Page 30 of Top Shelf

“Because her husband’s a dick, right?” Demi asks. Lo chokes on her drink, and my dad puts a hand to his forehead.

“Jesus, Demi,” he groans. But Sadie just smiles.

“Yeah, because my husband—soon-to-be ex-husband—is a dick,” she says. “I never meant to get Ty caught up in my mess. I—”

Demi scoffs, shaking the last of the ice in her cup into her mouth.

“Just like you never meant to get him caught up the first time, huh?” she says. The table grows serious, and I can feel Sadie tense up next to me.

She clears her throat, but I’ve had enough.

“That’s enough, Demi,” I say. Still to this day, my blood boils at the mere thought of anyone doing or saying anything to hurt Sadie. I swear, she could burn me with the power of a thousand suns, and I’d still be crawling back to make sure she had water. I’m a fool, I know, but I also know that not everyone gets that. Not everyone gets that person in their life that they would do anything for.

So I’ll relish it.

“I’m just saying—” Demi starts to go on, but I stand up abruptly, my chair sliding back across the patio.

“I said, that’s enough,” I say. I stick my hand out for Sadie and pull her to her feet. “You might not agree,” I go on, “but you don’t have to. You don’t know the ins and outs of us. And she’s still my best friend. I’m happy to help her out. We’re gonna go,” I say.

“Aw, Ty, don’t go,” my dad starts, but I squeeze his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Dad,” I say. “We’ve all had enough fun for one night. Love you all.”

Everyone mutters their goodbyes, except for Demi, who looks equal amounts of shocked and embarrassed. But I don’t care.

“Thank you so much, everyone,” Sadie says quietly. “It was so good to see you all again.”

She holds onto my hand as I lead her off the patio and around to the front of the house. We get in the truck, and she’s quiet for a moment.

“I’m so sorry, Ty,” she says, just above a whisper. “This is… This isn’t fair to you.”

I shake my head and smile.

“Sadie, you have nothing to apologize for. I could have said no. I’m a grown man,” I say. “I don’t give a flying fuck what my sister thinks. What anyone thinks. No one knows…” My voice trails off for a minute. “No one knows about you and me, therealyou and me, besides us. I’m happy to do it.”

She smiles faintly in my direction and nods.

The truth is, back then, I didn’t understand how she could walk away from us. I couldn’t fathom having a chance with her and letting it go. I remember grappling with the idea that she might not have loved me the way I loved her.

But now, with all these years between us, I realize how much I was expecting of her. How I thought it was a no-brainer to turn her life upside down, to continue on the path of changing everything she knew overnight. I had nothing to lose…but she had everything. I see that now.

And now, she is turning her own life upside down again. But she’s doing it on her terms. And I want to help her. I want her to be happy.

I want her to besofucking happy.

Even if it’s not with me.

“Back to Debbie’s?” I ask her after a few more minutes of silence. She bites her lip, then turns to me.

“Or…we could go back to your place.”

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

sadie

He looksat me with big, round eyes, like I caught him with his pants down.

I wish.

---