Roommates (Soulmates #1) by Hazel Kelly Page A

of your quest for revenge."
    "Fine," he said. "Make me do it the hard
way."
    I leaned my neck forward. "Please don't find this guy. What
if someone found out it was cause of me? Then I'd be even more fucked than I am
now."
    "There's only one person that's getting fucked here, and he
asked for it."
    A flair covered waitress appeared at my side with another giant
margarita.
    I shook my head. "Oh- I didn't order another one."
    She smiled and spoke with an affected Texas accent. "You
don't have to, Hun. It's Thirsty Thursday. They're bottomless."
    Ethan stuck his lower lip out and looked between my drink and
the waitress. "In that case, would you mind bringing another one
out?"
    "Sure thing sugar lips."
    And as he smiled back at her, I couldn't help but think she
didn't know the half of it.

 
    Chapter 22: Ethan
     
     
     
    Her cheeks were pink by the time she finished her second
margarita.
    But that was two hours ago and even I'd lost track of how much
we'd had.
    "What time are you supposed to go to work?" she asked,
laying a flat hand on the table.
    I lifted my ass and pulled my phone from my pocket.
"Fuck."
    She raised her eyebrows. "Uh-oh."
    "Hold on a second." I slipped out of the booth and
headed towards the beer garden for some fresh air.
    Ben answered on the second ring.
    "Ethan- hey. I heard you got your sister okay."
    "Stepsister," I said, leaning against an empty picnic
table. "And yeah. I owe you one."
    "Ella and Christophe's story don't really match up."
    "What?"
    "You told Christophe that she was bald and gay?"
    I laughed. "If he'd expressed interest in Carrie, wouldn't
you have done the same?"
    "Have you been drinking?"
    I scrunched my face. "I can't make it in tonight."
    "What the fuck, man? I do you a favor and then you don't
show up for work?"
    "It's a long story. She was really upset and-"
    "Yeah, Ella told me," he said. "What the hell
happened?"
    "She got assaulted."
    "Seriously?"
    "Yeah. On her fourth fucking day in the big city."
    "That's rough. She okay?"
    I nodded. "She is now that I've ploughed her full of margaritas."
    "Good."
    "And as pathetic as it is, I figured if I had a few, it
might soften my urge to go paralyze the fucker."
    "Good call," he said. "You're useless to me in
prison."
    "Can you manage tonight without me?"
    "Yeah. Gretchen will be delighted to fill your shoes."
    "Just as long as she doesn't get too comfortable in
them."
    "Don't worry. You're indispensable."
    I smiled.
    "Which is the only reason I'm putting up this shit."
    "Oh come on. I've never done this before."
    "I know, and I get it. If someone so much as leered at a
hair on Carrie's head I'd-"
    "What? Have them followed?"
    "Shut the fuck up."
    "I love you, Ben."
    He laughed. "You're a twat. Enjoy the rest of the night.
I'm glad you're sister's okay."
    "Stepsister," I said, but he'd already hung up.
    I slid the phone back in my pocket, trying not to dwell on how
crazy it was that I'd been having so much fun with Jen that I’d completely
forgotten about work.
    I pushed the glass door open and headed back to our table, my
eyes resting on her as soon as I walked in.
    Unfortunately, the warm excitement in my stomach wasn't the kind
you’re supposed to have on a family day out. It was more, and I could see
through my fuzzy halo of intoxication that I was in trouble.
    "Your boss?" she asked.
    "Slash friend."
    "I take it you're not going in tonight?"
    I shook my head. "No. Not when you obviously need a
babysitter."
    "Shut up," she said, waving a hand in my direction.
"I do not."
    "Plus-" I scooted back in the booth, transfixed by the
drunken sparkle in her eye. "Now that you're drunk, I was thinking I might
stand a chance of scoring another kiss."
    She froze, her eyes unblinking, and she held my gaze for a split
second too long before casting her eyes down.
    I furrowed my brow. "What?"
    "I wasn't going to mention that again."
    "Should I not have?"
    She lifted her eyes to meet mine and lowered her voice. "Is
it wrong that we did