They returned to Boston exhausted, but the trip had been successful. Cycling through three countries allowed them to see things typical tourists wouldn't. One highlight was learning to make authentic Pad Thai from a street vendor. The popular dish started as a street food and was sweeter than any he had eaten in America. Oliver convinced him to write the back roads book featuring a recipe from each country. First the risotto and then the Pad Thai, and Pho, the Vietnamese noodle broth. He would no longer put the recipes on the blog. The last was Malaysian Rendang, slow cooked beef, chicken or lamb in coconut milk and spices similar to curry but unique. Cycling through three countries and finding recipes was adventurous. Their experience ranged from extreme to physical to meditative.
Gray's relationship hadn't survived the distance. Monty thought she must be a fool to not wait for a guy like his best friend. Then he remembered Gray had no plans for a serious relationship. His reasons were demons from his past. The difference was Monty created his demons, but Gray earned his valiantly fighting for his country.
The woman he loved only offset the balance of his life when he saw her. Traveling, he felt strong and his life had true purpose. Returning to an invitation for Sloane's birthday party negated the rejuvenation from being half a world away. The coward in him wanted to stay home. Blame it on the mediation or the rice he ate, but he felt a new determination to win her back.
Gray yelled at him from the other side of his door. "Come on, Superman. You don't want to be late."
He planned to speak to her early, before too many guests arrived. He felt like a woman trying to decide what to wear. As a man, he always wore a suit or formal wear. It was normally so easy, especially since he had perfected tying his ties. A casual evening with friends didn't mean jeans anymore. He opted for a white tee under his navy sports coat. His father would disapprove, but it was another reason to wear the crisp tee. He was in shape and wanted to show it off. How many drunks had defined abs? He had never met any at meetings.
Gray kept unusually quiet on the drive to Weston. His only remark was to remind him he wouldn't be far. Monty dismissed him with a casual wave which did not match his internal emotions.
Julio greeted him by name and for a moment Monty wondered if his wife and her sister had worked out their differences. He exchanged the greeting prior to entering the ballroom. The moment he saw her, his mouth went dry. She glowed. As sexy as she looked in her long gown, her short dress was off the charts.
He took a step towards her and his father intercepted him. "I liked your feedback on the resort in Malaysia. Why were you there?"
"Why did you build a resort there?"
"I didn't. I bought it with other resorts world-wide."
"Did all those guests have their private information stolen too?"
His father stared at him. Criticizing Whitby Enterprises was like kicking the old man in the groan. Monty was secretly glad the company had an enormous breach. His father was too stressed to summon him to his office for his demands.
The old man recovered well. "I trust Sloane. She's clever enough to fix the mess."
Monty felt the vise on his heart twist. Never had his father spoken like that about him. Even when he came home with straight A's, his father found fault. Won't sit still. Disruptive in class. Only satisfactory effort. Maybe he would have tried harder if it hadn't been too easy and would have sat still if he physically could have. He learned not to bother because he would never earn his father's approval.
"I'd like to go say hello." He walked away without waiting for his father's response. As he approached, she smiled. "Happy belated birthday."
He kissed her cheek. Her scent was intoxicating. "I saw your conversation. People look happier at the dentist."
He pasted on a smile. "The good news is he's proud of you."
Sloane could attempt to placate him with lies. "Ironically, Whitby's misfortune is giving me the break I've needed."
"Glad the old man can help you."
She studied him and frowned. "Maybe if you got help to quit drinking and went to work."
"Since you're not traveling, maybe we can get together and I'll convince you I'm redeemable."
She laughed. "I know you're redeemable. I'll be too busy..."
She looked right past him and smiled. Something about her look left an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. He turned to see her walk away from him towards another man. The look of lust in the guy's eyes vanished into a tender smile as she approached him.
He needed a drink. He needed an entire bottle. Before he could reach the liquor, Bea intercepted him.
"Monty, you look handsome tonight. Your mother mentioned you've been traveling."
She led him away from the ballroom into the comfortable family room. The house he grew up in lacked a similar room. Her mother had a feminine room with plush furniture, but he wasn't allowed in her sanctuary unless invited.
"I was on the other side of the world."
"Interesting. Don't prove your friends right."
He shook his head. "They stopped being my friends years ago. I was dense to think she would somehow..."
Bea rubbed his shoulder. "I think they care about you more than you realize. You need to give them something to work with. Go in there and put on a smile and don't get drunk."
She pushed him back into the ballroom. His eyes like magnets pulled back to her. She and another handsome man were deep in conversation.
Meanwhile, Ted approached the other guy with the cast who had been talking with Tori.
Ted interrupted her laugh. "Victoria, are you flirting?"
"No, I'm just making sure he's good enough for our sister."
Ted reached out his hand. "Ben, I'm glad you came."
He shook his hand. "You don't hate me?"
"Not yet. Don't break her heart."
Monty turned away. She had given the man called Ben her heart. The organ Monty had been coveting had been assigned to another. If he were to stay sober, he needed to calm his nerves. He slipped out and followed the familiar route towards the kitchen.
He was almost out the door when he bumped into someone coming out of the pantry. He faced familiar dark eyes.
"Sofia."
"Oh!"
He said, "I was just slipping out."
"I could use a breather."
Once outside she sighed, and he said, "You aren't watching Lina?"
"No, she's with her abuela. Rosa forced me to help in the kitchen."
"Can't you say no?"
Shaking her head, she said, "We're family." He took a long drag. She cocked her head and studied him. "What's wrong?"
"What's right?"
"From my perspective, everything's right for you. Money takes all your worries away."
His eyes narrowed to see if she was serious. "Who told you that bullshit? Money creates bigger problems."
"I want to sneak a peek at Jett and Lynch. Julio was practically dancing around the kitchen."
Monty only watched Premier league matches and the Tour de France, but Gray liked baseball. He recognized the two names as baseball players. Sloane loved baseball, so the sport kept wounds open. Once upon a time, he enjoyed going to the ballpark with her.
"That's who the guy with the cast is. How can I compete?"
The closest he was to being a real athlete was riding through France like the Tour de France. Next on his itinerary was a trip through France's back roads. Looking at Sofia, he thought about adding more of the southern hemisphere to his book.
"Compete. Do you still like her? They were talking about you in the kitchen."
"The kitchen?"
"Martina from the Calhouns mentioned how you were with Miss. Sloane, but you grew into a drunk." He winced. Somehow his peers thinking lies about him was one thing, but household staff saying it hurt. "I told them you weren't. I've never seen you drunk. Rosa told me I didn't know what I was talking about and to stay away from you."
"She's right about that."
"Why do you do that?"
His mind had frozen on Sloane and the ballplayer. "What?"
"You don't defend yourself."
"Because it's true. Any red left in my black heart just vanished tonight. I have every intention of going back in and getting drunk."
He pushed off the exterior wall and walked into the house and into the ballroom. Sloane wasn't in the room, but neither was her ballplayer. He walked over to the liquor and picked up a bottle of scotch. He poured two fingers into a glass and brought it to his lips. Before he took a second sip, Trey was by his side.
"In my experience, the pain is always worse the day after. You only stay numb for so long."
He stared at him. He considered challenging him, but contrary to what Jessica had said, he suspected Trey was unhappy in his marriage.
"Why don't you divorce her?"
"Because life isn't simple. Why didn't you get your act together and prove yourself worthy before she met her new guy?"
"How did you?"
"I think we all know, except for maybe Sloane and Tori. She's too busy being your twin. Hell, when you two look in the mirror you should see the other."
"Except she has a job."
Trey pried his glass out of his hand. "And she doesn't drink scotch."
"I don't either, most of the time."
Trey patted him on the back. "Why don't you go dance with my wife? She likes you."
"We're like if the Joker and Catwoman teamed up. Which one are you, Batman or Robin? Teddy would say you're Robin."
Trey laughed. "What's in that thing you smoke? We're worried about alcohol and you're probably high."
"I don't get high!"
"Good for you." He patted him on the back and walked away.
He should have left, but walked across the room and asked Jessica to dance. When she whispered in his ear to meet him in the theater room, he should have said no. Instead he caught a glimpse of the new couple and slipped down the stairs.