I unlock the door, and TJ, Shane, and I enter the house. Together, TJ and I help Shane maneuver his way up the stairs to his bedroom.
As I lay Shane down, TJ starts to untie Shane’s shoes.
I watch, enthralled by TJ’s long fingers undoing the knots.
He is being quite helpful, and it is throwing me for a loop.
I know they are friends, but they can’t be close enough that TJ would untie Shane’s dirty shoes. I shudder at the thought.
“You can go now,” I say as Shane lays his head down on his pillow and pulls his shoeless feet away from TJ.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you alone to deal with him. He can be a real menace when intoxicated,” TJ says with a laugh, like we have an inside joke.
My nose crinkles. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for the ride. See you in court.”
At the mention of court, TJ’s face falls, and he turns on his heel and walks out of the room.
Good riddance.
I run my fingers through Shane’s hair. “How are you feeling?”
“You should be nicer to TJ,” Shane says.
I didn’t think he was conscious enough to notice our exchange.
“He really helped me out when Jennifer dumped me last summer. I was a mess, and he was there for me when everyone else was sick of my crying.”
While Shane is slurring his words, I get the gist, and am shocked.
TJ did seem to care about Shane tonight, but it still startles me just how much he seems to be there for my brother. But just because he's Shane’s friend doesn’t change my feelings toward TJ. He treated me like trash as a teen, and just because he is decent to my brother doesn’t make him a good guy.
Right?
I am starting to have some doubts. How can I sue someone who just drove my drunk brother home and took off his stinky shoes?
Doesn’t that show that TJ thinks about others?
But just because he does doesn’t mean his company isn’t guilty of using the KobiTech app illegally, I remind myself.
I am filled with confusion as I make my way to my old bedroom.
The familiar walls are discomforting, but I ignore them as I stare up at the ceiling.
My thoughts are jumbled, and I have trouble falling asleep.
There is just something that keeps my mind awake.
I know exactly what is, but I will never admit that TJ’s face is all that I see as I try and fall asleep.
Tonight was indeed fun, but it was also stressful.
TJ Rubens causes me mixed emotions, and I’m not sure I will ever be able to put my finger on them.
***
Somewhere miles away
His eyes burn as he watches the blonde drive away from the girl’s house. They have met.