Old Acquaintance

Excerpt

Old Acquaintance
Asta Idonea © 2017
All Rights Reserved

“But it’s New Year’s Eve.”

Katie’s pout at the end of the soft whine was adorable…if doll-like blonde bombshell was your thing. It wasn’t going to work on Damon though. Not this time.

“I told you, Kat, I’m not in the mood for partying right now.”

“That’s why you need to come.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him across the room to the wardrobe, flinging open the door with such force Damon feared it might come off its hinges. “Cole was a complete dick.” She paused and cocked her head, curls dancing. “In the bad sense. I know you wouldn’t mind that in the good sense. The more cock the better, right? Anyway, the guy was a bastard, but you are an angel. You deserve happiness, Damon, and who knows, maybe you’ll meet Mr. Right tonight. New Year’s Eve is a time for fresh starts, and this party is going to be sublime. You simply must come. It’s my only New Year’s wish. Surely you’d not deny me my New Year’s wish. Not when it’s such an easy, tiny little thing to fulfill.”

Damon said nothing. His New Year’s wish was to erase the last three and a half years, either by wiping them forever from his memory or by finding a way to go back in time and revise his decisions—one of them, anyway. He didn’t need Katie to tell him about Cole; he knew him intimately. The rock god had swept Damon off his feet the moment they met at the concert. Cole had been lead guitarist, and Damon an enraptured groupie who couldn’t believe his luck when the longhaired, leather-clad hunk singled him out. Their love—or what Damon had thought was love—had lasted three years. Then he’d found out about the affairs. Turned out, Damon wasn’t so special after all. Cole hated to sleep alone while on the road and had a lover in every town. The betrayal had cut all the more because Damon had been on the verge of proposing. He’d truly believed Cole was the one with whom he’d spend the rest of his life.

With all hope of a fairytale ending dashed forever, the last thing Damon wanted was more sex disguised as romance. Why couldn’t Katie see that? She niggled and pushed and talked about “getting back on the horse.” Why could she not accept that Damon had sold the saddle, bridle, and reins, and had no intention of trying another steed for size? Relationships led to nothing but heartache and pain. It was far better to be alone.

He crossed his arms and watched as his best friend rummaged through his clothing, harrumphing and tutting all the while. Every item Katie pulled forth, she cast aside a second later, and Damon saw his way out of this nightmare.

“See, I have absolutely nothing suitable to wear, so it’s better if I stay home. I’ll only bring down the mood, and you’ll spend the entire night worrying about me instead of enjoying yourself. I’ll be perfectly fine here with a pizza and a DVD. You should go and have a—”

“Aha!” Katie spun, triumphantly brandishing several hangers.

Damon eyed her choices and his brow furrowed; then he looked closer and panic closed an icy fist around his heart. “Kat, I really don’t think that—”

“It’s perfect. Now, shut up and get dressed. We’re going to have a night to remember!”

There was no getting through to her. When Katie reached a decision, it was like a brick wall barricaded her mind against any argument to the contrary. The only thing Damon could do was accept his terrible fate. It seemed he was going to this dreadful party whether he liked it or not. At least Katie would get her New Year’s wish.