Sidequest for Love by L.H. Cosway

“I don’t think you should go,” I blurted.

We were sitting in our seats by the wall again while most of the other party-goers danced in the middle of the roof terrace to some catchy pop song.

Neil tilted his head to me, a shine of inebriation in his gorgeous brown eyes. Had they always been gorgeous or was I just now noticing them? His normally perfect hair was a little mussed, his glasses a little askew, and my fingers itched to reach out and fix them for him.

“You don’t think I should go where?”

“To meet Annabelle tomorrow. I’m worried.”

“Me, too.”

“Is that why you’re getting shitfaced?”

“I don’t know. Probably.”

“Why don’t you just cancel?”

“I can’t. I have to do this. I have to come clean.”

“No, you don’t,” I said emphatically before lowering my voice to a whisper. “Catfishing is a lot more common than you’d think. And the vast majority of people who do it never have some big moment of confession, and certainly not face to face.”

“The lie is weighing on me. I have to get it out,” he said, his words slightly slurred as he brought his gaze to mine. “You’ll still come with me, won’t you?”

I blew out a breath. “Of course, I’ll still come. I’ll even take out my hoops for you if it comes to it.”

His brow furrowed. “Take out your—”

I motioned to my earrings. “I’ll take these out and fight her if she’s cruel to you. I mean it. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the day in a busy café. If she doesn’t realise what a gem you are, then I’m liable to lose it,” I said, rambling tipsily.

At this, Neil smiled. Then he surprised me when he tiredly rested his head on my shoulder. “I think that might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever promised to do for me.”

“Well, I’m bordering on drunk, so don’t get used to it,” I replied with a chuckle, enjoying his warmth on my shoulder. The next time I glanced down, I found him fast asleep, his breathing slow and steady. “Poor boy, you’re exhausted,” I whispered as I finally gave in to the urge to fix his glasses.

He wasn’t lying when he said alcohol made him sleepy because, judging from his breathing, he was completely conked out.

I was busy admiring his face while he slept when someone cleared their throat, and I looked up to find Michaela standing over us with James at her side. “Is he asleep?” she whispered.

I nodded. “He’s still jet-lagged, and I think he drank a little too much.”

“We should call a taxi to take him home,” Michaela said. “I can’t leave, though. I have to hand the keys over to the clean-up crew once the party is over.”

“I can bring him,” I offered impulsively. “I haven’t had too much to drink.”

Michaela eyed me a moment, then glanced at James, who shrugged at her in return. She looked back at me. “Okay, let me write down his address.”

And that was how I found myself in the back of a taxi with Neil dozing against me. James and Callum had assisted me in getting him down and into the cab, both of them thoroughly amused since neither had witnessed their prim and proper assistant get blackout drunk before.

“Are we almost there?” I asked the driver about fifteen minutes into the journey.

“Almost. You might want to try waking your friend up. No offence, but a little thing like you isn’t going to be able to carry him.”

The driver was right. I definitely couldn’t carry Neil, especially not since his flat was several storeys up. Michaela said it was on the fourth floor. I nudged his arm, and he groaned in response, but he didn’t open his eyes.

“Neil,” I said softly, “you have to wake up.”

He groaned a second time, but instead of moving his head off my shoulder, he snuggled closer, effectively resting his head on my boobs. I glanced down at him, and my breathing stuttered. He looked so boyish and handsome, and I didn’t dislike him resting on me. In fact, I liked it more than I should have.

I stroked his hair away from his face and shook him again. Finally, his eyes opened as he blearily took in his surroundings. “Afric, where are—”

“We’re in a taxi. We’re almost at your place, but you need to wake up because I can’t carry you up four flights of stairs.”

“Oh,” he said, still drunk but not entirely unaware of where his head was resting. A faint redness touched his cheeks as he withdrew. The taxi came to a stop, and I paid the driver before ushering Neil out. I slung his arm around my shoulders as I made my way towards the entrance to his building.

“Do you have a key fob to get in?” I asked.

“In my pocket,” he said, fumbling for it to no avail. I batted his hand away before sliding my own into his back pocket and pulling out the fob as well as the key to his flat. We entered the building, and thankfully, there was a lift. Neil lived in a nice place, much nicer than where I lived. I led him inside the lift, and his head sagged to the side as I pressed the button for his floor.

“I’m sorry. I drank too much,” he slurred.

“It’s okay. We all drink too much from time to time.”

“You shouldn’t have to bring me home like this,” he went on. “It’s embarrassing.”