Page 104 of Pin-up Girl

Aubrey’s laugh was musical, especially mixed with the harmony of Brodie’s chuckle. This was perfect. I really did feel like we could confront whatever came next, regardless of what it was.

28

aubrey

I hated to leave Clint last night, but it was easy to convince Brodie to stay at my place. Not just for the night, but until he could make long term plans to stay in Haddarville.

And waking up next to him was wonderful. Joking through breakfast… Getting a goodbye kiss when he left for the day… It was all positively domestic and I loved it.

I headed downstairs to my shop, and was surprised to find Deacon waiting outside. There was a part of me, an old mental habit, that made me wonder where the heart skip was, or where the resentment had gone. But mostly, I was surprised. He rarely visited anymore. After a lifetime of friendship, I’d barely seen him in the last year and a half.

That wasn’t his fault, though. I pushed away hard when he fell for Brooke and Adam—rather, when he admitted it. I couldn’t handle?—

I shook the thoughts aside and let him in. As he walked into the store and I locked the door behind him, I pretended to look past him. I poked him in the arm. “Nope, it’s you. Not a hallucination.”

“Ha ha. You were expecting someone else?”

“Adam, usually.” And even then, only if he had to come over. It was clear Adam didn’t like being our messenger.

Deacon shrugged. “I can go get him if you want. He can stand between us and repeat everything we say so you don’t have to talk directly to me.”

Had I been that bad?

I really had. “I suppose I should re-learn to have conversations with you directly.”

“It never used to be a problem.” There was no accusation in Deacon’s retort. Instead, he almost sounded sad.

“You know how it is. Friendzone sucks and all that.”

“I hear that’s not really a thing.” Deacon looked as good as ever, but that shine was gone. The glow that always made me think no one else will do.

Was it because I was in love with Clint and Brodie? I raised my eyebrows in challenge. “From who?”

No. The draw to him faded before then.

“Alys.”

Ah. I rarely took exception with the things Alys said. Besides, she was right. “I’m sorry. About the way I’ve been.”

“I forgive you.”

My flat laugh slipped out. “You’re not going to assure me that I didn’t do anything wrong?”

“If it had been me, I probably would have acted a lot the same, but not been so cool about it.”

I pursed my lips. “Considering the way you threw yourself at Brooke for years, but kept insisting you weren’t? Probably.” How did I miss that when it was happening?

I didn’t. I asked him about it again and again, and he promised he didn’t like Brooke that way. I wanted to believe him, so I did.

“Ouch.” Deacon sucked his teeth. “Okay, so neither of us is perfect.”

I studied him. Would we have had this conversation back then? Before we drifted apart?

“Is my fly down?” Deacon patted the front of his pants.

Some of him was still the same. “No. You’re just… different.”

“I’m really not.”

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