The more I knew about Laney, the more charmed I became. How the hell had someone like her stumbled into my path? What were the chances someone like her would actually be interested in a guy like me? Judging by her face, I had a shot. Her cheeks were pink and though I wanted to postpone the news weighing on me for as long as possible, I wanted to explain what was eating at me even more. Her grip on my calf tightened and the reassurance she provided gave me the confidence I needed to share. “It’s about Drew,” I began, once the waiter had taken Ty’s order for himself and Kate, then disappeared.

“Is he doing okay? I know he’s still in the hospital.” She frowned. “Does he need to be…institutionalized?”

The way she so carefully chose her words was positively adorable. I sat up straighter so I could lean over the table. Even though Ty and Kate were sitting with us right now, it felt like me and Laney were the only two people in the booth. Then Ty spoke.

“We’re trying to avoid that.”

I glared at him, but it did no good.

“What?” He shrugged. “She asked.”

My brow rose. I’d never been so assertive with Ty. I’d been the passive one, the peacemaker, quick to go along with anything. Now, I was standing up to him. Hell, I was standing up for myself. None of this jived with the roles we’d been playing for so long. “Yes. Laney asked me.” I turned to her and murmured, “I’m sorry.” I blew out a breath. “Apparently, because we had Drew picked up by ambulance, and since the police weren’t involved, this is his one pass.”

Laney nodded. “Now he has to walk the straight and narrow, work on recovery.” Then her brow furrowed and she asked, “So, how is that going to happen, especially if he doesn’t seem to want to recover?”

My scowl returned. Being reminded of everything currently dumped on me had turned me an ugly shade of bitterness with more than a hint of resentment. “And that’s where my mood turns,” I grumbled.

“He’s going to have to watch over him for a bit.” Ty sighed and rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why it’s such a big deal.”

While I watched, Laney’s face darkened. “Probably because it’s a huge responsibility.” She folded her hands while she stared at Ty. I swear, if she’d had sleeves, this was the part where she’d have rolled them up. Every bit of her screamed that she was getting down to business. “Have you ever been responsible for someone’s sobriety?” She watched him and waited a moment.

I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. Ty had never been good at hiding anything. If he’d had to face such a struggle, he surely would’ve shared, in horrifying and painstaking detail. “Never,” I retorted confidently.

“How do you know?” Ty frowned as he glanced at me.

“I’ve known you since birth. We’ve been best friends, supposedly, for our whole lives.” I rubbed my temples. I’d opened a door and I worried Ty was going to rush through it with an audience, instead of slamming it and opening it later, when we were alone.

“Supposedly?” His brows rose.

I sighed reflexively. “I get it, Ty. We all had our roles to play. You were Batman.” I wondered if I sounded as tired as I felt.

“Well, if I was Batman, you were Robin.” He grinned, thinking he’d placated me.

Instead, I shook my head. “No, I was more like Albert, always on top of things, always left to handle everything while you pretty much stood in the spotlight.”

Ty frowned. “You feel like Drew was Robin?”

I chuckled sadly. “Oh no. Drew was the Joker.” I watched as Ty sank down some in his seat. “He’d mess up. You’d rush in and save the day. Me, I was on cleanup.” I scowled. “I’m still on cleanup, which is stupid. See, it was one thing when we were dumb kids. We’re thirty. We’re supposed to be better than this. You’re better. I’m better. Drew…he’s actually worse.”

“This is your life.” Laney sighed. “Damn, I wish someone had told me that.” Her shoulders heaved from emotion. “You have a choice, no matter what you think. There’s a fine line between friendship and enabling.”

“Oh, we’ve been enabling the hell out of him for the past few years.” I glanced at Ty. He was staring at the table, deep in thought. Kate reached out and placed her hands in his outstretched palms.

“Listen, Ty. This is important,” she whispered.

For the first time ever, he looked small and sad. “I thought you were supposed to be on my side,” he choked out.

“I am,” Kate reminded him. “Sometimes being on your side means I have to help you accept some painful truths. We’re all doing our best in this life. I know you mean well.”

“Anyone else hear the lingering ‘but’ in the air?” Ty’s brow rose. “Say what you want to say, Kate. It’s safe. I’m not going to get all pissy and leave.”

I could’ve let this go on. Hell, if I did, I might just have gotten out of it. Oh, but no. I was the cleanup guy, remember? And sometimes being on cleanup means stepping in before there’s an even bigger mess. “I said I’d do it,” I choked out. “We’ll give this a try. Just one. And if it doesn’t work out, he’ll have to go to rehab. Okay?” Ty nodded silently, but I could feel how deeply I’d wounded him and already the guilt was setting in.

Laney had gone completely white. “What are you doing? What did you agree to?” Her eyes were wide and her breath came in tiny puffs.

I shrugged. “I’m going to watch over Drew for a bit while he recovers.”

She licked her lips carefully. “You do understand that alcoholism, that addiction is a lifetime battle. It’s not like you hit some magical number of days or weeks and the struggle is gone, the challenge disappears. No, that’s only when the support system weakens.” Laney blew out a breath. “I think you’re all grossly unprepared to handle this, to handle him.”

“Well, this makes me feel a whole lot worse about the situation.” I folded my hands on the table and stared at them while I contemplated her words.

“What makes you such an expert, Miss Jenner?” Ty tugged on his chin while he watched her response.

At first, I thought she might avoid the question. From the look on her face, I’m pretty sure she considered it. Then she sat up stiffly in her seat, and released my leg. “My mother was an alcoholic.” Laney stared at him a moment before meeting my eyes. For the first time since we’d met, she seemed cold and detached. I didn’t like it, but I accepted it was probably the defense mechanism she’d used her whole life to cope.

“Past tense?” Ty frowned. Then he winced and I realized from the look on Kate’s face, she’d probably kicked him under the table.

Laney nodded. “She committed suicide when I was in college.” Then she turned to Kate. “I need to get up.”

Kate nodded numbly and slid out of the booth. Laney glided over the cushion and soon landed on her feet. “Are you coming back?” Kate laid a hand on her forearm.

Shaking her head, Laney murmured, “I really should get back to work.”

“But lunch,” I blurted out.

“I’m not hungry anymore,” Laney whispered, then she bolted to the elevator and disappeared.

“Thanks,” I grumbled when she was completely out of sight. “You didn’t let me explain. Laney probably thinks I’m leaving town.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“She likes you, Harry. Let her calm down, then talk to her.” Kate smiled warmly at me. “She’s perfect.”

Ty brightened. “I was thinking the same thing. She seems to be so informed, so assertive. She’s just what Drew needs.”

I could feel my spirits sinking. “What do you mean, Ty?” I asked quietly. The question was a technicality. We’d known each other for so long, I knew precisely what he meant.

“Drew needs a woman who will be the perfect combination. Miss Jenner seems like she can pull off nurturing just as well as she could drill sergeant.” He grinned proudly. “Problem solved.”

Kate shook her head emphatically. “What are you talking about? The last thing Laney needs is Drew ruining her life.”

I shifted to lean my back into the corner of the booth. Watching them argue over this was like the volleying of the ball at a tennis match. And though they disagreed, there was no finality to it, like I’d seen in so many relationships. No matter what, they seemed confident nothing would change how they felt about each other.

“Please,” Ty murmured. “No one is better equipped. They’d be perfect together.”

Kate calmly looked at me. “I’m sorry, Harry. What my loving husband fails to understand is that just because someone has had a shit life doesn’t mean they need to choose more shit.” She laid a hand on the table near my plate. “Those of us with common sense can see that the two of you have feelings for each other. In fact, I bet you’ll end up together.”

“You bet?” Ty’s brows rose. “Do we really want to go down that path?”

“Oh no. No bets.” She glared at him.

“I’m with Kate. No bets,” I commented, but neither of them seemed to be paying attention to me.

“You started it. I merely think Drew will land Miss Jenner.” Ty shrugged.

“Are you kidding me? You must be blind. Harry already has.” She sighed dreamily. “He’s everything she needs.”

Ty slapped his forehead. “How could you possibly know this? You’ve known Harry for like twelve minutes and Miss Jenner for what, a week?”

Kate gnawed on her cheek and I waited for Ty to pick up on it. Unfortunately, the waiter returned with our food. He gave Kate and Ty their meals then he seemed to hesitate with me when he saw the empty seat. I licked my lips. “Can you please pack these two?” I nodded. “And I’ll need to go drinks.” I gestured to our sodas.

“Of course, sir.” The waited disappeared into the kitchen again.

I waited a moment, but Ty seemed to be so focused on his meal, he didn’t even pick up the conversation. I chose my words carefully. “Kate, how long have you known Laney?”

Her cheeks turned pink and she set her silverware on the table. “We went to the same boarding school on the east coast.”

Ty sucked in a breath. “Why am I hearing about this just now? This presents a wrinkle in the audit.”

She nodded. “I only realized it yesterday. I heard her singing in the shower. That’s how I remembered.” Kate looked up sadly. “We were actually roommates for all of three weeks. As fate would have it, we ended up leaving the school about the same time. My mother had passed away a few days before her step-father. Apparently, the will was being contested by his adult children who were roughly the same age as her mother and that’s why she had to leave. Money.”

Setting down his silverware, Ty nodded. “This explains a few things.”

“I know, right?” She offered him a pleading look.

“Drew is the richest among us. That is one more reason he’s perfect for her.” He smiled grimly.

Before they could say anything else, the waiter returned holding a handled bag with my lunch and Laney’s, plus a carrier with our drinks. “Will this be all, sir?”

I nodded and nudged Ty. “Scoot.”

“Leaving?” Ty seemed confused.

“Oh, absolutely. I’m going to go bring Laney lunch. You two can sit down here and figure out the future of your mark.” I rolled my eyes.

“Our mark?” Kate frowned.

“Yes, you seem to be betting on Laney. I want no part of this, but I do plan to enjoy lunch with her.” I smoothly took the food from the waiter. “I’ll talk to you in the morning, Ty. Sorry about this, Kate, but I do appreciate the insight into Laney’s past.”

Then I strode to the elevator without even wanting to look back. Appeasing Ty was my past. If I had my way, Laney would figure into my future.