Page 118 of I Knew You
“Explain how you two know each other,” I said between draws from my beer bottle.
Melanie rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure how that’s any of your?—”
“Picked her up on the side of the road last night,” Whit said, meeting my gaze.
The implications of his statement, combined with the nonchalance of his tone, made me even more annoyed.
“You like knowing how it feels, Bram?” The smile on Whit’s face made it extra punchable, and I took two steps toward him before Julianna spoke.
“Bram, no. Whit, stop.” Before I could get to her, Mel was already reaching over, taking Julianna’s hand and arm, and helping her stand. “Melanie, help me to the restroom.”
“We’re going to be back in five minutes, and don’t you dare throw a single punch while we’re gone. Talk like friends who love their sisters.” Her voice held warning and meaning. “But also realize that those sisters are fully grown adults and make their own decisions.” And with that, I watched as Melanie led the love of my life out of the room.
Whit and I stared at each other.
“That was a crazy way to see each other for the first time in six months,” I remarked, my words laced with more sarcasm.
It broke the ice, and he laughed a little. “I guess so.”
“How’d you get here?”
“Well, I took a car to the airport,” he replied, “then I took a plane.”
“Smartass,” I murmured.
He smirked.
“It’s our bye week,” he explained. “I had to see Jules, so I came earlier than I’d said I was going to. I wanted as much time as possible.”
“Trying to make up for lost time… I get it.” I was the one who sounded like a smart ass now, but I couldn’t help it. I’d hurt her, but so had he in his own way. I was jealous of how easily he seemed to reconcile that fact.
His feet shuffled a little. “I expected to see you. But then I got tangled up with your sister, who I didn’t know was your sister. I swear it.”
“You knew I had a sister, and I’m pretty sure you knew her name was Melanie…” I couldn’t keep the venomous sarcasm out of my voice. Whit was a notorious player, on and off the field, and Melanie didn’t roll like that. Or so I’d thought.
“She used a fake name,” he explained, running his hands over his face. That didn’t sound like her. “And I did too. But we eventually figured out the truth. Melanie is not the point, though. She let it slip that you were driving the truck the night of the wreck. And I don’t know, Bram, I saw red.” He shook his head like he was trying to dispel his thoughts. “You’d been drinking, I remember. And then you wrecked, and you left her in the woods in the dark, alone. I know it was a long time ago, but can you see where I’m pissed?”
I couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t attack me again, so I steeled myself. “I know I screwed up. I should have protected her for no other reason than that she was your sister, but I had a million reasons why I should have been better. I had already fallen for her by then, and still, I failed. A decent man wouldn’t have done what I did.”
Silence sucked up all the oxygen in the room.
“That’s a beautiful speech, but I can’t deny it fucking burns me up.” Whit sat down on the edge of the sofa. I leaned against the fireplace mantle, facing him, standing still when all I wanted to do was run.
“Well, it gets worse…” I muttered, running my hand over my head. “She knew if the police came out?—”
“They would know you’d been drinking. Damn.” Whit ranhis hands down his face, his elbows on his knees. “You would’ve lost your scholarship, been kicked out of football, all of it.”
I nodded. “But there’s no doubt I should have stayed with her for help. I know that. I was a stupid, scared kid playing like a man. I should have realized she was hurt. I shouldn’t have left even though she begged me to. I still think about it every day.” I played through all the regrets in my mind once again. “It was too late when I came to my senses. I almost got back to the house, and I had the guy I called take me back to her. But the ambulance had already left.”
“Then what?” Whit asked, but there was a light of caution in his eyes. He was listening, but he was guarded. I knew him well enough to know the thoughts behind that face.
I cleared my throat. “Well, I was turning myself in to the officer on site, and my father showed up. They’d called him since the truck was registered in his name. He paid them off, of course. And then he told me I only had a scholarship because he paid for one. And?—”
“What? Ok, well that’s bullshit,” Whit interrupted, his lips pursed, his features hard. “You were the best tight end in the state, if not the eastern seaboard. He was blowing smoke up your ass, making you feel like shit under his shoe.”
I shrugged. “He warned me off Julianna, too. He said if I pursued her and stayed around Grams, he’d have my scholarship revoked and make me come home. I knew if I went against him, he could find a way to ruin your career as well.”
Whit looked to the side and blew out an angry breath. I knew the feeling. “My free ride, my career….So you let go of Julianna because of me? I’m one of the reasons?”
