Page 33 of Unsaid Things

Chris grunted. “Me too. Maybe he’ll be less pissy if he’s getting some on the regular again.”

Megan gave him a look. “Be nice.”

“What?”

Megan rolled her eyes at him, and he moved away, getting a glass out of the cupboard on the other side of the sink and stealing Megan’s water to fill it up. He gave her one more kiss on the cheek and left the kitchen.

“You know he knows everything about what’s going on with your brother, right?”

Abby tensed up. “What?”

Megan wrapped the paintbrush in her hand in a paper towel, her eyes wary as she looked at Abby. “He and Lance talk. Whatever Lance knows, Chris knows. And Chris asks me how you’re doing with everything too. He cares about you, you know.”

Abby made a noncommittal noise in her throat.

“It’s not a bad thing. He’s very protective of the people he cares about. It’s one of his better qualities.”

“If you say so.”

Megan glared at her. “I do. It’s okay to let other people help you out, Abs. You know I’m always here for you, but you can let in other people too. Like Lance. And Chris, and Matt too when he’s not being a tool.”

“I do let other people care about me.”

Megan made another noise in her throat, but this one was clearly disagreement.

“What? I do! I flew to Texas to meet Lance’s family, and I didn’t even fight him on who should pay for the plane tickets. And I had you and Chris look after my mom while we were gone.”

“Yeah. I know. You did. And that’s good. It’s a start.” She gave Abby a sardonic look. “Though I still maintain that you didn’t fight Lance about the plane tickets because you couldn’t afford to pay for yours and still pay for your half of the rent.”

“So? I could’ve just refused to go. A few months ago I would’ve.”

“Yeah. That’s true.” Megan finished with her last paint brush, laying it on the counter with the others, crossing her arms over her chest, and propping her hip against the counter. “And I’m glad. But now that Aaron’s here sniffing around for money, I’m worried you’re going to shut us all out again. And I’m not in your apartment to pry you open when you close up like a clam. So, don’t do that, okay? Tell me if I can help you. Let Lance help you. Let Chris and Matt help you. With anything. Everything. Okay?”

Abby studied her friend, appreciative of the concern and the gesture, but knowing deep down that there was no way that she’d ask them for money for her brother. It bothered her enough that Lance had given Aaron the money he had already, but she couldn’t have stopped that at the time even if she’d tried. But Megan wouldn’t understand all that. She’d insist that they’d all help however she needed, even if it meant paying off her brother.

Not wanting to argue, she just said, “Okay.”

Megan studied her before nodding once. “Good. That’s settled. Now we need to discuss your birthday.”

Abby groaned and slid off the counter, following Megan back to her studio so she could finish putting everything away. Chris glanced at them over the back of the couch as they passed.

“No moaning or groaning, Abby. It’s your twenty-first birthday. We’re going to celebrate, and you’re going to like it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Abby gave Megan a salute.

Megan stuck out her tongue. “Shut up. Don’t be a brat. I know you don’t like going clubbing, so I won’t drag you out to that.”

“Oh, thank God.”

Megan gave her another sour look. “I was thinking we’d just have all of us hang out here. We’ll have dinner, cake, wine, whatever other alcohol you might want.”

Leaning against the wall, Abby watched Megan put her brushes away. “Wine’s fine, plus whatever anyone else wants. I think I can handle that kind of birthday party.”

“Good. It’s settled. Fortunately, your birthday is on a Saturday, so we can do it on the day you turn twenty-one.” She grinned. “It’ll be tons of fun. Even if it is quieter than what I would want.”

Abby gave Megan a knowing look. “You got to booze it up when you turned twenty-one in August. And I went with you even though I was depressed as all hell because that was after Lance left, and I thought I’d never see him again.”

After hanging the blue men’s button-down shirt she wore to paint in on the door handle, Megan gave Abby a hug. “Yes, you did. Because you’re an awesome best friend. And it’s my turn to be awesome in return by not making you do what I would want, but setting up a party you would want.”

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