and not even a housewarming party. He’d taken that as an invitation to pop by.
It hadn’t taken much effort to find me at all. My status updated my location whenever I posted, and I’d spent so much time here when Jake was alive. Justin knew that.
I’d been happy when he showed up. Something to get me out of my boredom and wallowing. He’d sent me upstairs to shower and get rid of my days’ old breath. I’d taken time to groom myself properly before returning downstairs to find more people had arrived.
Justin had called up influencers in my circle, thinking he was doing me a favor. Soon, the house was overrun with kids from college and those we’d parted ways with in high school. As usual, others arrived who we had no connection to at all, but only needed to know about a party to show up.
Kegs of beer, a music system installed, and everywhere run with people later, and this was the result. I should’ve shut it down when I realized what was happening, but for the first time since I left Callum, I wasn’t alone.
The party was no substitute for him, but it was at least something other than wallowing in stale pizza and my brother’s expensive liquor and watching my fish interact with each other while ignoring me. At least I’d had the good sense to bring their tank up to my bedroom once the party started.
I clung to the banister and climbed the stairs, which took a lot of effort. I hated that people were moving up and down the stairs, which meant they were messing with my brother’s shit. Jake would’ve never put up with this.
Once I was on the landing, I stumbled into my brother’s bedroom and closed the door behind me. I still had the red cup in my hand, so I downed it and rested it on the nightstand. Then I crawled into the bed and pulled the pillows over my head. The music from downstairs still penetrated, and a dull ache settled in my head.
I needed to shut this party down. Now. The first person I thought to call was Callum. He’d know what to do. He would know how to get them all out, but I hesitated. Did I really want to pull him back into this mess?
Although I loathed calling him, I dialed Rue’s number. He picked up on the third ring.
“Master Ashton, what’s wrong?”
I hated that he automatically assumed something was wrong. I wished I could just hang up and tell him that I only called to say hi and find out how his husband was. And I vowed to myself that this was the last time. This would be the final time I called Rue to bail me out of my mess.
“Rue, there’s a party at the house. I didn’t start it, but I don’t know how to end it, and I can’t even think straight right now.”
“Jesus, Ashton, I thought you’d made a pact to stay away from drinking.”
“I tried, but turns out when you’re locked alone in a house for seven days with liquor at your disposal, you drink whether you want to or not. Will you come, please? I swear I’ll go to Texas after this. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“That’s what you said the last time.”
“Please, Rue.”
“I can’t be there this time, Ashton. Jos and I are out of town.”
“Shit.”
“You should call Callum.”
“No.” The word came out on a shout. “I’ll handle it.”
I hung up before he could convince me to call Callum. Dammit. Dammit. I had no choice but to stay up here until the party ended and everyone went home.
The door creaked open, and I sat up in the bed too fast. My vision swam, but it wasn’t bad enough for me not to recognize Louis’s drunk frame walking into the bedroom. He was so unsteady on his feet, only the door holding him up.
“Found you,” he said, lurching toward the bed. The door remained open, thank god. He wouldn’t try anything when anyone passing by could see him.
“Get out of my room, Louis.”
“Why? You cocktease. Admit you came up here for me to find you.”
I pressed the palms of my hands into my eye sockets. Where had I gone wrong with him? We used to be so close. All those memories we’d shared between friends. Had he really taken them to mean something more? And if that were even the case, I’d told him over and over that