AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She needed help, I don’t know. Probably figured you’d never stop by and find out.”
“Yeah, well. The smell of flowers in there gives me a headache.” He rubs his chin, clearly thinking something through. “Of all the people, why’d she hire her?”
I don’t tell him that it’s because of me, that I’m the one that told her about the job in the first place. I pretend not to know.
“That’s annoying.”
“Yeah, but why? I know things didn’t end great, but you never really told me what happened. You just started dating Isabelle and never mentioned her again.”
One glance at whatever is brewing in his eyes and I know he isn’t going to tell me. I don’t like that he feels the need to keep secrets about it even now. He must have done something pretty bad to not be able to own up to it after six years.
“I just moved on. Not much to talk about.” I hate that I know he’s lying, but he changes the subject before I can decide if I want to keep trying. “Speaking of moving on, you figured out how to do that yet?”
“Kind of,” I admit.Definitelyis a more fitting answer, but it’s also one that would lead to questions.
Justin smiles widely at that. “You serious?” He nudges my arm. “That’s great, man! It’s about damn time.”
“You think so?”
He nods. “Yeah, I do. I think Kara sucked the life out of you, and you’ve been taking your sweet time getting it back.”
I smile at that.
“It does feel like I’m getting it back.” It felt like I wasstartingto.
“So, there’s someone responsible. How long have you been seeing her?” he asks.
I’m not the liar between us, at least not most of the time. I’m just keeping a portion of things to myself. I can offer him pieces.
“Only a couple of months,” I admit. “But she’s…” I shake my head. I can’t even find the right words, and I’m just reminded of how much I miss her when I try.
It’s been difficult to act like everything is normal, between going to work and now seeing him.
“Oh, you’re down bad. Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to fall for the rebound?” He turns away before he can notice the way his words make my jaw clench. I hate it. She’s so much more than that.
“I already had a rebound.”
“That one night with that one girl? You seriously believe that counts?”
It really has just been one night with one girl, but I don’t bother arguing that it was enough for me. I didn’t want to sleep around after my divorce. I didn’t need the distraction. I was just so happy to be me again. It felt like that was all I needed, me and Freddy.
Until Autumn.
Now I don’t know if anything will be enough without her.
“I think we should take a shot,” is all I say to him. I abruptly stand to collect the bottle of whiskey that’s been hiding in a top cabinet for months. I knew there was a time I’d need it, and now is a more than appropriate time.
One leads to two, two leads to four, and so on. We talk, laugh, and catch up. It’s been too damn long since the two of us have just hung out. My brother is a busy guy, working full time, raising two kids. Dealing with his failing marriage and not knowing how to talk about it. We see each other at the occasional family dinners, but it’s not often the two of us hang out on our own.
I only wish it wasn’t tainted by the ache of missing Autumn, and the guilt I feel about hiding that from him. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t what motivated me to see him today.
“So, how’d you meet her? What’s her name?” he asks the question once I’m too drunk to control my responses. I should’ve known he wouldn’t drop it that easily, the jackass.
“I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”
The remote he’d just grabbed falls from his hand. “What? Why the hell is it a secret?”
“I can’t tell you,” I repeat.
