Chapter 5

“Leave, Jamie. Go without me. I’m good right here.”

He isn’t taking my command, not that I expect him to. Mean men obviously don’t handle directions well. Rather, they become forceful, and not in a good way.

Jamie steps around the sofa and grabs one of my arms. He tugs me off the sofa with a solid pull and tells me, “Let me pay you to be my wingman tonight. Drinks are on me. Food. Dust. Whatever you want. I really need to visit Pound Town with a guy or two tonight. You can take my money and help me with the gig. No excuses. You’re going.”

We both know he doesn’t need a wingman. And we both know he doesn’t have any friends, besides those who fake relationships with him like his soccer buddies on their Saturday morning amateur team. Truth is, Jamie’s a loner, just like me, but for different reasons. The difference is simple, of course. One of us wants to be alone, and the other one pays people not to be alone. Interesting.