Page 38 of Starfish and Coffee
“Do you have something you want to tell me?” Alex studied the two of them suspiciously. Holly’s face was in her hands as if she wanted the kitchen table to swallow her whole, and Will looked ready to actually fight him. “Has something happened between you two that I don’t know about?”
“No,” Holly denied a little too quickly as she lifted her head and looked at Alex. “It’s nothing, really. It’s just—”
“She should be more than the girl you fall back on when you can’t find someone else to fuck,” Will answered for her.
“I think I can speak for myself.” Holly shoved at Will’s shoulder to prove her point. “This he-man act is gettingveryold.”
“What she said,” Alex agreed with Holly as he narrowed his eyes at Will. “Are you fucking my best friend?”
“If Iwasfucking her, I wouldn’t be off partying every night—without her.” Will’s gaze leveled at Alex with brotherly disapproval. “If Mom knew what you’ve done to Holly, she’d be rolling over in her grave.”
“I was just rubbing her back after a long shift, and you’re losing your mind about it.” Alex gestured wildly to Holly. “What the fuck have I done to her?”
“Nothing!” Holly said quickly. “He’s just got all these ideas. I never said anything like that. You know I didn’t.”
“She didn’t have to. I see her home every night while you’re off making out with Tarrington.”
“Fuck you, Will,” Alex said slowly as every hair on his body stood on end in fear and fury. “Fuck you and your goddamn high horse. You don’t know shit about anything.”
“I know that while you’re off picking up girls with that preppy fuck Tarrington, I’ve been going down on your girlfriend,” Will said with a dark look. “And it seemed like it’d been areallylong time.”
Alex stood stock-still as the blood pounded in his ears. There wasn’t a damn thing he could say about that. He was still in shock that all this was happening to begin with. He’d known Will had a thing for Holly, but he hadn’t expected him to act on it when every plan Will had made for the past five years put him off Mirabella Island the second he got that law degree in his hands.
Holly loved the island. She’d never be happy in a city.
All these thoughts poured through his mind, along with the absolute fury over all the jabs Will had made about Matt. He’d said it in the same mocking way every straight asshole did, like kissing another man was the most insulting thing he could think of, never knowing that making out with Matt had become Alex’s reason for living.
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Holly hissed at Will. “I keep telling you that. We’refriends.”
Will snorted. “With benefits. You were just naked under him when you swore to me it wasn’t happening anymore.”
Unwilling to hear any more, Alex turned on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen before he did something horrible, like get into an actual fistfight with his brother. It was anyone’s guess who’d win. Will was a little bulkier, but Alex was considerably faster, and both of them knew how to fight if they had to.
Alex knew he had to get out of the house before they ended up doing something that traumatized Holly more than they already had. He grabbed his keys off the side table by the door and walked outside in nothing but a pair of jeans.
“Alex, wait!”
Alex turned to see Holly fly out the door with his helmet and shoes in her hands. “I’ll talk to him. He’s just stressed with school and—”
“Whatever.” Alex grabbed his helmet before she could start with the explanations. Then he slid on his sandals that she dropped in front of him. “Have fun.”
“You cannot possibly be mad at me about this,” she countered with a look of hurt. “You’re not my real boyfriend, Alex. I don’t care if you spend time with Matt. I’m happy for you, but I thought you wanted me to find someone too.”
“I don’t give a shit if you fuck Will. If he’s your someone, fine,” Alex barked with a wild look toward the house. “I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me. At least give me a heads-up. Did you hear what he said to me? He thinks I’m the biggest dick in the world!”
“I haven’t actually slept with him.” Holly winced. “This has all been sort of unexpected.”
“But you want to?”
Holly looked away. “Well, not right now when he’s being an asshole.”
“Look, Hol, I love you, and I’m sorry you hurt your leg.” Alex took a steadying breath. “But I gotta get out of here before I kick my brother’s ass, okay? I don’t want to do that.”
Holly nodded. “I understand. I’ll come see you at Matt’s later.”
“I don’t even know if I’m going to Matt’s.”
“Will you call me?”
