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“You sound stressed,” he said after I asked him to fill me in on everything going on with him. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Nothing for you to worry about. You have enough going on yourself to not have to worry about me.”
“You’re my brother Mason. I’m always going to worry about you. What’s up?” he asked.
I let out a sigh. “Tom’s in town.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” he asked.
“You aren’t the first one to ask me that. It wouldn’t usually be a problem. But since I promised him that nothing would happen between Ava and me since she’s working here, and she and I are back together, it makes it more complicated,” I said.
“You and Ava are a thing again?” Jordan asked.
“Yeah. For the last couple of months. We haven’t been making a big deal out of it. It’s not that we’ve been hiding it from anybody but Tom, but we also haven’t like made an announcement or anything. Actually, I’m the only one who’s been hiding it from Tom. She didn’t know anything about the promise I’d made.”
“Oh,” Jordan said. “I have a feeling that has something to do with how stressed you sound.”
“Yes, it does. I didn’t know he was coming into town, and I hadn’t told her about the conversation. I kind of had to throw it at her when we got to the bar and he was here. As you can imagine, it didn’t go over terrifically well. He’s been here for a week, and she and I have said maybe six words to each other.”
“Damn,” Jordan said. “I’m really happy you’re back with Ava. The two of you were always supposed to be together. Tom needs to back off. He might be the oldest brother, but we’re not kids. He can’t just push you around because he put the money out for the bar. Whether he wants to admit it or not, he needs you more than you need him.”
“I don’t know if that’s true,” I said.
“Of course it is. Do you really think any of the rest of us could run that bar the way you do? It would have gone up in flames within the first two weeks. Tom knows you’re the one who holds down the fort and makes sure everything stays afloat. If any of us want to help Mom and Dad, it’s going to be because you’re able to run the ship,” he said.
“I guess maybe you’re right.” “Look, the point is Tom doesn’t get to tell you how to live your life. He can do a lot of things, but that’s one he’s going to have to get over. And if he throws a fit about it, let him walk away. The bar’s making so much money at this point, you could start paying him back for the investment and still have plenty left over. It won’t be too much longer before I get out and get to come home. Then I’ll be there to help you too,” he said.
It made me feel so much better to hear Jordan say that. I didn’t want to be the reason the bar suffered, or my parents didn’t get the care they needed.
Brian showed up later that night just in time for me to step aside for a break. The tables were all full, even the hidden one off in the corner, so it was back out to the parking lot. I was starting to feel like I was in a teen movie set in the late eighties.
“So, how’s Tom coping with you and Ava being back together?” Brian asked.
We hadn’t had a chance to talk about the situation since Tom was in town, but when I looked over at him, the expression on his face said already knew what was coming. He rolled his eyes.
“Look, I get it. It wasn’t my finest moment. I’m already getting the silent treatment from Ava and just got told off by Jordan. I am fully aware at this point that I did not handle the situation correctly,” I said.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” he asked.
“What do you mean what am I going to do about it? There isn’t anything to do about it.”
“So, you’re just going to let Tom run your life from halfway across the damn country like you’re a kid? No way man,” Brian said. “You know what? I’m just going to go tell Tom for you since you can’t grow the balls to do it yourself.”
He started toward the door, but I pushed him back. “I’m not sure it would even matter at this point. Ava’s pretty much done with me.”
Brian looked at me incredulously. “You’re an idiot, you know that? You’ve loved that woman half your damn life. You fought to get her back and you won. So, stop being such a coward and do what it takes to keep her in your life this time.”
