Page 68 of A Touch of Frost
“Your girl is in danger.”
“She’s not my girl.”
“No?” Paul smiled. “That’s what you said earlier. Maybe you should talk to her about that before you say such a thing.” Paul sat.
“What do you mean?”
“Frost is hell-bent on protecting you from everything and everyone.” Paul replied. “Usually, I’d say that was impossible, that she can’t save you from everything. But it would be a waste of breath. I don’t think she cares about what’s logical when it comes to you. She wants to make sure you’re okay, and protected, especially from—”
“You.”
Paul nodded. “And I believe her because she looked at me as if she wanted to firebomb my world. So, before you say she’s not your girl, you might want to talk to her first.”
I exhaled but said nothing.
There wasn’t really anything I could say in that moment. With no words, I grabbed my meal and brought it to the table. After pouring us both a glass of juice, I sat and exhaled loudly.
“I know you don’t need a brother anymore.” Paul shook his head.
“You know?” I asked, using a thumb to ease my plate out of my way. “And how do you know that? I didn’t know when someone has a sibling, that responsibility ends. I’ve roamed alone for years until I found a few friends who kind of adopted me. I never had any of the things other people have with big brothers. It’s worse now because I know I might have other siblings out there and I don’t even—”
I rubbed my eyes.
“You don’t even what?”
“Forget it.” I told him. “The truth is, I’ll always need my brother. But right now, shit is so bad, I have zero clue where to start with you. I can’t do this right now with you because Frost is out there chasing this guy and I’m stuck here…”
“With me.” Paul laughed bitterly. “I keep getting in your way. Jesse, you have a lot you’re working through. For now, let’s pretend none of what happened to us as kids happened. Unburden.”
I stared at him, wondering if I could trust him.
How did we get to this place?
“It’s hard to date in the time of war.” I told him.
“I wouldn’t know.” Paul chuckled. “But I do know one thing. That woman feels something strong for you. That one conversation I had with her told me all that. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but if you let her walk away then—”
“I’m an idiot.” I admitted. “I know that. I feel that.”
“I’m single.” Paul told me. “So, I may not be the right person to give you advice on any of this. But you need to figure out what you need to do to keep this woman by your side.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
Paul smiled. “To be honest, I’m jealous of you, little brother.”
“Of me?”
“You have friends around you—genuine friends. I see the way they rally around you—when I was slipping in and out of consciousness. I heard the way they encouraged you.” Paul inhaled, his shoulders rising to his ears, pausing then falling. “I’ve never had that.”
“You’re a doctor. You have all this.”
“No—I have people around me who always wants something.” Paul admitted. “I’ve spent so much time building, fighting to become a doctor—now, I’m finally here, and it’s a strange feeling.”
“That’s what happens when you get everything you want.”
“We should talk about something else,” Paul said.
“You’re probably right.”
