“And I had to hear about that,” she snaps, losing her patience, same as I am. “I had to hear about all of it. The girls you fucked and the girls you didn’t. I had to hear about how much they wanted you, but you didn’t want them back. I had to hear about how they hoped they’d be different for you and never were. And when they realized I didn’t have access to the key to your heart and they couldn’t steal it from me, they ditched me. Not only did they ditch me, but they ostracized me.”
“Hardly what I’d call good friends.”
She steps into me. “Except they were. I had been friends with them since elementary school. Elementary school, Breck. And then you came along and after that, they just couldn’t handle being around me because it was too painful,” she mocks in a teenage girl voice. “They made it out like it was my fault you weren’t interested in them and suddenly, no one wanted anything to do with me. Think on that.”
“Aria, I graduated high school fourteen years ago. I was always honest and upfront with those girls. Always. And the second the two that I did sleep with had issues, I didn’t go near anyone else. I can’t control what others do or how they behave, especially when they say one thing and do the complete opposite. But hey, let’s say I was the bad guy then since you’re unable to see it any other way. Did you ever consider the fact that possibly I’m a different guy than I was back then? That maybe, just fucking maybe, I could be serious about a woman?”
She scoffs, folding her arms. “You’re right. You’re thirty-two now. When was the last time you actually had a relationship that lasted longer than a few weeks?”
I have actually. Not many, but I have. Still, I know what she’s doing and what she’s saying. But it doesn’t matter. Because something over my shoulder, something hanging off the edge of one of my barstools, catches her attention. And when she realizes what it is, I see murder in her eyes.
“I know that red scarf. That’s Rina’s scarf. Even if she hadn’t been wearing it earlier at the hospital once she changed back into her clothes, I’d have known it was hers. I bought that for her for Christmas last year.” She shoves my chest. Hard. As hard as she can. “Rina!” she yells. “You’re fucking Rina? My friend? After I’ve told you a thousand times over the years to stay away from my friends? And her?” She points toward the stairs. “I told her not to go near you. And now look! She lied to me. She told me nothing was happening with the two of you.”
Aria starts to lose it, spinning in a circle and clutching her hair in her fists.
“Aria, it’s not what you think. I swear it’s not. Rina is different. We were going to tell you. It’s just—”
“Does she know?” she snarls at me, her voice high-pitched and manic. “Does she know you’re leaving?”
“What?” I bark out. “What are you—”
“I spoke to Dad. He told me about what happened with you today at work. About the offer your old boss made you. Does she know you’re moving back to New York?”
“I never said I was moving back—”
“Does she know?!” she screams, getting right up in my face.
“I love her,” I scream back. “Okay? I fucking love her, Aria. I’m not moving back to New York. I’m not leaving Boston. I turned it down.”
She jars back, blinking rapidly at me, stunned out of her mind. “You…”
“Yes. I love her. I’m in love with her. And thanks so much for making me scream it at you first instead of allowing me to tell her.”
“Brecken.” Her hand covers her mouth.
“What? Don’t tell me it can’t happen. It’s happening. And I swear, if I have to hear from you one more time that I’m nothing more than a player, I’ll… well, I won’t kick your ass, but I’ll, I don’t know. Think of something.”
She puffs out a breath, her hand dropping to her hip as a small hint of a smile quirks the corner of her lips. Likely at my expense.
“She’s my best friend.”
“And Wes was mine. So maybe it’s time you stop being a fucking hypocrite and get over your shit already.”
Her blue eyes flash past me, gliding up over my shoulder and I don’t have to look to know Rina is now standing there. Because contrary to Aria’s awesome opinion of me, I don’t bring a buffet of women home with me.
“You told me nothing was happening,” Aria accuses.
I spin around to watch as Rina shrugs up a shoulder, walking down the stairs wearing my T-shirt and sweatpants, her hair brushed but still soaking wet. “I ended it with him that night.”
“Because of me?”
Rina nods. “Yes. Because of you. Because I hated betraying your trust. Because I hated lying to you. Because I knew Brecken wasn’t staying in Boston and I didn’t want to lose your friendship over a guy who wasn’t planning on sticking around.”
Well, damn. That hurts.
“And now?”
Rina comes to stand beside me and instead of looking at Aria, she’s looking at me. “Now I was just informed he’s not moving back to New York.”
I shake my head, reaching out and cupping her face, my thumbs brushing back and forth along her cheeks as I stare into her eyes. “I’m not. I couldn’t.”
“Did you mean it?”
I grin, dropping my forehead to hers. “Every word.”
“Aria, you can go now,” Rina says.
Aria clears her throat. “Yeah. I’m thinking I need to. I don’t know if I’m okay with this yet, but it seems I don’t have a choice.”
“No,” I tell her without removing my eyes from Rina’s. “You don’t.”
“I’ll adapt,” Aria declares.
Rina makes some kind of snorting, choking sound and my grin spreads into a smile before I press my lips to hers. “Told you she would.”
“Siblings,” Rina muses against me, but she’s smiling now too.
Aria presses into Rina’s shoulder with her hand. “You need to call me tomorrow so we can talk.”
“I’m working a twelve.”
“You already know I’ll be in to check on Margot. You’re not able to get away that easily. We need to talk about this.”
“I know,” Rina acknowledges. “Whenever you want.” She turns to find her friend. “And I’m sorry I lied to you. That was never my intention.”
“I know. It’s just that—”
“Tomorrow,” I tell Aria, interrupting her before this gets out of hand. “Now fuck off. With love.” Because at this point, I just want her to go so I can kiss Rina and tell her I love her without my screaming it at my sister.
“You break her heart, Breck and I’ll be the one kicking your ass.” With that declaration, Aria finally leaves, shutting the door behind her.
“Well, that was intense,” Rina deadpans, and I erupt into a smile, the tension in my muscles ebbing along with it.
My thumb swipes back and forth across her lower lip. “I had a hell of a day.”
“So it seems. I don’t know the details. You’ll tell me. But Brecken, are you sure about New York? I don’t want to be the one you stay for now and resent later for it.”