Page 50 of Before We Were Us

“Let me just say that she started out the night hating you, and six hours later I think I may have knocked the hate right out of her.” He wags his brows and all I can do is stare at him. “She left smiling, and singing a whole different tune. Speaking of singing you should hear that woman when she?—”

“Nope.” I shake my head. “Stop right there,” I insist and he chuckles while taking a big drink of his beer.

“You are such an ass.” The man has no filter.

“Yeah, but I think me being an ass may have gotten you someone that can be beneficial to have in your corner. You can thank me later.”

thirty-one

. . .

Brynnlee

Mindlessly I stir the creamer in my cup that has already started to cool. My father’s words knock around in my head, as if to remind me that I need to accept them. Refusing to let me forget that Jensen and him shared a conversation I have yet to know the full extent of.

My thoughts run rapidly, questions and an unsettled feeling in my stomach making it hard for me to focus on much of anything else.

Closing my eyes I swear that I can feel his arms around me, his body pressed into mine from behind. The tinkle of his breath against my ears when he whispers to me.

“So glad it’s Sunday,” Taylor enters the kitchen and I jump in surprise when I hear her voice. “Jumpy are we?”

Turning I lift my cup and try not to cringe when I drink the cold coffee. “Just tired.” I am not delusional enough to believe she buys the excuse. Those are the downfalls of having a friend that can read you like a book. To her I am transparent and she sees right through me.

“I think maybe you need to talk to him.” She doesn’t even attempt to play along, but instead goes right for it. I stare at her, unsure of what to say.

“Seriously Brynn, Connor says there is an entire story that needs to be told and that you’ve only been given a small look into the shit show called Chrissy.”

I stare at her in disbelief as she pours herself a cup of coffee then turns to face me.

“Since when do you talk to Connor?”

I suddenly feel like the entire world is going crazy around me. How did I miss this?

“We ran into each other outside of the liquor store. We got to talking, he asked about you. Since you aren’t answering his calls he can’t ask you himself.”

Again I stare, feeling like I don’t actually know my best friend at all.

“We went for coffee.” She looks down as if to avoid my stare and again I say nothing. “Okay and then we ended up back at his place and well.” She allows the explanation to die there and instantly all hope of remaining calm escapes me.

“You slept with him!”

“Have you seen that man?” She smiles, fanning her face.

“Yes, and so have half the women in Chicago.” Taylor has never been shy with her endeavors and she refuses to care what others think. I’m envious of her for that very thing, she is who she is, and if you don’t like it, well you can fuck off.

“He’s very skillful.” She lifts her cup to hide her smile.

“Tay, you do know that he isn’t the kind of guy to settle down.”

“Good because I don’t want to settle down.” Her parents had a horrible marriage. I’ve never seen two people that hated one another more and instead of divorcing they chose to make each other miserable for years. Which meant that Taylor was a witness to all their shit.

“Can we talk about you though, instead of me?” She steps forward and places her cup onto the countertop.

“There is nothing to talk about.” There is so much. But I don’t want to, I just want to forget it all exists and go back to the point in my life where I didn’t feel so torn and twisted.

“There is so much to talk about,” she assures me.

“He’s married, whether it's a happy marriage or not.” Am I the only person that thinks what he did was fucked up? “What else is there to say?”

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