Page 36 of Friends Rucked Up

Oh. This is making more sense. I’m not sure why he couldn’t wait for me to come home, but Alfie feared he might freak out. Maybe this is his meltdown.

“I’ve heard,” is all I say.

His eyebrows knit together in a deep frown. “When?”

“I saw him this morning as I got in the car. He was heading out on his run.”

He chews on his lip while nodding. “I guess that makes more sense than what was going through my head. I’m probably paranoid, but I never saw my best friend falling for my sister. I feel stupid just saying it out loud. All I’ve ever done is be protective of you. Maybe I was pushing you both away.”

I shake my head because I wasn’t expecting him to say that. “You’ve done nothing wrong. This thing with Alfie is a new development which even I didn’t see coming.”

“Maybe for you it’s a new thing. Now I’ve had time to think it through overnight, I think Alfie might’ve had these feelings for a while.” He seems upset with himself.

This explains Alfie’s hesitation. He was worried about what my brother would think, and it seems Harlan gave him reason to be cautious.

“What makes you say that?”

“Now I can see it, I’m questioning everything. I should’ve guessed when he chose the apartment across the road from you. I thought he was doing me a favour, but he genuinely wanted to be close to you.”

I bite my lip trying to hide my smile. I wasn’t aware of that either. My insides flip at the thought of him being there for me for more than my brother.

“Of course he fancies Saylor. She’s beautiful inside and out,” Gordon says.

Harlan lets out a burst of laughter. “That she is.”

“Gordon’s trying to update his vocabulary,” I say. I’ve no idea what word he would’ve used in his younger day, but I’m pretty sure that wasn’t it. “So, what now?” I ask my brother.

“I guess that’s up to you.”

He doesn’t seem so mad now he’s sat down. If I start dating his best friend, it’s going to change things for us. Plus, if we ever split up, things could get awkward. For now, I don’t want to dwell on things that might never happen. It’s Alfie I need to talk to. He’s the only one who can help us figure out if we’re going to take this leap into the unknown.

Sam arrives with the tea and two cups, so I guess I’m taking my morning break with two of my favourite guys. Our conversation turns to Harlan’s travels, and I sit back enjoying his adventures.

“I’m planning on staying until after the last rugby match which is only a few weeks away, and then I’m re-joining friends in Australia,” Harlan says, which isn’t news to me, but still makes me a little sad. His visits will always be too short for my liking.

“I’ll be upset to see you go,” I say with a slight frown.

“You’ll have Alfie, so there won’t be any space for me in the middle.” He doesn’t say it in a nasty way, but I’m second guessing whether he is okay with the new development, even if I’m not sure what my new relationship will become.

“Nothing will change. You’re my brother, and I love you. I’ve always got time for you.”

“It won’t be the same,” he says glumly.

“Listen here, mister, you’ve got the best of both worlds. You get to keep your best friend and your sister close. You don’t have to worry about them being apart which is actually a stroke of genius. You’re never going to have to visit two houses for Christmas, accept two new partners, or juggle a boat load of snot-nosed kids. They’ll share everything, so you only get half the amount of commitments. The way you like to travel I’d presume that would suit you just fine,” Gordon says.

My brother and I stare at each other for a moment while Gordon’s words settle in.

To break the silence I say, “We haven’t even been on a date, so Gordon’s way off base with half the things he said, but he’s right in a roundabout way. My interest in Alfie doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We will work it out, and at the end of the day we essentially want the same thing.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that, but I’ll get over it.” Harlan takes a drink of his tea.

Overall, I think this went pretty well. Yes, he’s freaking out, but he’s supportive. That’s all I can ask for.

Chapter Sixteen

Alfie

We’ve been on the bus home for over an hour, and the mood is low. We’ve suffered another defeat although this one was a close match. I tried to get my head in the game, but I’ll be honest, my focus could’ve been better.

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