I’m pretty sure it was the best and worst sleep ever. My phone woke me and I realized I was sitting on the floor with my back against the couch and Laney draped across my lap. I vaguely remembered moments where my head would flop back on the cushion and when my neck began to ache, I’d lift my head again until it rolled around on my chest. This cycle was repeated again and again for the few hours we actually slept. Apparently, I managed to hit snooze at least once, but the incessant ringing of my phone woke Laney.

“Make it stop,” she moaned.

“Okay,” I mumbled, but I didn’t move.

She rolled onto all fours. “Where is it? Oh, my God. Harry,” she whined.

I blinked a few times and tried to reach for my phone all of six inches away, which was when I discovered I was suffering from a condition known as dead arm. “I can’t reach it.”

“What are you talking about? It’s right there. I can see it!” Laney motioned to the phone on the other side of my legs.

I lifted my left arm with my good arm and dropped it. “See? Nothing.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” Laney crawled across my lap, dragging her chest over my morning wood. Then she reached for my phone and glanced at the screen while lying chest down on my thighs, her back side high in the air. “It’s Ty. Do you want to take this?”

I sighed and threw my head back, which exacerbated my neck pains. “Ow!” I growled. “Yes.”

Laney sat back on her feet as she slid a finger across my screen to accept the call. Then she held it up to my ear and smiled shyly while the robe gaped open at the top. It took everything in me not to look.

“Morning, Ty,” I grumbled. “How did the dinner go?”

“Really well. I mean my best friends weren’t there, so there’s that, but otherwise my news went over reasonably well.” He chuckled. “My father isn’t speaking to me. My mother burst into tears. All in all, I feel pretty good about things.”

“I’m sorry I missed it.” I frowned at Laney, wondering what could have caused so much strife.

“You should be. So, anyway. I think I figured out how to improve the presentation. You need to meet me at the hospital this morning. We’ll have breakfast with Drew. I’ll fill you in. And then if they release him, you can take him with you.” He sighed and I’m sure he thought it was all settled.

“Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, I don’t know if Sin City is good for him. Maybe he should go straight home. I’ll book him a flight.” I used my good arm to rub my eyes.

“I don’t think he should be alone right now. Obviously, he needs a keeper.” Then Ty did his usual salesman thing. He quietly waited for me to speak.

We were in a battle of wills. Laney looked at me curiously. Her finger hovered over the red button, but I shook my head and smiled at her. Using my good hand, I reached out and brushed the hair away from her face and cupped her cheek. She bit her lower lip and I wanted to lean in for a kiss, but the way my ass was tingling, I figured that had fallen asleep too.

Finally, Ty growled. “You’re his friend.”

My brow shot up. “I’m well aware. That’s why I let him stay at my house for so long.”

“You didn’t let him, you gave up fighting him,” he argued. “You told me as much.”

“Are you suddenly not his friend? Why is everything falling on me?” I growled.

“You know I’m working. I can’t watch over him every minute of the day. If you want to stay here longer, Drew needs to be your job.”

“And if I go home?” I could feel my blood pressure rising. This was as close as we’d ever come to an argument. Laney inhaled sharply, but I shook my head at her.

“Be his goddam friend, Harry.” Ty listened a moment and when I didn’t respond, he added, “I mean it. I’ll see you at the hospital in an hour.” Then he ended the call.

I rubbed my forehead as Laney pulled the phone away from my ear. My eyes were closed as I pondered my next step. A second later, Laney straddled my lap. My cock jerked. “Careful,” I warned playfully.

She leaned in and whispered in my ear. “I’ve been careful my whole life. The second I dressed recklessly, however, I met you.” Her tongue darted out and she guided my lobe to her mouth and began to nibble on it. “I think we should explore what’s going on here or we’re both going to regret it.”

Electric currents shot through my body. I opened my eyes and wrapped my arms around her. “Will you look at that?” I grinned. “I’m healed.”

“It’s a miracle!” She winked. “Honestly, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“And clearly, so are you.” I leaned in and finally kissed the spot I’d been eyeing since last night, the one near the base of her neck just above the clavicle. “Damn, your hair smells good.”

Laney giggled. “Well, I used your shampoo and conditioner.”

I buried my face against her throat. “And your skin…”

“Your body wash,” she teased.

“I must have excellent taste.” I let my teeth graze her skin as I carefully pulled some of the robe back to expose her shoulder. “You’re a beautiful woman, Laney.”

She lifted my chin and forced me to look in her eyes. “If you mean that, then I think you should stay.” She nodded a few times, probably to reassure me of her conviction.

I reached out and grabbed the back of her neck. “I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

A smile brightened her face. “Are you serious?”

I pulled her closer and pressed my lips to hers. Once again, I was assured of the chemistry between us. “Definitely.” Then I glanced at my phone. “Okay, breakfast. I have to go to breakfast with Ty. Wanna come?”

Laney leaned away. “Oh, no. I’ll take my chances at work.”

“Why is that taking a chance?” I frowned.

She hopped to her feet. “Where do you think I was puked on the first time?” Then she winked at me and started toward the bathroom. At the door she paused and looked back. “You make me feel sexy. You make me want to try new things.”

“Am I one of the things?” I asked while my heart raced.

Laney grinned. “You are most definitely the thing.”

Then she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door. I rushed to Drew’s room so I could use his shower. Someone might as well make use of it, especially since mine was already taken. When I peeked in the bathroom, which was essentially undisturbed, and then saw his bags right where I left them, I knew he hadn’t unpacked yet, so I rummaged through his luggage to find what I needed. Instead, I kept finding alcohol. There were mini bottles in his toiletry bag. Every pouch in his suitcase had liquor in it. In fact, I never actually found body wash or anything else that would enable me to be clean and fresh. Instead, I grabbed the samples from the vanity and used them. The whole time, I wondered over Drew while blaming myself. How could I have missed all this?

Feeling rather numb, I trudged back to my room, showered and dressed. Deep in thought, I almost failed to notice Laney standing in front of the closet wearing one of the dresses I bought her. Inhaling sharply, I murmured, “You look beautiful.”

“You think so? My shoulders are showing.” She bit her lip. “I’m supposed to work like this?”

“Definitely.” I walked over and planted a kiss on the back of her neck. “You still smell amazing. I didn’t fare so well.”

“Oh no.” She shook her head.

“Instead of toiletries, Drew packed liquor. Apparently, he has a serious drinking problem. I…don’t know how I missed it.” I blew out a breath and felt my cheeks color.

“In my experience, alcoholics are really good at hiding things.” She turned and walked into my arms. “That, however, is a story for another time. Tonight?” She smiled up at me hopefully.

“Yeah. See? Direct. You don’t play games. I love it.” I studied her for a moment. “Shoes.” I pointed to the boxes on the floor. “You pick. Then I have to go. Shall I walk you out?”

Laney giggled. “Sure. My commute is really short today.”

“Yeah?” My brow furrowed.

“Oh yeah. I’ll be taking an elevator.” She shrugged. “I’ll explain tonight.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were in the lobby and parting ways. I watched her walk away, then I made my way to the door. I held my keys in my hand, but Kate was watching for me in the lobby. “We have a car for you.” She gestured to the Lexus sedan at the curb out front. “We thought it might be easier than trying to have you navigate.”

I licked my lips and wondered over her use of the word ‘we’ so many times in one conversation. “You and Ty?”

Her cheeks turned crimson. “Right. So, you don’t want to be late,” she murmured as she hustled me out the door. “Enjoy your breakfast!” Then she positively ran back into the hotel.

Before I had a chance to truly process everything going on, we’d arrived. “I’ll be waiting for you in the parking garage. Please call when you’re ready for me to meet you out front,” the driver murmured while passing me a business card.

“Thank you.” I nodded and wandered through the front door, only to find Ty in the hospital lobby.

He strode over to me. “I’ve been watching for you.”

I blew out a breath. “Obviously.”

“Listen, I’m sorry for the tension. I’m worried about Drew and I have a lot going on too.” Ty held out a hand. “Forgive me?”

“Of course,” I murmured stiffly before holding out my hand and preparing for the bro hug. Ty didn’t disappoint.

“I don’t know how this is going to go. The doctor will address all of us. Drew managed to authorize them to release medical information to you and me, mostly because I tricked him into doing so.” He chuckled sadly, then gestured toward the elevators. “Let’s do this. I need to get back to the hotel.”

My brow shot up. “Does this have anything to do with Kate?”

The elevator dinged, the doors opened and as soon as the car was empty, we entered and Ty punched the button for our floor. I waited for him to respond, but he remained silent. Soon the doors opened and we exited. I followed him down the hall. We reached the room and he murmured, “Ready?”

I shrugged. “Is anyone ever ready for this?”

He nodded and pushed the door open. I followed him into the room. Drew was awake, facing away from us, staring out the window.

“How are you feeling?” Ty began.

“Like I was hit by a bus.” Drew groaned, and then rolled toward us. “Was I hit by a bus? Because then the way I feel would make a lot more sense.”

Ty shook his head. “Nope. You did this all on your own.” He sat on the edge of the bed.

“Here comes the judgement. Go ahead. Lay it on me. I can take it.” Drew offered a bland look.

For a second, I rubbed the back of my neck. I partially knew what I wanted to say, but the doctor knocked and entered the room before we could respond. “I see you arrived in time for rounds.” He leaned against the wall at the end of the bed. “I’ll be off soon, but I wanted to check in before I left. Drew and I had a conversation about his drinking.”

Drew crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window again. I studied him, shocked by his quiet demeanor. I expected snappy comebacks. I had prepared for snarky remarks. This…worried me.

“We did a CT scan. The results show some liver damage. And he has been complaining of other ailments. He’s suffering from pancreatitis at the moment.” The doctor studied his patient. “How’s the pain today?”

“Well, it could be better if you’d actually give me anything to make it go away.” Drew grumbled.

The doctor nodded. “About that.” He released a sigh. “We’ve discovered that when we treat pancreatitis with pills, the alcoholic trades methods to dull the pain and the problems. Then he’ll be addicted to painkillers and create more problems.”

“Makes sense,” Ty admitted.

“I’m not an alcoholic.” Drew sank down under the sheets. “I’ll take the pills, thank you.”

“Listen.” The doctor stood and I sensed he was considering caving.

“Yes, you are,” I murmured. The fact that I spoke up seemed to shock everyone in the room. I moved closer to the bed and waited for him to meet my eyes.

His chin jutted out. “I’m not. Stop saying that. Do you want me stuck here? Do you want me in agony?”

I shook my head. “No. I want you well. I want you interested in anything besides laying around drinking. I want my friend back.”

He shrank back at my words, but recovered quickly. “I’m right here. Same as always.”

“You’re not the same as always. You used to eat food. Now you drink your meals. You sleep, drink, and lay around.” I raked a hand through my hair. This was going to get brutal, but maybe this was what he needed. “I’ve made excuses for you long enough. I’ve covered for you more than I should’ve. Now you’re out of control. You’re slowly killing yourself.”

“Lies,” he hissed. “You’ve always been jealous of me.” Drew looked away.

“What’s there to be jealous of? My suitcase was filled with clothes. Yours was so full of liquor, you didn’t have room for toiletries. What kind of life is that?” I threw my hands in the air, but before I could say anything else, the alarms sounded on his machines.

A nurse soon popped in and the doctor murmured, “Let’s make him more comfortable.” Then he turned to face us. “Let’s talk in the hall.”

We stood and followed him. At the door, Ty paused. “We’ll be back soon, Drew. Get some rest.”

I sighed. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I’ll do whatever I can to help you get better.”

Then we exited the room. “I hope you meant that,” the doctor said as he turned to face us. “He’s going to need all the help he can get. Honestly, he’ll be a full-time job. I’d recommend a rehabilitation center.”

“Rehab?” Ty sucked in a breath.

“Right now, it’s an option, but he’s one drunk and disorderly from being sent there whether he wants it or not. If he ends up here again, we’ll have no choice.” He frowned. “I’d be violating my oath to let him continue to harm himself. So, before we release him tomorrow, we need to have a plan in place.”

“What do you recommend, doctor?” Ty frowned and crossed his arms over his body.

“He can’t be left alone,” the physician began.

“He stayed with me for a week and it didn’t help,” I grumbled.

“Yes, but now you know what to look for. You search for hidden liquor. You make sure he can’t sneak drinks. You become his mother and father all rolled into one.” The doctor scribbled something on a piece of paper. “I’ll have a printout for you at the nurse’s station. Be sure to pick it up before you leave.”

We watched as a nurse slipped out of Drew’s room. “He’s resting comfortably,” she announced.

“I guess we’ll let him be. Obviously, we have much to prepare in order for him to be discharged.” Ty turned and motioned for me to follow him, but the doctor had one parting thought.

“The key is to break up his routine. He’s used to laying around and drinking all day. He needs a purpose. He needs a schedule. He needs a change.”

“Don’t we all.” I sighed.

We grabbed the information the doctor suggested from the nurse’s station, then we hopped on an elevator and rode to the lobby. “Let’s grab something in the cafeteria. We can talk this over,” Ty suggested.

Knowing we were in this alone frustrated me. We might have parents, but we’d become the family and support system for each other since we were young. “Yeah.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets. Somehow, I had a terrible feeling this was going to ruin my plan to get to know Laney better.

We picked up food in the cafeteria. Nothing appealed to me at the moment. I was merely trying to hold it together until we sat at the table and could really talk. Once we did, I blurted out, “I’m losing my mind. Please don’t make me take care of Drew right now.”

“I’m a little busy at the moment,” Ty murmured. “It really needs to be you. I’ll chip in where I can.”

I huffed. “That’s what you say to placate me, then the chipping in never happens.”

He didn’t even try to convince me I was wrong. Instead he blew out a breath and I braced because historically speaking, when he did that, he was preparing to drop something huge on me. “I didn’t want to tell you like this, but here it goes.” Ty’s shoulders heaved as he prepared to dump on me. “I’m married.”

“You’re what?” I scratched my head. “How the hell can you be married?” My mind raced and I said the first thing that came to mind. “Wow, you’ll do anything to win a bet.”

“It wasn’t about the bet. My father sent me here to do a job. Kate’s father just so happens to own the hotel.” He paused to take a sip from his coffee mug.

“That’s even worse! You’ll do anything to close a deal.” I glared at him.

“Well, it’s not like I can throw this trick in my repertoire,” he joked. “I plan to only marry once.” Ty set his mug down and began to turn the ring on his left finger.

“And you’re wearing a wedding band? You once equated them with dog collars and refused to even consider one in the past.” I shook my head, hoping something would begin to make sense.

“Yeah. That was when Paisley asked.” He grinned. “For Kate, I offered. That’s how I know it’s real.”

I blew out a breath. “Great. Thanks to Drew, I may never get to find my real.”