”Yeah, I just…” I needed to sit before I fell. ”Yeah,” I mumbled as I fell into the black leather chair.

Bo called out, ”Do you want me to get you a ride or were you going to keep the party going downstairs?” The bathwater was running and the smell of bath salts carried through the air.

”Bo?” I croaked out. My heart was breaking. Was she even planning to come home tonight? Were we done?

Finally, she stepped into the doorway and hit me with wounded eyes, but remained quiet.

”What you saw, Bo…it was all wrong. I thought it was you behind me until I saw you standing there. Even then, I thought I was just drunk and that you were the one touching me that way. Nothing happened, Bo. You have to believe me.” I spoke quickly, not even knowing if my words were coherent, but I had to get them out. ”I would never…”

”It hurt Lauren. All I wanted was to see you and when I stepped on the floor I saw you all right, with her all over you and you enjoying the hell out of it…” she trailed off and cast her eyes down. ”I just needed to get away. I was going to go home after…I just…” She pushed off the door frame and took slow steps toward the bar.

Hearing the word home sent a wave of relief through me, but it did nothing to diminish the agony consuming me over hurting her. ”I’m sorry. Really I am.” I was feeling sick again. This whole thing made my more nauseous than the alcohol. ”Nothing-”

Bo poured herself a shot of her favorite scotch and downed it in a flash. ”I know,” she interrupted. ”Nothing happened.”

”Right.”

Refilling her glass, she spoke slow and careful,”It hurt more because it was her and you two have a history.”

”I know, but-”

”Lauren, let me finish.” Bo set the bottle down, took her drink and turned back to me.

I nodded and sunk into my chair, dropping my head in my hands.

”I’d just gotten done with my father drilling me full of stupid ideas and conspiracy theories and rants about bad publicity and you know what the worst part was?”