The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys #2)(62)

The rush died down gradually. Rachel wolfed down a salad with grilled chicken, and Bree refilled Rachel’s red wine glass with a generous amount.

“I’m all yours,” she said, placing the bottle on the bar between them. “Where is Tag? Why are you alone?”

“Tag is at the hospital. Or, was, anyway…I’m not sure where he is now.” Rachel briefed her bestie as succinctly as possible, watching as Bree’s face melted into a mask of concern.

“Awkward,” she whispered when Rachel was done filling her in.

“I feel awful. Like I should have stayed. But I was rocking the third-wheel gig pretty hard.” Everyone had been paired off. Reese and Merina, Alex and Rhona, Tag and…she didn’t know in what capacity she was there. Rachel lifted her wineglass and took a hearty sip, taking a full, relaxing breath. Yep, she definitely needed this tonight.

“You did the right thing. Tag told you to leave if you wanted to.”

“Yes, but what if he was only being nice and really wanted me to stay?”

“He’s a guy,” came a low, oddly familiar, voice to her right. She and Bree turned to find a mildly attractive man leaning on the bar, cold rolling off his leather coat.

“Shaun.” Rachel had barely spoken her ex-boyfriend’s name before he continued.

“Guys always say what they mean. Which makes it harder when they majorly f*ck up and have to apologize later.” He pressed his lips together in a brief show of chagrin and sat on the stool next to her. “Hey, Rach.”

Bree’s eyebrows climbed her forehead. “Been a while. I forgot how weak your chin was.”

Shaun frowned.

“You remember my roommate,” Rachel said. “Bree, we’re fine. Bring him a draft Bud Light.”

“Make it a bottle,” Shaun said. “No offense, but I don’t trust you not to spit in it.”

“You might not be as big of a dumbass as I thought.” Bree gave him a tolerant smile, bent to retrieve his beer, and delivered it without saying more.

“Well?” Rachel asked when Shaun took a drink and Bree walked away.

“What have you been up to?” he asked. Absurdly. “I thought you worked here.”

“I do work here.” She felt her face pinch. “It’s my night off. Why are you here?”

“Wasn’t my idea.” He shrugged and averted his eyes, looking over his shoulder at the entrance.

“Are you meeting someone here? Do you have a date?”

“Met her on Tinder. Half of me thought maybe it was you playing with me. Like the Must Love Dogs movie, you know? Where she went on a date with her own dad.” His mouth lifted into a half smile. She used to find that attractive like she had the rest of him, but now his clean-shaven face and weak chin—Bree had nailed that descriptor—did nothing for her.

“That’s not exactly the same scenario,” she said. “What time is your date?”

“If she shows. I keep getting stood up at these things. Dating is hard, know what I mean?”

“She doesn’t know what you mean,” Bree interjected. “She’s had no problem getting—”

“Bree,” Rachel interrupted her well-intentioned friend.

Bree held up both hands in surrender and moved back down the bar.

“Have you met someone?” Shaun asked, his face showing the first hint of concern. Rachel liked that look on him so much, she simply sat in silence for a few seconds and enjoyed it. After all she was in the process of overcoming, much of it could be blamed partially, if not mostly, on the man sitting here talking with her like they were buddies.

“I met someone,” she said, liking the way that sounded.

Her life was different now that Tag was in it instead of Shaun. Tag’s gruff, gravel-laden demands and sincere compliments had come a long way to boosting her confidence—and not only in the bedroom. Tag valued her opinion—valued her as a person. When she’d come with him to the hospital, Tag had held her hand, grateful that she was there.

He valued her.

Valued. Once her brain hooked on to the word, it didn’t let go…

“You never valued me.” She murmured the epiphany so low her comment was lost in the bustling crowd around them.

“What did you say?” Shaun leaned closer, his receding brow crinkling. But she didn’t answer. There was another issue that’d been on her mind and until now, she hadn’t had the chance to ask…or was it that she’d never wanted to know the answer?

Well. She did now.

“You and the girl with the purple streaks in her hair…”

Shaun blanched, giving her the answer she’d assumed. She asked anyway, enjoying having him on the spot.

“Did you sleep with her while we were together?”

“You mean…” He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with this line of discussion. “Did I cheat?”

“Just tell me. It’s not like we’re together anymore.” She couldn’t call up jealousy or the feelings of inadequacy that had plagued her as recently as a few weeks ago.

“I didn’t…not when…we were together,” he managed. “I mean I let her uh…” He grew fidgety, his gaze lingering on the beer bottle’s label. “You know…do things to me.”