Page 71 of My Brother's Enemy
“She hasn’t said what happened?”
“She’s a teenager. And she came from my loins. It’s like herding cats to get her to talk to me. She won’t do it.” She choked back a sob. “I’m at my wit’s end, Ty. I don’t know what to do.”
“Come here.”
Eric and I both craned our necks. Tyler wrapped his lean, muscled hockey arms around her. She almost disappeared in his hold. They stood like that for a minute before Skylar stepped back, sniffling. She wiped her face and hugged herself, looking at the ground. “But what if you’re right?”
Tyler went still.
“What if it happens again?” She lifted her head. “What if I’m too late the next time?”
Tyler shook his head. “That’s—that’s not what I meant when I texted you. I meant that as a worst-case scenario.” He sighed. “I meant thatweneed to be proactive and preventative so there won’t be a next time.”
“But she’s not talking to me.”
His voice came out gentle. “I think if you ignored what she did, that worst-case scenario could happen. But you’re not ignoring it. She’s talking to a therapist. You might not be privy to what they’re talking about, but she’s talking to someone who knows what they’re doing. That’s something. And you’re not going to stop. I know you. You’re going to keep harassing Zoey until she has no other choice but to finally open up and let youknow what happened that night. I mean, shit. Your methods work.”
She snorted. “Maybe it’s a twin thing. You’re at a gay bar looking for me. If that doesn’t say dedication, I don’t know what does.”
“It’s not that big of a stretch. It’s not a common hangout for me, but I’ve been to gay bars before.”
“You have?” she said.
“Yeah. North Allistair’s gay. Remember? He’s a buddy.”
Eric gave me a questioning look.
I shook my head, trying to relay that I’d explain later. North Allistair had been the first NHL player to come out as gay last year. I’d been sequestered in my NFL bubble, but even I’d gotten wind of the story. It was an announcement made bigger by the fact that his father was a governor in a state where the politics ran red.
“Oh. That’s right. I forgot you were buddies with North.” Sky laughed. “Eric and Paul would piss themselves if you walked in with him and they found out he was gay.”
“Yeah,” Tyler said. “Real buckets of fun, those two.”
She laughed again, sounding more sold. “They’re both sweethearts. Eric especially. He’s all vinegar at first, but then he gets sweet and melty. Wait. Paul said you were here with someone. They’re with Eric now?” She suddenly seemed alarmed.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Who is it?”
My hand tightened on Eric’s sleeve. We rose carefully and started to step backwards.
“Eric was on the dance floor with my friend.”
“Your friend?” Skylar rasped. “What friend?”
“The, uh…”
“The samefriendyou brought to the hospital with you?Thatfriend?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Are youfuckingserious? What are you doing? Still haven’t screwed her or just haven’t had your fill of her? Tyler, you don’t know who she is. Come on!”
She grabbed his arm and dragged him back inside Harry’s Tulip.
Eric turned to look at me, a question on his face. “Do you know what that’s about?”
I sighed. “Yeah. Unfortunately.”
