Page 51 of Ky
“Okay, I’ll meet you over there.”
A few minutes later we were propped up at the bar top with pints of Guinness in front of us.
“I feel like a poser here,” I said with a laugh.
“You look like one, too.”
We laughed and drew the attention of a few other patrons.
“So, what’s been up with you?” he asked, giving me a sideways glance, as if daring me to give him a generic answer.
“Nothing much,” I said unable to resist the urge to mess with him. Okay, and maybe I wasn’t really wanting to talk about things. I was sure Ky didn’t want me talking about it, yet another thing that irked me.
“Okay, fine. But this feels weird,” he said and I gave him my full attention and questioning eyes. “This thing where you don’t talk to me anymore.”
With a sigh, I dropped my gaze. If I explained why, that would mean explaining everything.
“It’s not you. I know, sounds lame. But for real. If I talk about it, then it becomes a thing, and if it doesn’t work out the way I hope, then the wholethingis out there and whatnot.”
“Fine, I don’t like it, but I get it,” he said then took a long pull of his beer. I did the same and waited for what was next because I knew he wasn’t done. “So, this thing that we aren’t going to talk about—ow!” He winced as I smacked his arm.
“Reagan,” I reminded him as a warning.
Sure he had Cami now, but there was a time that he was maybe a little mixed up about someone else. And, no, he hadn’t talked to me about it way back when.
“I get it. How’s the Ingram thing?”
Thank God he changed the subject.
“Weird. Awkward. Fun. And, uh, interesting,” I said summing it up as simply as I could.
He let out a laugh and shook his head.
“She’s a doll. I kinda love her like a little sister and I wish that things could be easier for her,” I said trying to talk about the situation delicately. “She’s been through some heavy stuff from what I gather, but she doesn’t let it bring her down. She has like this new, fresh way of looking at the world and you can’t help but let it rub off on you.”
“Have you talked to Ky about what he’s going to do when the baby comes?”
“Uh, um, er…no.”
“By the looks of her, it won’t be long.”
“I know. There’s just been a lot of other stuff going on. Sometimes I feel like this weird monkey in the middle between them. I keep hoping that maybe if I step back a little, then the two of them will sit down and figure things out.”
“Ah, I got ya,” he said with a small, bouncing nod. “But that’s kind of you, Chris. You’re the guy that steps in and takes care of everyone, even when they don’t realize they need it. You think of things that others don’t because you pay attention to the little things. My opinion, if you think it will ease the situation then step in and help out. I’m not saying that you have to get in there and figure it all out, but maybe, like, make them sit down and deal with shit.”
“Yeah,” I said with a sarcastic huff. “That sounds like something I can do, force Ky to do something he might be avoiding.”
Brand chuckled before he took a sip of his beer.
“Maybe, don’t give up on him so easily,” he said and I could tell he was trying his best not to look at me.
“I’m trying,” I whispered then downed half my beer hoping that Brand didn’t hear me, or if he did, he was going to leave it alone.
“Oh, lookie here. Paragons in an Irish pub.”
Before I could look at the person that had said that, a heavy arm was slung over my shoulders as a body pushed between Brand and me.
“Connor. You good, buddy?” Brand asked, eyeing him with worry.
