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“I know, Tucker.I know.I should have told you.”
“You should have come to mefirst.”
“For what?” I scoff. “To ask your permission? Don’t be ridiculous, T.”
“It’s my sister!”
“She’s a grown woman, for fuck’s sake!” I snap.I get that he’s mad I didn’t tell him, but Ava doesn’t have to ask his permission for shit, and I certainly don’t.
“And you’re my best fucking friend; you should have had enough respect for me and for us to at least let me know that you were having-- feelings.”
“And that means I deserved your fist? And all that shit you spewed in front of Ava? Do you think I need her hearing that shit? That I want her thinking about all the women that came before her? You think I don’t know I treated women like shit in the past? Like you’re so much fucking better,” I snort.
Now I’m pissed. What kind of bro code allows for a guy to talk that kind of shit in front of another guy’s woman?
“The difference is I’m not fucking your sister,” he barks back, and I flex my fist, my fingers itching with the need to hit him.
“And I’m notfuckingyour sister, Tucker,” I growl, so sick of having to repeat myself to the guy who should know me better than anyone. “I’m inlovewith your sister. I want to be with her…for the rest of my life. I get that you’re pissed-- especially given how you found out, but cut me some slack, Tucker. When have Ievertold a woman that I loved her?”
His eyes never leave the television, although I know he’s not actually watching. I continue, “You know I would never do anything to hurt you or your family. I was expecting a level of your skepticism, but I’m telling you I love her. I’m telling you that I would never hurt her.Thatshould be enough to settle your fears. After everything we’ve been through, over twenty years of friendship, do you really think I’d do anything to jeopardize our friendship if it was just about sex?”
Tucker remains silent, and when he still doesn’t look at me, I shake my head. I begin to speak when I’m interrupted.
“I can’t believe you’re being like this!” A voice resonates through the room as Ava comes storming in. She stands in front of the television, her hands planted firmly on her hips, daggers shooting out of her eyes.
“YOU’RE NOT DAD! God, even he supports this. What the hell is your problem, anyway?” She puts her hands up. “You know what, I don’t even care. You’re acting like a fucking child.” She looks at the pizza and turns around to the television before turning back to her brother. “And what are you even doing here? What makes you think you’re even welcome here right now? You should really leave.”
“Ava…”Yes, I’m pissed, but I would never tell Tucker he couldn’t stay here. Hell, he’s got keys anyway. I know she’s trying to protect me from how terrible her brother is being, and I love her even more for this fierce “take no shit” attitude.
She looks at me, and it’s as if our eyes are having a conversation of their own. After a few moments of staring at each other, she sighs and rolls her eyes as she accepts defeat. “Fine, whatever. I have to get home anyway. I need to study.”
I narrow my eyes at her before I’m on my feet and guiding her out of the room. At this moment, I could care less about Tucker’s attitude. Ava was leaving, and I wanted a plan in place for when I’d see her again.
“You can’t study here?” I brush the hair behind her shoulders. I swat her hand away as I zip up her jacket for her and pull her into my arms. I’m mildly aware that I’m still within sight range of her brother but maybe heneededto see this. He needed to witness our interactions and our love for each other, up close and personal.
“I wasn’t planning to stay here while he was in town, so I didn’t bring my books with me. The plan was for me to go home and maybe meet up with you guys later, remember?”
“I know. We’ll--” I look over at Tucker, who I can tell is trying not to look at us as the scowl on his face fades by the minute. “Well,I’llat least come pick you up later.” The plan may have been for us to all have dinner, but if Tucker was still pissed, I wanted her to know I was seeing her later regardless.
She nods and lifts her chin, presenting her lips to me. “I love you,” she says just before my lips meet hers, and I don’t miss the feeling of euphoria that runs through me hearing her words again.
“I love you, too.”
I plant a simple kiss on her lips, not wanting to risk things becoming obscene with her brother present. I can see the devilish look in her eyes when we pull apart, and sure enough, she licks her lips before sinking her teeth into the bottom one.
“You need to go,” I tell her, my voice low as to not alert the guy several feet away.
She shoots me a cheeky grin before turning her stance toward her brother. “Tucker,” she bites out, and only then does he turn his gaze toward us, the sad look on his face making me feel somewhat bad for the lashing Ava is probably about to give him. “I’mhappy.Can’t you see that? We’re both happy. And if you of all people can’t be happyforus then…you’re not the guy either of us thought you were.”
Tucker left that night. I tried everything to get him to stay, but he made up some excuse about a work emergency. He tried to tell me it had nothing to do with what had happened, but I knew. There was no sense in trying to convince him to stay.
He needed space.
But now, it’s been two weeks. Two weeks of radio silence. Not one word from him. I’ve called him a few times, but they went unanswered. Ava was trying everything to cheer me up, knowing I was feeling a little unsettled about where things stood with my best friend. She, on the other hand, was ready to breathe fire onto her brother. She wasn’t calling him, knowing he wouldn’t take her calls either. But she was certainly preparing for an in-person battle the next time we were back in Philly.
The Remington house was about to be a war zone come Christmas.
Tucker was supposed to be in town this weekend, but we assumed that either he wasn’t coming, or he’d gotten a hotel room, and we wouldn’t be seeing him while he was in the city. I certainly wasn’t expecting to walk through my apartment door to see him sitting at my breakfast bar drinking a beer.
