Page 36 of Love Me Good

When she left the room his phone buzzed in his back pocket, it had been going off the whole time he was there but he had ignored it. He pulled it out and saw it was his brother trying to call him. Ben let it go to voicemail before he unlocked his phone and scrolled through the messages.

There was one after the other from Matt, asking Ben where he was, why he wasn’t answering and lots of words he couldn’t make out. Was he drunk? This was out of character for stoic Matt and something niggled at Ben. His brother rang again just as Kayleigh reappeared. She slid her arms around him from behind and nestled herself against his back. The affection from her was what he loved the most, some guys weren’t all hugs and kisses and hand holding but Ben loved it.Touch me all the time, affection is my love language.

He was eager to continue his evening with Kayleigh but now he was worried about Matt.

“I’m really sorry Kay, but I’ve gotta go. Something’s going on and I’m not sure what,” he said, lifting his phone.

Her face shuttered slightly. “Oh, okay then, cool.”

He pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head and exhaled heavily. “I had a wonderful time, thanks for inviting me.” He pulled back and cupped her cheeks. “I’m glad I spent today with you, you’re what I’m thankful for.”

She smiled at him, her dimples popping.

They went downstairs and he thanked her parents for the invitation and for dinner and said that he needed to leave unexpectedly. He kissed Kayleigh again and then got in his car and headed for home. When he walked in, he let Geralt out for a hop around and hid some of his favorite veggies around the living room before he opened his phone up again.

Matt:Where are youu?

Matt:Why aren’t you anwsering me?

Matt:Why sid you leave us?

Followed by fifteen missed calls. It was weird behavior but what worried Ben the most was the last message from him.

Matt:I get why yuo left now…

Why did this have to happen today? Holidays always felt like a time to be around family, but Ben never felt like he had one he connected with, until today. Kayleigh and her parents had welcomed him with open arms, the warmth from them chasing away the cold upbringing he’d had from his parents. Although Kayleigh and her parents didn’t know Ben liked to dress up as a 1950s rock star in his spare time, they still accepted him as he was. So why couldn’t he shut his family out? Why did it hurt so much that his brother had contacted him?

Just then his phone buzzed again. With a sigh, he answered.

“Benny?” Matt slurred down the phone.

“Yeah?” he replied, his stomach sinking when he realized just how drunk his brother was. Ben was probably in for an ass-chewing now.

“Where are you?”

“Why do you care?” Ben snapped.

“Because I miss you, lil bro. I miss your face,” his brother hiccupped.

“Bullshit,” Ben snorted.

“No, it’ss true. I’m sorry about Tammy. I fucked up. I shoulda known she was a user, sshe just seemed so genuine. But you know what they say, these hoes ain’t loyal…”

“Don’t call her that. Just because she left your sorry ass doesn’t give you the right to talk about her like that.”

“You gon’ def-defend her? After what ssshhhe did to you?”

“People make mistakes. It was you and Dad who made it worse. You humiliated me, forced me to leave because I’m not like you, and made me feel like a failure for not wanting what you both did.”

“We don’t both want it…” Matt trailed off, his voice small. “It’s tough for me too, you know. D’you ever th-think that maybe I didn’t want thiss either? That I did it becaussse it was what was expected of me as the older b-brother? The heir? How c-come you get to be the one who does what you want? It’ss not fair!”

“I’m not fighting with you anymore,” Ben said, shaking his head though he knew Matt couldn’t see him.

“Tha’s not why I called. I just…it’s Thanksgiving…I miss you.”

Ben was about to reply that he missed Matt too, in a weird way, but then the next words came and he couldn’t help but feel like Matt was manipulating him.

“Where are you? Tell me where you are?”

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