Page 27 of The Air You Breathe

When her SUV had been giving her some problems, she brought it in and I don’t know if it was the cost of the service, the hormones of pregnancy or being overwhelmed but she broke down and told me everything. I didn’t know what I could do but I reached out to some of Lucio’s contacts and they came through for me.

“Do you want me to go see him and let him know he has a baby? I can take a picture,” I said, thinking of a way to help her out. She finished crying, pulling away from me as she wiped her eyes.

“Dev, you're an incredibly decent man. I don’t know how I would have found this guy without you, but I know I need to do this on my own.” She took a deep breath, wiping her eyes. “Thank you.”

“I’m just helping a friend out, you would do the same for us,” I said, putting my hands into my pockets, feeling uncomfortable with the praise. “I could go with you for emotional support or maybe you can tell Cal.”

“No, if I took Cal, I think he would end up punching the guy and I don’t need this relationship to start off badly.” She rolled her eyes.

I couldn’t help but chuckle because I would do the same if it had been Ava. “Well, my offer still stands, just call me if you need me,” I said, looking back at the bar, worried about Evan.

Kelsey hugged me again. “I will and maybe Evan will pull his head out of his ass. I don’t think he noticed the glare he was giving that guy and you, too. Don’t think I didn’t notice that you were looking at her too.”

“I’m just worried about both of them,” I said, saying it more to myself than Kelsey. I couldn’t have feelings for my friend's girl.

But what were the unexpected trips to the coffee shop then?

“Well maybe it’s best if they go their separate ways, maybe you can be the shoulder she needs to cry on,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes at her. “First of all, it’s not like that, and how would it look to Evan if I swooped in and stole Darcy.”

“Is it really stealing his girl when they haven’t been together in three years?” Kelsey rebutted, opening the door to her car.

I shook my head because there was no point in talking about this when Darcy and I weren’t going to happen. “I meant what I said about going with you if you need me to. Text me when you get home.”

“I think you might be perfect for her, that guy looked like a dildo,” she yelled, ignoring my offer, as I walked away and laughed, caught off guard by her comment.

“Dildo? Really, Kelsey?” I turned around, amused by her choice of word.

She laughed. “I’ve been hanging around Jane too much.”

I shook my head, turned away, and walked back to the bar, nervous at what I would find. Since everyone else had left it was just Evan, Darcy and the dildo, as Kelsey had dubbed him. I grinned as I walked in, thinking the name fit perfectly.

My eyes immediately found Darcy and the dildo, igniting a jealousy in me that I was unprepared for. When I didn’t see Evan near them, I looked around the bar and I spotted him at the other end of it. He was glaring at them as he took a drink of his beer, a look of hurt passed his features but he quickly masked it with another swig of his beer.

I couldn’t help myself as I glanced at Darcy one last time, seeing her stare up at the guy, like she wanted to be kissed. Looking away before I witnessed something I would probably hit the guy for, I walked to Evan thinking I had to convince him to leave, or he might be the one to punch the guy.

Weaving through all the people I ordered two shots when I got to Evan. He looked like he was about to bite my head off until he realized it was me next to him. The bartender slid the shots in front of us as I ordered two more, leaving a fifty on the bar.

“We are going to have two shots before we pick up some burgers and fries and we are going to get trashed at your house,” I said, giving him one shot, clicking his glass as we both downed them.

“I waited too long,” he murmured, looking at them again.

“You kept her safe,” I said, giving him the other shot. “You gave her a life that is untouched by that man and we both know he would have used her against you.”

“I know, but why does it feel like keeping her safe is the worst mistake of my life?” He grabbed his shot and drank it quickly, slamming it down on the bar, then took mine and drank that too.

“Sometimes the right thing to do isn't always the easiest, especially when it comes to the people we love,” I said, getting up from my seat. “Come on, let's go before you see something that will end up with both of us in jail. And give me your keys.”

Evan sighed. “You think we can find his car and let the air out of his tires?”

I smirked. “I'm pretty sure I can guess what car he drives, it's probably douchey.”

That got a laugh out of Evan. We both stood up and walked towards the door. I wasn’t strong enough to just leave, I had to take one last look at Darcy. We locked eyes; it made me want to turn around and pull her away from that guy. Her face said it all, she was just as miserable as Evan, but they were just too stubborn to admit to each other that they still had feelings for each other. Jealousy raged through me again, not at the douchey dildo but at my friend Evan. Life hated me.

12

EVAN

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