Page 32 of For All It's Worth
“Cool, thanks for that dude, the accountant’s really been slipping and I know you and Will both did finance but…”
“Still strained with Will?”
“Yeah, I don’t get it.” Henry wasn’t that dense. He knew exactly why Will was being a bit of a dick to him.
“Look, my brother holds grudges like nobody’s business.”Understatement.
He chuckled down the line, “I hear ya.”
“He’s just being loyal to Pete because of Andy.”
“Andy isn’t acting that way!”
It was my turn to laugh. “That’s because he has Will to do it for him.”
He was silent for a second, considering my words. “How long do you think they’ll punish me for my fight with Pete?”
I made an unusual attempt to be gentle when I said, “Until he comes home, I’m afraid.” Sugar-coating my words wasn’t really my thing.
I didn’t know much about what had happened between them all but I knew something went down at the engagement party and Pete abruptly picked up and went traveling after that. I figured that Andy blamed Henry for something, but Andy wouldn’t give me the details, not that I’d asked, though I was sure he’d give in if I pressed him on it. At the end of the day, it was none of my business since I wasn’t there.
Pete, Brad, and Dylan were all Andy and Will’s friends. Henry, though, often voiced that he felt on the outside of that group. Especially just now with all the stuff with Pete and the way that he acted at the cabin. I didn’t know the full story of what went on when Will took his friends to the lake cabin our family-owned, just that Henry and Gemma broke up the day they all returned from there and that Brad wasn’t happy with Henry. Seemed like Pete was getting the blame for the breakup because Pete had feelings for Henry. I’d never met Pete, so I couldn’t say if that was true.
Henry felt like he was my friend now and I hated seeing him so cut up about what was going on with his group.
The line had gone quiet and I considered putting the phone down and sending him a text when he spoke again.
“Guessed as much,” he finally said. “Hey, you still looking for somewhere to stay?”
A guy came up to the counter so I told Henry to hang on a second while I booked the client in.
“Sorry, what did you say?” I asked him.
“You still looking for a place to live?”
It took me a second to pivot, the abrupt change of subject catching me off guard. “Yeah, there’s not much out there, though. Not sure I want to commit to buying just yet since nothing is grabbing me. Might rent again.” I shrugged even though he couldn’t see me.
“Look, I haven’t known you long, but you’re cool. We get along and most importantly my sister trusts you with the books. So…um…I have a room if you want. Just for a share of the mortgage and bills like Pete did.”
The idea caught me completely by surprise. I’d shot the shit with Henry a few times while he spotted me and vice versa, complaining about things like being back home, but I’d never expected this. Realizing I’d been quiet for too long I asked, “You’re offering me Pete’s old room?” I wanted to take the offer but was torn over it being Pete’s. What if he came back and wanted it?
“Yeah, it was his, but he moved out nearly a year ago because of shit with my ex-girlfriend, Gemma.”
“Shit, sorry, I forgot.”
“Nah, it’s cool. I kept it open for him in case he wanted to move back in after Gem and I split but he didn’t. And, well, shit went down and here we are. I can manage without a roommate, but I know you need to be away from your mom.”
Did I ever. Alice Petraki was a fantastic mother, despite her faults, and I adored her. I was thankful for all she had done for me, but she was smothering me, constantly hovering and checking up on me. I needed some space in a bad way.
“You sure you want me as a roommate?” I tried to tease, but it fell flat. I wanted to move out of my house so bad that it hurt. This was the fresh start that I needed, I could feel it.
Mom couldn’t take any issue with Henry as my roommate. He was thirty-eight, a veteran, straight, and ran his own business with his sister. She’d really love how close he was to his family. Her main issue with me moving out was that I’d be on my own with no one to check up on me. Living with Henry, hopefully still working with him too, then also working with Max, gave me plenty of support.
“Yeah man, to be honest, I’m sick of going home to an empty apartment. I even thought about getting a dog.”
“A dog would be great for you,” I burst in. “You could take it to work. Like a support animal. Not that you need a support animal…” I trailed off. Slapping my hand to my head, I silently cursed myself.
“When I first lost my leg, the therapists suggested one and I was gonna take them up on it, but my now ex-wife was allergic.”
