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I pull open the door as he steps up onto my porch, before he even has a chance to knock. “No sign of him?”
He shakes his head. “No. I searched everywhere—even the side of town he got busted on—and didn’t find anything. Wherever he is, he doesn’t want to be found, that’s for sure.”
I push the door open wider and motion him inside. “Might as well keep me company as we wait. Hopefully he’ll turn up soon.”
He steps inside and turns his head to look around my house. “Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve been in here, but things are exactly how I remembered.” He points to a picture hanging up next to the door of me from junior high. “I think that’s when I first met you—all elbows and knees.”
I roll my eyes and laugh as I close the front door. “That was clearly a long time ago.”
He smiles and his eyes quickly give me the once-over. “That it was.”
Suddenly there’s this weird tension between us—something I’ve never noticed before—and for a split second I worry if having Wes alone with me in the house might give him the wrong impression.
I probably should ask him to leave but decide it’s best to blow it off, no sense in making a big deal out of something if I read that entirely wrong. After all, Wes is here to help me find Jared. I need to refocus on that.
I quickly move into being a gracious host. “Would you like something to drink while we wait?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Sure. Whatever you have is fine.”
I head into the kitchen and open the refrigerator. My eyes scan the shelves and I shake my head. I’m going to have to talk with Dad about his eating habits. There’s absolutely nothing in this fridge except beer and cheese.
I grab two beers from the carton and make my way back into the living room to hand one of the bottles to Wes. “Hope you like Bud Light. It’s all Dad seems to have in his fridge, cold.”
He chuckles and takes the beer. “Beer’s fine. If I get too hammered, I’ll just walk home.”
I laugh as I plop down on the couch beside him.
Two beers later, we’ve nearly finished the carton and I glance up at the clock. Before my eyes zero in on the time, the front door swings open, and in staggers a very drunk Jared. Instantly, I’m on my feet, both relieved and pissed to see him.
“London!” Jared doesn’t even look in the direction of the living room where I am. Instead, he shuffles over to the bottom of the stairs and calls for me. “Baby, I’m sorry.” It’s clear from the slur in his voice that he’s completely hammered, and what angers me even more is the fact that he drove home that way.
I’m going to rip him a new ass for being so stupid when he sobers up.
“Jared!” I say, and he jerks his head slowly toward me. “I’m here.”
He wobbles and squints one eye like he’s trying to focus, and then he points to the beer in my hand. “What are we celebrating? My fucked-up life?”
I set my drink down on the coffee table. “I could ask you the same question.”
He flinches and jerks his head back, causing him to wobble and fall into the door frame. “That’s exactly why I’m drunk. I’m celebrating how big of a loser I have officially become.”
“Jesus, Jared. Did you drive like this?” Wes’s agitated voice fills the room, and for the first time Jared notices his brother is even in the same room with us.
Jared’s eyes grow dark. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for your stupid ass,” Wes fires back.
“Waiting for me? You expect me to believe that? I know what you’re doing. I see the way you look at her,” Jared slurs while his nostrils flare, and I know I have to stop this before it goes any further and he says something that he doesn’t mean. These two have done nothing but go at it since they found out about their father. They never used to act like this, and I wish Jared would reel in his anger before something really bad happens.
I step in front of Jared and place my hand on his chest. “Jared, stop. Nothing is going on. You’re drunk. Go home and sleep it off.”
“I can’t leave you here with him. You’re all that I’ve got left.” His blue e
yes stare down at me. “He’s in love with you, London. Don’t you see? Now that I’m a complete loser he’s going to step in and take you away from me. He’s Joe College. He’ll have a good job and be the right kind of guy for you.”
I shake my head. “You’re the right kind of guy for me! Do you think I’m that superficial that I’ll just walk out on you now that things are tough? Love doesn’t work that way.”
He shakes his head, and his words come out just barely above a whisper. “No, I’m not. Not anymore. I’m the kind of worthless piece of shit that your dad probably warned you to stay away from when you were a little girl.”
