Page 72 of The Import Slot
“No, I—” But he hangs up, leaving me standing there stunned. “Fuck. He thinks I’m screwing Vicky.” I pull up his number and call him back, but it goes straight to voicemail. I yell out in frustration.
“Ry—” Jen starts, but Vicky is now screaming my name. She’s striding over to me, Johnny at her heels.
“What the hell have you said to Liam?” I guess he ended our call and was straight on the phone with her.
“Nothing, actually. I didn’t get the chance.”
“He thinks we’re sleeping together,” she yells.
“You’re sleeping with my sister?” Johnny says, standing behind Vicky, his eyes wide.
“No!”
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Johnny raises his voice.
“I saw your iPad receive an incoming call from Liam, and a message followed it, and I told Ryan,” Jen says to Vicky. “It was in the kitchen. I’m sorry. I wasn’t snooping.”
“You’re speaking with Liam, again?” Johnny asks Vicky, but she doesn’t answer. “What did it say?”
Vicky looks between me and Jen and then back at Johnny.
Johnny tries getting an answer out of Jen. “Did you see what the message said?” he asks.
She nods.
“Liam and Vicky were due to get married,” I say, saving Jen the hassle.
“Married?” Johnny’s eyes fix on Vicky, and she nods, tears welling.
“I called it off,” she says, letting out a breath.
“Why would you be marrying Liam Preston?” Johnny says.
The way he says it pisses me off. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I say, getting defensive.
He’s my brother, my best friend, and even though he kept such a monumental life event from me, he’s still my twin, and I won’t have anyone talking shit about him.
Johnny and I argue back and forth until Vicky interrupts.
“Stop. Everyone.” Vicky says. “We’ve been off-and-on for years, Johnny. Liam was going to come out here. We were going to start a life together, but I couldn’t go through with it.”
Vicky’s crying now. Jen puts her arm around her shoulders to provide some comfort, but the tears keep coming.
Johnny’s stance becomes a display of irritation. He’s pacing and keeps dragging his hands through his hair.
“Can I ask why?” he says, but Vicky is beside herself with upset. “Actually, I don’t want to hear it. You’ve done some crazy stuff in your life, Vicky, but planning on getting married on a whim?”
“It wasn’t a whim,” Vicky screams at Johnny, her face red and damp with tears. “I love him.”
This takes me by surprise; Jen and Johnny too, by the looks of it.
“You love him? Don’t be so ridiculous, Victoria.”
“Ridiculous? Me, ridiculous? You’re the one being ridiculous, Johnny. You wouldn’t even know what love was if it came at you like a puck to the face.”
Vicky’s upset turns to rage. She’s furious now, and she cuts Johnny off before he can get his words out.
“Just because you chose hockey over Sarah doesn’t mean everyone else would.”
