Page 97 of You Don’t Kiss Your Brother's Best Friends

“Yeah,” I chuckled, crossing my arms. “Shit.”

The two of them had run as far as they could — all the way to Newcastle, Australia. I admired them for the commitment, even if I despised them for who they were.

“W—What do you want?” Ashley finally managed.

I couldn’t hide my own disbelief.

“What do Iwant?”I repeated with genuine incredulity. “What do I WANT??”

“I mean… Iknowwhat you want,” stammered Ashley. “And why you’re here. I don’t know how the hell you found us, but—”

“Does it matter?” I snapped.

“No, no, of course not,” Ashley said quickly. “And we’re sorry, Jocelyn. So, very, very sorry.”

Three pairs of booted feet finally turned their heads. Kayden and Bishop walked up on either side of them, as Andre slid up behind me.

“It doesn’tsoundlike she’s sorry,” said Bishop. “Does it?”

“No,” Kayden agreed. “Not at all.”

He swept his arm, and an entire shelf of books and magazines collapsed to the floor. A nearby customer — the only other one in the store — quickly made for the exit.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it anyway,” said Andre. “Not in this situation.”

“No,” Bishop agreed. “Sorry just pisses people off.”

He raised his fist, holding it directly over a shelf of tiny crystal figurines.

“WAIT!” Ashley shouted loudly. “PLEASE!”

“Please?” I scoffed. “Now there’s a good word. I remember calling you from our empty warehouse, leaving you messages. Messages like ‘please Ashley, don’t do this. Please come back.’”

Bishop’s arm fell, cruelly ending the lives of a hundred crystal kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras. In that moment, I saw Ashley’s will break. She began crying, and I almost felt bad for her.

Almost, but not quite.

“I don’t know what’s worse,” I told her. “You stealing every last penny I had, or the two of you using that money to set up a dime-store tchotchkes shop on the other side of the planet.” I picked up a nearby wooden boomerang in disgust. “This is repugnant,” I said, shaking it at them. “Unfuckingbelievable that you even—”

“It’s all my fault.”

Jeremy moved to take a step forward. He was immediately stopped by a sudden change in body language, and three menacing stares.

“I mean, please, Jocelyn. Don’t blame her.” He looked almost apologetic. “I was the one who suggested we run away. I was the one who came up with the idea of just selling it all, packing our things—”

“And cutting me out of that equation completely.”

He nodded slowly, looking ashamed. “Yes.”

A sullen silence fell over the little store. It was broken only by the clink of glass, as something dropped off another shelf a few aisles over.

“Jeremy can’t take all the blame,” said Ashley. “I could’ve said no. I—Ishould’vesaid no…”

“But you didn’t,” I reasoned. “And now you’re pressing T-shirts in a souvenir shop at the ass end of the world.” I let out a sigh, then stopped to look around. “Is it at least nice here in Newcastle? Do you like it?”

My ex-friend and business partner gave a shy shrug. “I like it.”

Her fiancé edged a little closer to her. It was almost cute.

---