seriously, buddy. I’m happy for you two. I’ve been meaning to shake things up anyway, so