Page 50 of True Honey
“It’s a business arrangement, Ar,” I muttered, forcing myself to meet his eyes. I knew the second I let my eyes leave his he would figure it out. It was such a stupid mistake.
“You fuckingsleptwith her,” he accused and it took everything in me not to flinch. “You did, didn't you?!”
“Keep your voice down,” I said, kicking my foot out and catching his shin hard enough to make him lose his balance.
“Why? Afraid the entire Nest will know about your slutty side activities?” Arlo laughed but his eyes were vicious and locked on mine. “Si, you’re too smart to be that fucking dumb,” he said with a shake of his head and sat back on the ground to stare at me.
“It was just once, and she pretended it didn’t happen the next morning. We’re fine,” I said, mostly trying to convince myself.
Arlo stared at me like I was losing my mind and maybe I was.
“You’re an idiot,” he responded. “You have a pool of women that would jump at the chance to spend one night with you. Why the hell did you sleep with the one that you have a contract with?”
“It just happened, it was my birthday and we were drunk…” I led off.
“You were drunk?” Arlo scoffed. “Even better, you had drunk sex with the single mom who you’re parading around like your fiancé.”
“Alright hey, enough of the judgement please,” I said, waving a dirty rag in surrender before chucking it at him.
“Do you like her?” He asked and I opened my mouth to deny it. “Don’t fucking lie to me, asshole, or I’ll go get Ella and you can deal with her judgement.”
“Mercy,” I sighed, “I can’t take another scolding from her this week,” I said.
Arlo smirked, “I warned you not to involve them.”
“I tried not to, but you know them…” I felt cornered and frustrated, so far from my usual confidence. “Besides, I know about your little binder. You prick.”
“This family needs a new hobby,” Arlo said with a laugh. “If we collect any more strays wewillbe the Brady Bunch and Josh will never let anyone live it down.”
“I’m not collecting strays, and neither is Ella. Drew is just—”
“Yeah, that’s what I said… what Cael said… what Dean said…” Arlo’s list would be endless.
“Okay, okay, I hear you but I’m positive. It’s not serious, it was just a one-time thing,” I said to him.
Arlo tipped his head back and a throaty, wild laugh exploded from his chest, “shut the fuck up Silas,” he said after he calmed down.
“I’m over you, go get me Ella. At least she’ll call me handsome when she insults me,” I groaned.
“If she calls you handsome, I’m making her get her eyes checked…” Arlo teased. “It is serious and you’re trying to pretend it’s not to spare yourself the shame if it blows up.”
”What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“It means you’re an idiot,” Arlo said again.
“Stop calling me that,” I warned and he raised an eyebrow at me.
“Stop acting like one,” he countered. “I once had a man tell me to take a chance on something that I thought was ridiculous. A feeling that I was dismissing because I was afraid to make a fool of myself.”
“There’s more at stake in this situation than just being rejected for a Gala date, Ar.” I scratched my fingers into my beard and sighed.
“Do you ever listen to yourself?” Arlo asked. “You walk around here like you’re the only person that can save Harbor. It doesn’t need saving Silas, this town will survive without one ultra rich asshole running it.”
“You know that’s not true. We have hands on everything in this town, in the university… If that money goes to my father, we have nothing,” I said but I could hear the bullshit coming out of my mouth.
Arlo cocked his head. “Since when did your father’s money mean more than our family?” he asked, a final blow to the argument I was never going to win.
“Without that money we don’t have a home, Arlo… A team, a stadium.”
