Page 78 of Still Love You

"Because you don't," he mumbles as I pull into the barbecue place.

I ignore his comment. I don't want to fight with him tonight.

We order our food and take it home and eat out by the pool.

"I'm stuffed," I say after finishing off a rack of ribs, three pieces of cornbread, and two of his mom's brownies.

"That place is a shithole but they have the best ribs in town." He gets up and dips his napkin in the pool to wet it, then comes back and sits down and wipes the sauce off his fingers. "So why aren't you out with Willow tonight?"

"Because I had to help your sorry ass get ready for a party, which we all know you're only having to meet girls."

"Girls like a pool." He motions to it. "I have a pool. Why not use it to my advantage? And it's not like you're not benefitting from this. You get to see girls in bikinis all night."

"I only want to see Willow in a bikini and I doubt she'll wear one tomorrow."

"Dammit, Silas." He throws his napkin down and shakes his head.

"What?" I gulp down the rest of my soda.

"You gotta end this obsession with Willow. She's not interested in you. It's time to move on."

"She's interested enough to have sex with me."

"One time. And that doesn't mean anything. She doesn't want a relationship with you. Love. Marriage. Whatever it is you're hoping for. She's not the one."

"And this is coming from someone who's never been in a relationship." I lean back in the chair, stretching my legs out. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be taking your advice, Trent."

"So you're just going to let her keep using you all summer as her little boy toy?"

He's been lecturing me about this all week and now he's just pissing me off. "That's not what she's doing, so back off."

"I'm trying to be a friend."

"Friends support each other."

"Not when your friend's doing something stupid."

I bolt up in my chair, glaring at him. "And you never do stupid shit?"

"Not the kind that ruins my life."

"Willow is not ruining my life."

"Not yet, but she will when the summer ends."

I slam my soda can on the table. "Why don't you just mind your own fucking business? I'm sick of you saying bad shit about her. And if you're not going to be nice to her tomorrow, I'm not coming to your party."

"I AM nice to her."

"It's not coming off as nice. She thinks you hate her. That's why she didn't think she was invited to the party."

"Listen, Silas." He faces me, his arms on the table. "I have no problem with Willow as a person, but I don't like her jerking you around."

"She's not—"

"Let me finish."

I sigh. "You got two seconds and then I'm done listening to this."

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