“What game?” Brock retorts. “He hasn’t looked twice at a girl here besides Landry.”
“I have too,” I say to defend my prowess at being able to get women.
But the truth is, I never cared until her. I had a good time but never too good of a time. I never made promises that I couldn’t keep, and the girls here knew we weren’t serious. The three of us guys never have been, except for Bodhi and we know how that turned out. The way I feel about her is the reason she was able to take my entire heart and scramble it up, and now, I’m picking it back up instead of focusing, like I should be. I can’t remember the last time I was drunk.
“Don’t kid yourself,” Bodhi scoffs.
I unbutton my shirt while trying to kick my pants off. I get off-balance and grab on to the desk to steady myself, the room spinning.
“Might want to shower too,” Brock says, eyeing me.
I scowl at him, stalking to the bathroom after shedding my clothes.
Freshly showered and sort of sobering up, I throw on some sweatpants and a henley.
“Where are we going?” I put my phone in my pocket and look at the guys.
Bodhi is smoking at the window, and Brock is on his phone—the usual these days.
“To get you a tux for the ball tonight,” Brock says, looking up.
I stop in place, staring at him. “Really?”
“Fuck no. We wear uniforms at school. You think we are dressing up for the ball?”
“I didn’t think we were going.”
“What would everyone do without their kings?” Bodhi snorts.
I reach for my drink. My phone ringing in my pocket stops me short, and I pull it out. I frown at a number I don’t recognize before swiping to answer.
“Hello?”
“Corbin?”
The little voice on the other end makes me freeze, thankful the guys made me start sobering up.
“Abe? What’s wrong?” I can hear him sniffling, and I clench my fist. I was afraid of this. Him needing me and me not being there for him. “Abe? Talk to me,” I say calmly once he doesn’t answer.
“Can you come get me?”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know,” he says, his voice drifting off like he’s pulling the phone away from his mouth.
I can hear sounds in the background, lots of chatter.
“Who are you with?” I ask loudly, trying to get his attention back on me.
“Grandma’s friend.”
My heart races.
“Can I talk to Grandma’s friend?”
The phone makes shuffling noises as he transfers the phone over to her.
“Corbin?” A professional tone comes across the phone, and I attempt to calm down.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“I’m Deanna Fields, the caseworker assigned to Abe. He says you are his brother?”
“Yes, I am. Caseworker?”
“Yes. I was sent after concerns were raised into the welfare of Abe.”
“Where are you? I’m coming to get him.”
“I’m sorry, Corbin, but I can’t let you do that. We have removed him from the home of your grandparents on a court order, and right now, we will have to place him with a foster family.”
“No, I need to see him. Don’t send him anywhere.”
“You can see him here while we supervise. I can text the address.”
I don’t like it, but it seems that it might be the best I’m going to get right now. Once we hang up, I stare at my phone, waiting for the text to come through with an address.
“What’s going on?” Bodhi asks.
“Child Protective Services pulled Abe from home. I’ve got to go to him.”
“Shit. You can’t drive right now,” Brock states the obvious, considering how drunk I was not even an hour ago. “We can take you.”
I nod, letting him know I heard, as my phone dings with the incoming message.
“Got the address. Let’s go.” I rush out the door, not waiting for them, but knowing they will be behind me. If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that Brock and Bodhi have my back.
The ride to the CPS office, where Deanna is with Abe, is tense. I don’t talk. The only sound filling the air is Bodhi’s off-key singing to the newest Post Malone song. I don’t bother to tell him to shut up. I think I like the diversion right now.
It seems to take forever, and I tap my fingers on the door, riding shotgun with Bodhi’s feet between us on the console.
Bodhi stops singing to ask, “Hey, didn’t you say that Andrea is a foster parent?”
I whip my head around. “Holy shit. Why didn’t I think of that?”
I pick my phone up, hitting Andrea’s name once I find it in my Contacts. She answers, and I ask her to meet us at the address, breathing a sigh of relief when she agrees.
“Thanks, man.” I tap Bodhi’s crossed ankles with my fist, and he leans forward to sock my shoulder.
“Anytime.”
Once we pull into the parking lot of CPS, my door is open, and my feet hit the ground before the car has even stopped. I look like a crazy person, but Abe is my top priority, and I need to see him and make sure he’s all right.
I rush through the front room, hitting the receptionist’s desk with a thud. She looks up, surprised, and I clutch the countertop.
“I’m here for Abe Henson,” I say.
She nods, picking up the phone. “One moment,” she says, dialing and then speaking to someone. “You can go through that door.” She motions to a door to her left while hitting a button.
I can hear the lock click, unlocking the door for me.
I’m met by another staff member, who directs me to where Abe is. He’s clutching a car in his hands, his knuckles white, and I envelop him in my arms, wishing I could take this away from him.
A throat clears, and I whip my head around, finally realizing that someone else is in here with him. I watch her place a folder on the table before clasping her hands and looking at us.
“I assume, you are Corbin?” she starts, and I nod. “I’m Deanna. We spoke on the phone. I’m glad you could come in.”
“What’s going to happen now?” I ask, wanting the facts laid out before me.
“Now, we’ll assign Abe to a foster home, where he will stay until we get this situation figured out.”
“I have a foster—”
“We cannot approve you to keep your brother since you are both technically minors under the law,” she says, cutting me off.
“No, not me. I know a lady who is a foster parent. She’s already fostered other kids. Would it be possible to place him with her?”
“As long as she is approved and available to take him tonight, I think that can be arranged.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. The first bit of relief I’ve felt since all of this happened.
“Can you give me her information?”
I tell Deanna Andrea’s name and number, letting her know I’ve been in contact already and that she should be on her way.
Abe’s hand is tucked in mine. He’s been sitting quietly through all of this, and I glance his way.
“You okay, bud?” I ask, tugging him closer, and he nods quickly, a solemn look on his face.