“I can’t promise anything, Vander, but I will do my best.”
26
VANDER
When I return from a run the following afternoon, West is waiting for me. He’s sitting on his butt on the dirty ground outside the gate to the carriage house with his legs bent and his face buried in his knees.
“Hey, man.” I open the gates and clamp a hand on his shoulder. “Come on in.”
Without uttering a word, he scrambles to his feet and follows me inside. I know why he’s here, and I need a couple of minutes to compose myself so I can be the friend he needs right now. “I’m gonna grab a quick shower. I have beer or there’s tequila in the cupboard. Help yourself.”
He nods, making a beeline for the refrigerator. His shoulders are tense, his back stiff, and he’s not carrying himself with the usual confidence. I feel for him, I really do, but I’m also pleased she went through with it. I barely slept all night worrying Kendall would change her mind or Curtis would try to talk her out of it. Guilt jumps up and bites me as I think these thoughts, and I feel like the absolute shittiest friend on the planet.
Leaving West to his beer, I head into the shower to get my head on straight. Compartmentalizing my feelings is something I have become good at, and I need to do that now. I can’t be thinking of Kendall or selfishly thinking of myself when my buddy needs me.
West is on his second beer when I emerge from my bedroom ten minutes later. Grabbing a cold one from the refrigerator, I join him on the couch. “What’s up?”
A muscle clenches in his jaw, and he tightens his grip on his bottle before answering me. “My parents are getting divorced.”
I squeeze his shoulder. “I’m sorry for what you’re going through.”
“My dad is an asshole. I hate him.” He drains half his beer, and a thunderous look washes over his face. “Everything he said was lies stacked upon lies.” He turns to face me with red-rimmed eyes. “He’s having another affair, and he wasn’t even going to tell us.” He knocks back more beer. “Mom had to basically force him to admit it although she did agree they have been drifting apart for the past few years and splitting up was inevitable.” Grabbing one of my new cushions, he throws it at the wall. “It’s such bullshit, and now everything is changing.”
“What can I do?”
“Distract me.” He runs shaky fingers through his hair. “Hazel is at her grandparents’ house all afternoon, and she’s got some volleyball team night out to go to later. I don’t want to return home until that asshole is all moved out.”
“Where is he moving to?”
“An apartment in Denver owned by his employer. It’s only temporary until he finds his own place. He says he’s going to stay local, and he promised he’d still be at all of my games and around to take Ridge to Little League and camping, but I don’t buy it. He’ll be too busy fucking his slut to care about his kids.” He waves his bottle in my face. “Mark my words. Just wait and see.”
For West’s sake, I hope he’s wrong. I hate Curtis Hawthorne, but he’s still his dad, and he supports his son in a way my father never has.
“How did Stella and Ridge take the news?”
“Stella is pissed, like me. Ridge burst out crying, and he was hugging Dad begging him not to go.”
“Shit.” I rub a hand across the back of my neck. “That must’ve been hard to watch.”
“It was. He’s too young to understand Dad is a piece of shit who betrayed Mom.” He drains the rest of his beer and leans his head back, closing his eyes.
“Want to head to the club and go a few rounds in the ring?” I suggest even though I have just showered and Sundays are my day off. West needs to physically express his emotions, and there is no better place.
He slowly nods. “Yeah, I think I do.”
I text Kendall later that night to tell her West is with me and not to come over. After a couple of hours in the ring, we came back to my place and called in reinforcements. It’s a somber affair with some of our closest buddies, a few beers, and copious games of Call of Duty. I think West is imagining his dad every time he annihilates the enemy. I know I am. I hate seeing him so upset, and I’m kinda pissed at Hazel. She could’ve ditched her plans for tonight to comfort her boyfriend because I really think he needs her.
A knock at the door pulls me out of my head, and I go to answer it, reeling back when I see Bowie on my doorstep. Shoving him away, I close the door and square up to him. “What the fuck, dude? You can’t be here.” He’s sporting a nasty bruise on one cheek and a cut on his lip. “The last thing West needs is to see you, and Shep isn’t exactly your biggest fan either.” I heard what Stella told Kendall last night, and the news his mom slept with his crush must be killing Shepherd. He’s as melancholy as West tonight.
“I fucked up, but I don’t think I deserve to be blackballed.”
“No one is saying that, but you need to lay low for a while.”
His features harden. “You’re not letting me in? Seriously?”
He’s twitchy and struggling to maintain eye contact, and I’m pretty sure he’s on something. “Go home, Bowie. Let this blow over.”
His mouth pulls into a sneer. “I hear West isn’t the only one who needs consoling. Perhaps I’ll pay Mrs. H a visit. Stella too if she’s up for a threesome.”
My arm juts out before I have processed the motion, and I punch him hard in the face. He goes down fast, clutching his nose and cursing. The door opens behind me and a couple of guys who are on the football team with Bowie and West step outside. “Get him out of here before I kill the motherfucker.” Pun not intended. I shake out my sore fist, seething on the inside.
“Fuck you, asshole.” Bowie climbs to his feet, using his fingers to mop up the blood spilling from his nose. “I’m done with you.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with you, but this isn’t the way to handle it. Keep pissing off your friends, and you’ll find you have none left.” I don’t wait for his reply, leaving the jocks to take care of the douche as I head back inside to look after my buddy.
“Where did you disappear to Saturday night?” Gayle asks, slinking up beside me as I retrieve my books from my locker. I’m a bit hungover this morning after staying up until midnight drinking with West. I asked him if he wanted to sleep on my couch, but he insisted on going home. I think he felt guilty for abandoning his family all day, but he needed space to process everything.
“I went home,” I say, stuffing a couple of books in my bag and shutting my locker.
“You’re no fun.” She pouts, running her hands up my chest. “I was hoping to receive an invite to your place.” She presses herself up against me and curls her hands around my neck. “I’m free tonight if you want to hang out.” She licks her lips and lowers her eyes to my mouth. “I can stay over too. I know my daddy won’t mind.”
This is what I get for using her to get back at Kendall. Something I have been beating myself up over continuously since Saturday night. Kendall was right when she called me out on my behavior, and I’m ashamed I stooped so low and let jealousy get the best of me. Kendall has enough on her plate without dealing with my petty shit. I still don’t know where we stand, and I may have ruined things before they have even begun.