“Don’t make me repeat myself,” I tell him.
“Stop it. Stop. Nate hasn’t done anything wrong,” Harper says. “We’re friends. I’m single, he’s single. It’s not a crime.”
Dean bores his eyes into her. “I’m going to enjoy creating a monthly payment plan for you. You said you wanted me to add interest, too, right?”
“Yes,” Harper says, and I see her physically pull her shoulders back. Steel herself to stay resolute in her decision, despite his tone making it into something ugly and coercive.
I hate seeing it. Hate seeing her forced to be strong when she doesn’t have to be. Hate that Dean has this hold over her. At this moment, it’s hard to look at my friend and remember that I ever felt guilty about being in love with his fiancée.
He never deserved her.
I’ve felt that way for years. Felt guilty about feeling it. Now, the guilt is gone, washed away, and I’m left with a bone-deep certainty.
“Dean, grab your bag,” I say. “You’re not staying here.”
“Fine.” He reaches for the handle of his travel case. “Damn right I’m not.”
He steps past Harper and opens his mouth, but I beat him to it. Put a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve said enough. Leave her alone. Harper, if you want to go inside, feel free.”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s gratefulness there. Then, she’s gone, walking up the steps and unlocking the door with her key. I can’t imagine ever asking for it back.
“I don’t even know what to say to you,” Dean growls. His voice is low and furious. “I asked you to keep an eye on her. Not to start fucking her!”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Maybe you should have fucked her better, then, and she wouldn’t have left.”
His eyes widen. It’s a low blow, and I shouldn’t have said that. Shouldn’t have gone there at all, I know that, but Harper’s pained expression when she talks about his actions haunt me. I want to hit him where it counts. I want to knock the wind out of him and send him on his way.
“Fuck you,” he spits. “You could have told me about it.”
“I could’ve. And I would have, if you hadn’t showed up unannounced here like this. Were you planning to stay with me?”
“Of course I was. You once said I had an open invitation.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Now, I wouldn’t step foot in your place.”
“Good. Because you’re not welcome in any of them.”
“What the hell happened, man? Why did you decide she was more important than this?” His eyes narrow, and his voice drops. “Why are you angry at me here?”
Oh.
Oh.
I level him with a stare I’ve seen my brother use more than once. A look my dad is an expert at, and my voice naturally slides into the same unforgiving tone they perfected. “Because I know better now. I know how you used your money to manipulate her. How you consistently ridiculed her dreams, and how you’ve continued to call and hound her about canceling the wedding. Enough, Dean. Enough.”
“So you’re on her side now?” He shakes his head, again. “You were just waiting in the wings, huh? Waiting to swoop in and scoop her up as soon as she was single.”
I lean in closer. “Maybe I was, Dean. And maybe you should have realized what a catch she was when she was yours. But she’s not anymore. And you will stop calling her.”
“Not for you to decide,” he sneers.
“Enlighten me. What’s the plan? You’re paying for wedding expenses, taking on the debts so that she will feel beholden to you. And then, you’ll use that as your excuse to keep in constant contact with her as she repays you.” I raise an eyebrow. “At some point, I’m guessing, you plan to tell her that it would be much easier if the two of you just got back together. Because then, she wouldn’t have to make the payments anymore. Right?”
Dean’s silence and the anger in his eyes tell me I’m spot-on.
“How much is it?”
He grits his teeth, but he answers. Spits out the number as if it hurts. And it’s so much lower than my ballpark estimate that it makes me laugh.
I don’t mean to. But to concoct all of this over that sum…