Irreplaceable

Hilary had it so easy. Caleb adored her, and anyone could see that. Logan, on the other hand, adored sex.

“We’re out?” I asked, sitting up and shaking the empty bottles.

Hilary stood and reached for her phone on the coffee table. “Good thing Caleb has the hookup.”

“The hookup?” I laughed.

“Yep, and he’s going to make sure we have everything we need tonight.” As she spoke, her fingers slid over the phone, texting. “Done. Reinforcements are on their way.”

“Tequila or the house special? Pick your poison. And if you so much as hint to Logan that I brought these over, I’ll be sure no one in this town makes you a grilled cheese again,” Caleb threatened with a half-serious smile as he stood at my door an hour later.

Giddy at seeing my favorite wine in his hand, I snatched the bottle and pulled him in for a quick hug, then grabbed the other bottle.

“Didn’t realize you were a drinker.” Luke appeared smiling beside Caleb, his eye flicking from me to the bottles I was clutching way too tightly.

“What can I say? I was feeling a celebration was in order. It’s my first day off painkillers.”

“Wow, already? I thought the doctor said it would be a few more days before you—”

“I’m fine, and right now, instead of feeling like my ribs are going to explode through my chest or my leg is being dug into, I only feel warm and fuzzy.”

“Leave the girl be,” Caleb interrupted, saving me from a big-brother speech as they walked inside.

“Finally!” Hilary was wrapped around Caleb before I even closed the door behind them.

“There’s my girl,” Caleb whispered into her lips as they kissed. Hilary’s hands dipped to his waist and didn’t stop until she had a firm grip on his ass.

“I would say get a room, but would prefer it not be in my house.” I shook my head, sobering and not liking it.

“I’m a little drunk,” Hilary giggled, holding up her thumb and pointer finger to show how much.

“I can see that.” Caleb chuckled and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Having seen too much, I headed to the kitchen for a glass.

“You do realize those lovebirds are not going to quit anytime soon, right?” Luke said, following me.

“Oh, well. I’m happy for them.” I downed the glass I filled, then poured some more.

“Yeah, you look absolutely thrilled.”

I glared at him but my lips betrayed me, pulling into a smile as I downed the second the glass. I said nothing else, instead filling a glass for Hilary, and walked back out.

“No thanks. Caleb wants to take me for a ride in his car.” She leaned in. “Actually I’ll be doing the riding,” she whispered all too loudly.

I laughed. “Well, have fun, I guess.”

Fantastic. Now I was going to be stuck home alone with no one to drink with. I barely drank in general, let alone by myself.

Her smile dropped, teeth tugging on her bottom lip. “No,” she said, her eyes downcast. “That would make me a shitty friend. We’ll stay. I can wait to get him alone.”

I shook my head, smiling. “Go! Have fun. It’s all right, really.”

“You’re sure? We can stay.”

“Goodbye.”

Hilary threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “I promise I’ll make it up to you,” she whispered. I nodded and watched her flutter back to Caleb, her hands diving into his back pockets as her lips met his cheek.

“I’m not getting in that car,” Luke stated from behind me.

Hilary stuck her tongue out at Luke playfully, then jumped up on Caleb’s back.

“We won’t do a thing till I get you home. Promise,” Caleb said, looking back at his brother.

“Not falling for that again. My ass is not getting anywhere near that car while you two are in it,” Luke said, making a face.

I swatted my hands at Caleb to go. Hilary waved with one hand, the other around his neck. As they walked out, I noticed his hands holding her ass to stabilize her on his back were already getting friskier by the second.

Yeah, they could leave. My night didn’t need to include watching a make-out session. When I turned to walk to my couch, Luke was already comfortable on it, leg resting over his knee, drink in hand.

“I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t get in that car for a while if I were you.” We both chuckled, and I slid down beside him. “You can crash here if you promise to be a good drinking buddy tonight.”

He thought it over. “Fine, but I have two demands.”

“Shoot.”

“First, I have to say that for the record, I do not condone you drinking away your issues. And secondly, I want to hear what you know about Logan’s sister.”

I laughed, pretending I didn’t hear the one name I couldn’t stand. “Deal.”

Chapter Nine

Snow Angels

Midnight had come and gone and still the music blared, rumbling through the house. Cards were thrown over my dining-room table, and the alcohol was gone. My plan to forget all about my troubles was going off without a hitch, aside from the maddening pang in the corner of my heart I had trouble ignoring.

Logan had already moved on. Why did that hurt so much? One minute I couldn’t stand him, and the next, I needed him.

I lifted the bottle, staring at it as if I could will it to refill. No luck. Luke sat across from me with the last of the tequila in hand, staring out the window.

“Hey!” he complained when I snatched the bottle.

“Come on, let’s build a snowman.” I stood, wobbling to the back door.

“A snowman?” His eyes were glazed over when I looked back at him, grabbing a sweatshirt from the chair beside me. I giggled as he stared past me, confused and completely trashed.

“Uh-huh. You know, three balls and some twigs. Hmmm…carrots, and what else…” I pulled the hoodie over my thermal that I wore with dark-wash jeans and grabbed my boots.

He burst out laughing, head thrown back, but I was serious. I hadn’t made a snowman since I was a child, and I was desperate to go outside and enjoy the snowfall.

My thick winter coat wasn’t around, or at least within viewing distance to call out to me, and I was too far gone to process just how cold it would be that late at night in mid-January. Shoving my feet inside my tall suede boots, I was ready to go. He stood and pulled on his coat and gloves and ambled past me, holding open the door.

“Ladies first.”

The snow on the ground was perfect. Soft and fresh, it continued to drift down over us. My hands stung from the thin gloves I grabbed walking outside and my ears throbbed from lack of a hat, but I was having too much fun to stop or even care.

Forming a small snowball, I rolled it on the ground. I watched mesmerized as it grew bigger and bigger, amazed at how easily it created the base.

Luke walked over carrying the belly for it, and I burst out laughing. The ball was more oval than round, and his expression changed from proud to insulted.

He dropped it in place on top of mine, and when he stepped back to admire our unfinished masterpiece, he slipped, stumbling over his own feet and landing on his back. He laughed so loudly I could’ve sworn it was coming through surround-sound speakers.

“Need a hand?” My eyes were filled with unshed tears from the endless laughter that poured out of me as I reached down. His face brightened and lips curled up, and before I had time to react, I saw the spark of mischief in his eye.