Page 24 of Waiting on Life
Pete pushed by me and stomped over to Jack. “Why areyouhere?”
“Because we got a call about an altercation. I didn’t know it was Kyle.”
“And if you had known, you wouldn’t have come.”
“That’s not true and you know it. I like Kyle well enough.”
“Yeah, why didn’t it sound that way when I said we were moving in together?”
Jack sighed. “Look, I was wrong, okay? I’m sorry. What can I do to get you to finally accept that I admit I was an ass and forgive me?” He put a hand on Pete’s arm. “And no matter what else, I would never,everwish harm on you or Kyle. You have to believe that. I’m not making excuses for what I said before, because it can’t be excused. What I am asking you for is a chance to prove I’m not an asshole.”
There was conflict in Pete’s expression. He turned to Kyle, who gazed up at him.
“Give him a chance,” Kyle said. “You gave me one. Least we can do is return the favor.”
Pete sighed as he returned his attention to Jack. “If I find out you’re lying to me….” He left the rest of the threat unvoiced.
Jack gave a hopeful smile. “I’m not.” He went over to Kyle. “I truly am sorry, and I thank you for being the bigger man. I promise I’ll be better.”
“Are we done here?” I demanded. “Pete’s going to take Kyle to the hospital to have him checked out.”
“If no one is pressing charges, there’s not much we can do,” said the partner.
“I hope you’ll change your mind, Kyle,” Jack said solemnly. “If they did this to you, they could do it to someone else. At least tell us about it, okay? Let us take down the information so we have it.”
“Fine.” Kyle tried to stand, but his legs gave out again, and he fell back against the couch. “Maybe later.”
“Pete, help Kyle up. Get him to the cruiser, and we’ll take you to the hospital, okay?”
“Sure, okay.”
Jack turned to me. “Mr. Tomlinson, I’ll come back later and check in with you, all right?”
I nodded, my gaze locked on Kyle.
Jack leaned in close. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they get to the ER safely. I love my brother, but he gets a little panicky, and I don’t want him behind the wheel with Kyle.”
“I heard that!” Pete groused.
“He didn’t lie,” Kyle responded.
The two squabbled as Jack led them out the door, and I followed behind because… I had no idea. I guess I wanted to be sure Kyle was okay.
“I’ll call you when I get home,” he said at the door. “I’m sorry about—”
“Shut up.”
“But it’s your only day off.”
If he had any idea how good it made me feel to see him stand up for me, not only to the asshole who’d punched him, but to Jack, he would understand.
Maybe then he could explain it to me.
Kyle
“My head hurts,” I whined for probably the thirtieth time since the doctors told me I was okay, but that I should take some aspirin, a hot shower, and get some sleep. As crappy as I felt, I wasn’t about to argue. I’d told Jack everything I could remember about the guy who’d hit me, and he said he would file the report. It was good to see him and Pete talking, especially since I was at the center of their whole drama.
For a while, I lived alone in a shithole of an apartment. Then…. It doesn’t matter. What does is that when Pete and I decided to move in together, Jack had protested because I was broke. Well, beyond broke. Pete’s family had money, even though Pete was determined to show he could do things on his own. So Jack assumed I was going to be letting Pete handle all the bills. And, I admit, for a while he did because I couldn’t find a job. Now? I fully intended on pulling my own weight. Assuming I wasn’t fired or that Toby didn’t hate me because I’d screwed up his one day off.
