Page 8 of Best of Me

The second I heard the next town over—Bay Ridge—had an opening on the force, I sent in my application. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Cal was able to put in a good word for me with his uncle, who happens to be the chief of the Bay Ridge PD. And while I won’t call coming here fate, because that would imply Val was meant to die andfuck that, luck was damn sure on my side when he partnered me with Nate. The two of us never had any weirdness or growing pains. We just…clicked.

Another hour and we have everything piled into Nate’s foyer—I figure I’ll let him and Jenny sort through it and unpack without me. I’ve more than earned my caramel macchiato float.

I’m about to head out when Jenny hollers from the kitchen. “You staying for dinner, Duke?”

“Depends, whatcha makin’?” I holler back, lying through my teeth; I’d eat anything Jenny whipped up. The girl can cook something fierce.

“Burrito bowls, nothing fancy.”

Nate rolls his eyes, and I smirk. We both know Jenny could serve us chicken nuggets, and they’d be gourmet. Between his fiancée, his mama, his little sister and brother-in-law—who happens to also be his childhood best friend—he pretty much has an entire staff of chefs at his disposal; it’s a wonder he’s not the size of a blimp. If I had someone cooking good for me every day like this joker does, I’d have to double up on my workouts, that’s for damn sure.

“Hell yeah, I’m staying. You know those are my jam.” I venture farther into the house toward the kitchen. “You make any of that ball rice stuff?”

Jenny barks out a laugh. “For the last time, it’s called quinoa, and yes, I made some. Fresh guac, too.”

“You’re too good to me, girl.”

She bats her long lashes at me, and my hackles rise. That look says she is buttering me up for something. “Good enough you’d be willing to help with some more moving?”

My eyes widen. “More? You need to put some stuff into storage or something?”

Nate walks past me, going to stand at his woman’s side. “Nah, she has a renter moving in. She’s new to the area and doesn’t know anyone, so—”

“She doesn’t know anyone here—literally no one. So, Natalie and I went with her to pick out some new furniture, and I offered to help her move in,” Jenny says, speaking over her fiancé.

“Offered me to help’s more like it,” Nate grumbles good-naturedly.

“Oh, so you don’t want any of the peanut butter fudge pie I made especially for you? Huh. Guess I’ll have to send it home with Duke.”

A panicked look crosses Nate’s face. “Whoa, hold up. Let’s not make any hasty decisions. I don’t mind helping out. I mean, like you said, she’s new here and all alone. I’d be remiss not to lend a hand. I mean, really, it’s my civic duty.”

My shoulders shake with silent laughter. “Laying it on a little thick,” I say out of the side of my mouth, helping myself to a glass bottle Coke from their fridge. I pop the cap, take a swig, and turn to Jenny. “When does she need help?”

“This weekend.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

Jenny slides the skillet of delicious smelling chicken off the stove before flitting over to me and wrapping me in a hug. “You’re the best, Duke!”

“The fuck am I?” Nate barks. “Chopped liver?”

We break apart and she winks at me before turning to Nate. He grasps the front of her shirt in his fist and pulls her body flush to his. She pops up onto her tiptoes, sealing her lips to his. I busy myself with making my plate, not so much because I don’t want to intrude on their moment, but because sometimes witnessing their intimacy and happiness feels like a testament to all I’ve lost.

We should be able to take our girls out on double dates and do couple-y shit together, but instead, I’m the third fucking wheel. While I’m happy as hell for Nate, watching my best friend and his girl only serves to remind me that I’m one half of a whole without Valorie. When she died, she took the best of me right along with her, leaving a shell of the man I was before.

Sure, I still joke and cut up and smile, but fake it ‘til you make it, right? Only, how in the hell am I supposed to make it without the woman I love by my side?

chapter five

Duke

The week passes in a blur of fender benders and traffic violations, and before I know it, the weekend is here. I’m already on my third cup of coffee and the sun’s barely broken the horizon, but that’s my norm ever since Valorie died. Late nights and early mornings—whatever it takes to keep the nightmares at bay.

I wait for the clock to hit seven-thirty before texting Nate.

Me: Time and place?

His response is immediate, which surprises me. My best friend is a lot of things, but a morning person is not one of them.

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