Page 51 of Sweet Twins For My Brother's Best Friend

“It’s…yeah. I’ve been seeing someone, and I think she’s... Well, I think Julie’s jealous, and she’s been lying, saying things to try and get me to break up with this other girl.”

I tread carefully, pulling on a wayward curl, pulling it down so that it’s a tight strand and then letting it go so that it coils up again.

“You’re seeing someone? Who?” His curiosity kicks in, and he leans forward eagerly.

“Just a girl I’m seeing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Well, you have to tell me who, come on.”

“Just someone from the gym. You don’t know her,” I lie, tearing off a piece of croissant and stuffing it into my mouth, trying to fill my mouth before I say too much.

“I thought you vowed never to date someone from the gym. Didn’t you say it was a conflict of interest? I specifically made fun of you for it because you’re not a lawyer.”

Tyler’s pointing an accusatory finger at me as though he’s caught me in a grievous lie.

“Well, she was really hot, so I broke my vow just this once.”

“So give me a name.” I have a feeling that he’s got a feeling, that the two of us are in a game of cat and mouse.

“God, you’re relentless. It’s Samantha.” I give the name of the woman who’d given me her number long ago, just anyone to shut him up.

Tyler leans back, satisfied that he wrangled my “secret” from me.

"Man, Julie always was a drama queen. What are you going to do?"

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck.

"I don't know, Ty. It's delicate, you know? Samantha saw me with Julie and she…well, she thought we were on a date, I think. But then Julie had told me something that made me a little nervous about Samantha. It's a mess."

"Hm.” Tyler’s shoulders droop as he takes it in.

“Well. It’s Julie, you know? Julie’s hardly trustworthy. I would always give someone else the benefit of the doubt before I would believe Julie. Maybe you’re overcomplicating it. Just call Samantha up and explain it. Explain that you’re a deeply fucked up man and that you’ll need continual therapy for years to get over it.”

Tyler grins at me, pushing his cheeks up into his eyes.

His words ring true, and guilt washes over me. He’s right. It’s Julie.

There’s no way she’s telling the truth. And Hannah would understand. I just have to call her and explain.

"Yeah. You’re right. Yeah! It’s Julie, dude, what am I getting all tied up in knots for? Thanks, man. Thank you. I just needed someone to talk to, you know? I needed to work it out by talking it out.”

"Anytime. You’re my best friend. And hey, if you need a break, come over tonight. We can grab a beer, watch the game. Distract yourself a bit."

I agree, grateful for the offer, though I know my mind will be anywhere but on the game.

“Yeah. But I think maybe I should call Samantha first, yeah?”

My thoughts drift back to Hannah. I need to explain things to her, to clear up the misunderstanding before it grows into something insurmountable.

“Yeah, you do that. I’ll be right here.”

I sneak away to a corner of the coffee shop and pull out my phone. Usually, my mind would be full of all the usual thoughts of rejection.

What if she won’t listen? What if seeing me with Julie poisoned this before it started?

But this time, I feel at peace.

I know I can trust Hannah, that she’ll listen and understand the way she has every time I’ve needed an ear or a shoulder.

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