Page 99 of Then Came You

Once I’d calmed down, I promised Haven we’d have a girl sleepover and plenty of cuddles. For the first time in days, I felt useful when I diffused her tantrum.

Alex zipped to whatever meeting place Zee arranged with Avalon and was coming straight back to the pub to get wasted with us. I made a mental note to reach out to Avalon to thank her for allowing Haven to be here.

“Ready, Tink?” Blade asks, leading me to his batman car. Xan is on my other side, but unlike his dad who is touching me, his hands are in his pockets.

“Can I ride with Xan?”

“What?” Both unanimously ask the same question. Blade’s hand on my back falls to his side so he can look at me properly.

Turning to Blade, I can see the hurt and confusion on his face. His eyes pinch together, and his stance gets very staunch suddenly. The tic in his jaw is probably hurting like hell, but still, he remains composed.

“I just need to talk to him.” I know Blade would understand when I have the chance to talk to him, but a bigger part of me needs to just make things right with Xan. I don’t want my best friend hating me forever, and I need to tell him how grateful I am that he is with me today. He showed up. He didn’t neglect me even though this is probably the first time in my life that I deserve to be neglected.

I know my timing was warped, but since I helped with Haven, I feel like I’m on a roll with the Renshaw siblings and don’t want this hanging over me.

Nodding, he again grips my hand. “Whatever you need, Tink,” Blade says, squeezing it, waiting to see what Xan does next.

“Um, sure, okay,” Xan replies. I can sense he’s feeling cornered, but I’m playing the dead sister card and I don’t care. “My car is over there.” He shrugs his head to the opposite side to where Blade’s is.

“I’ll see you shortly, yeah? Take your time.” I hesitate out of respect, but I really need Blade’s touch. I want to give him a quick peck on the lips, but I settle instead for a hug, knowing I’m too short and he’ll lift me slightly off the ground so I can tangle my arms around his neck.

I move toward him unexpectedly and rise on my heeled boots to try and reach. He smirks as if he knows what I’m doing and helps me the last bit by lifting me. I only care a little bit that I’m wearing a short leather skirt that could be riding up. I’m in tasteful fishnet stockings so it doesn’t really matter, but I’m sure we’re making Xan feel uncomfortable, so I quicken the hug as much as I can. “See you soon, baby.” I kiss his cheek before he puts me down.

Turning to Xan, I see him glaring at Blade, but his gaze softens when he sets eyes on me.

Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this now.

I know the pub is only a few minutes away by car, but I anticipate our chat will take a lot longer, so I mentally prepare myself while we walk to Xan’s car.

His vehicle isn’t as flashy as Blade’s, but it still costs more than anything I’ll ever own in my lifetime. Unlike the dark tones of Blade’s, it’s all tones of white and cream, which makes me scrape my shoes on the pavement to get rid of the dirt paste on the bottom of my heels.

“Don’t worry about it. Just get in,” Xan assures, lowering himself into the car. I follow suit, again adding ‘pay for a car wash’ to the mental list I’ve been making all day. I really should write it in the notes app on my phone.

Reluctantly, I put my muddy shoes on the carpeted floor, cringing as I see brown starting to seep in.

I fidget with the seatbelt, adjust the seat position, and fixate on finding the right temperature on the air con. “Uh, we’re meeting at the Royal Oak Hotel,” I fill the silence in the car with the first thing that comes to mind.

“You don’t have to make small talk, Row. It’s me. Let’s not act weird and be strangers.” His voice is soft, but his posture isn’t. It’s rigid as if he doesn’t know how to act around me, and I’m unsure if it’s because we’re headed to my sister’s wake or the fact, I’m fucking his father.

“Well, this is awkward,” I explode, yanking my seatbelt away from my chest. It’s too damn constricting. I’m sure these fangled contraptions don’t actually save lives. Okay, now I’m just being silly. Of course, they do, but right now it feels like it’s strangling me.

“You’re the one who’s screwing my dad. Of course, it’s fucking tense,” he explodes back.

I didn’t expect him to scream it, but now he does, a bubble of laughter erupts from my chest. He looks at me as if I’ve gone mad, searching my face for signs of a breakdown.

I’m not broken. Just utterly overwhelmed with sadness.

When my episode stops, we’re back to silence, but at least it’s a tad more comfortable this time.

“Want to explain to me how the hell you ended up with my dad?”

I recount our history, only to find out that Blade said something word for word a few days earlier. When I’m finished, silence envelops us. I wait for Xan to digest what I’m saying and articulate what’s on his mind.

“I’m really angry at the both of you. I am so mad that you took our friendship for granted and put us at stake.” Shame fills me. I glance down at my hands, feeling them get sweaty. “And my own dad didn’t even have enough respect for me. He’s my best friend, and he betrayed me. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to trust him again.”

I don’t speak, afraid the dam will burst again if I do. I feel a lump lodged in my throat, making it hard to swallow even air.

He can see I’m distressed, but still, he takes his time to word carefully what he wants to say.

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