Page 58 of Just for the Plot

Is he unzipping the dress that I zipped up for her?

Should I go down to the bar and offer to drive her home even though she’s with a date?

Would that be weird?

Of course it would be weird, jackass. She’s with another man.

But is he the type to drive her home?

I hope not, if he’s been drinking…

Would he do that?

Fuck, I have no idea and now the questions are starting to consume me, eat away at me, and before I can stop myself, I send a text to the one person I probably shouldn’t text, but I can’t help myself.

Bennett:Does Cougar tend to drink and drive?

I set the phone down and rock in my seat, burying my head in my hands, agonizing over the thought of them together.

If I have learned one thing from this entire experience, it’s don’t take fucking Nolan’s advice, because this is where it sends me, straight into a fucking agonizing torment.

My phone beeps with a response and I half wish for it to be Bower asking for a ride home or better yet, an escape from the date because it’s going so badly.

But when I see it’s not her, all hope is lost.

Graydon:No.

Fuck. Why did I think that he’d be the best person to help me with this? The man barely talks. Hell, if this was OC, he probably wouldn’t have set her up in the first place because he’d have been able to read between the lines and come up with another idea to get Bower to like me. But if he did set her up with someone else, there’s no doubt in mymind that OC would be sitting on the couch, right next to me, holding my hand and making sure that I’d be okay.

Graydon…not so much.

And yet, I can’t help myself in texting him back.

Bennett:Are you sure? I dropped my friend off at a pub and just want to make sure she’s safe.

Graydon:Then why aren’t you texting her instead of me?

Great point.

Excellent, actually.

The man is a smart one.

Too bad for him that I’m full of desperation.

Bennett:I don’t want to bother her.

Graydon:If it’s about drunk driving, I’m sure she wouldn’t be bothered, but grateful instead.

Another great point. He’s being logical, and I’m purely emotional.

Bennett:Agreed, agreed, but I just want to feel you out and see what you thought of the situation. Does he get drunk often? And when he’s drunk, is he persuasive? Does he get his date drunk as well? Does he take advantage? What are his thoughts on consent?

I press send before I can stop myself and then start pacing the living room again.

I know over the last few weeks I’ve gained a lot of ground with Graydon. He’s come to respect me, appreciate me, maybe even consider me a friend, but I know from that text alone, he’ll probably block my number.

But I had to take a chance, I had to figure it out.