Page 45 of Unsaid Things

Chapter Eighteen

Lance settled into the couch with a beer in his hand, his feet propped on the coffee table, one ankle crossed over the other. He loved living with Abby and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but sometimes he missed the space of his old house.

Chris sat in the armchair, his usual spot, and let out a contented sigh that Lance never would’ve expected to hear from him while watching his girlfriend walk to the kitchen. Hell, he’d never have expected to be here feeling like this a year ago himself. Chris took a pull from his own beer and met Lance’s eyes.

“Thanks for having us over, man. I know Abby appreciated it.”

Chris swallowed. “Of course. Anytime. I think Megan had fun making dinner and cake and everything, no matter how much she likes to give Abby shit about not going out partying.”

“I’m sure Megan wouldn’t have minded if Abby wanted to go party, though.”

A chuckle escaped Chris before he took another drink. “True. But we all know that’s not Abby’s scene, even if she puts up with it more than she’d like for our sake.”

Lance lifted his bottle in acknowledgment. “So, next weekend huh?”

“Yup.” Chris popped the p inyup, looking down and pulling at the wrapper on his beer bottle.

“Nervous?”

He shook his head once, a half smile on his face. “Nah, man. I got it in the bag.”

“Fuck yeah, you do.” Lance could tell he was deflecting, though. Hell, who wouldn’t be nervous for what amounted to trying out for the NFL? This was it, his big chance. If he choked or just plain had a bad day, his dreams of going pro would be over. But if Chris wanted to cover his nervousness with bravado, he wasn’t going to be an asshole and call him on it. “You got this, man.”

Chris nodded, dropping his eyes again. Shifting in his seat, Chris finished his beer before darting a glance toward the kitchen and looking at Lance again. “So how are things with Abby and you? Any progress on that front?”

Look at them discussing their relationships and shit. And Matt thought Chris wasn’t a real grownup. “Yeah, actually. She’s finally agreed to let me pay rent. I think things have maybe settled down enough for me to propose.”

“That’s great, dude.” Chris grinned, but then his eyebrows crinkled together, and he cocked his head to one side. “That seems like a sudden change, though. Any idea what prompted it?”

Lance cleared his throat, not comfortable divulging too many details. Abby didn’t really like it when he shared things about her family, even when it was necessary. But Chris knew what had been going on anyway. “Her brother came to see her at school yesterday.”

“What?” Chris’s voice was sharp, his reaction immediate. “What the hell?”

“I know, dude. Apparently their mom is getting sicker or something and needs some major tests that cost a bunch of money. He came to see if she could help pay for it. She wants to give him the rest of her student loan disbursement, which is what she was using to pay rent and stuff. So if she gives that up, that means she needs me to pay rent.” He pointed his beer bottle at Chris. “Which we both know I’m happy to do.” Draining the last of his beer, he set the empty on the coffee table and settled back again.

Chris’s brows were still drawn together, and he fiddled with the threadbare seam on the arm of his chair. “Her brother came and asked for money? That doesn’t seem sketchy to you? If her mom needs money for medical stuff, why wouldn’t she ask Abby herself?”

Lance opened and closed his mouth. He hadn’t thought about it that much, distracted by Abby’s distress and his own happiness at what he saw as her trusting him more. Fuck.

“I take it you didn’t even think about it?”

Shaking his head, Lance reached for his beer bottle again, then remembered it was empty.

Chris noticed. “Want another?”

“Nah.” He ran a hand over his face. He did want another, but since he had to drive, he shouldn’t. “Fuck, man.”

Something like pity crossed Chris’s face. “Well, whatever. If she wants to give her brother money, that’s her business right? Even if it’s not for her mom. And sheisletting you take care of her more, so that’s still good for you.”

Lance kept his mouth closed in a firm line. “So do you think she’s lying? Or did he lie to her about why he needed the money?”

“I don’t know, man. I wasn’t there when she told you. What do you think?”

He went back over what Abby had told him. It did seem shady that her brother came to her at school, where he knew Lance wouldn’t be around, and asked for money. And God knew that Abby’s brother was shady as fuck. Would he lie to his sister about their mom’s problems? Probably.

But would she accept what Aaron said at face value without talking to her mom?

With the way she’d reacted when Aaron had shown up again at Christmas, Lance doubted she’d take his word for anything. And she’d said she hadn’t talked to her mom. “Fucking hell.”

---