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“I know, I’m so sorry. He was staying with Sebastian for a while, but then Tess came back, and well, you can imagine what staying with them is like right now.”
“I think I’ve got a pretty good idea.” She shakes her head on a smile, seeming to regain some of her composure as she looks around the apartment.
“Anyway, he got a new job not far from here and needed somewhere close to crash until he could find himself a place. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it is. He’s your friend too.” She waves her hand through the air. “I was just surprised to see him is all. And God,” she lowers her voice to a whisper, “could he be any hotter? I mean, wow. I think maybe I’d like to go another round with that a time or two before I go home, see what else has changed over the years.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me, and I swear I feel like the floor bottoms out beneath me.
“I planned to tell you he was here before you came, but Tess didn’t tell me you were coming today.” I ignore her statement and the sudden surge of jealousy I feel knowing she’s been with Ant in a way I’ve only ever dreamed about.
“I hopped on a flight two days early. Needed to get away for a while. I didn’t call Tess until I had landed a couple hours ago. She and Sebastian are out shopping right now, so I thought I’d come see you and my baby first. Where is Jackson anyway?”
“He’s napping. He didn’t sleep very well last night.”
“Poor kid. Everything okay with him?” she asks.
“Yeah, he’s good. Just a rough night.”
“Well, hopefully, he gets a good nap because I am dying to get my buddy fix in.” She smiles, pulling me into another hug. “God, it’s so good to see you, Bree.”
“You too,” I agree, hating that I’m not as excited as I would normally be because of my current predicament. “Come on, I’ll show you around,” I say, pulling out of her embrace.
“I still can’t believe you’ve been in this apartment for over a year and I’m just now visiting. I’m an awful friend.” She sighs, following me into the kitchen.
“You are not an awful friend,” I reassure her. “I haven’t been to Alabama to see you even once,” I remind her.
“Yes, but you have a child. That’s different.”
“Here’s the kitchen,” I say, gesturing around the space rather than continuing with the ‘who’s the worst friend’ conversation. I think I’ve got that title won hands down, she just doesn’t know it yet.
I spend the next couple of minutes giving Courtney the tour of the apartment, well, the parts I can show her anyway given that Ant’s in the bathroom, and I don’t want to disturb Jackson who’s sleeping in his room.
We’re sitting on the couch talking about my new job when Ant reappears several minutes later wearing a gray t-shirt and dark jeans, his wet hair slicked back away from his face. I swear to God he looks delicious enough to eat, and I can tell by the way Court is staring him down, she thinks so too.
“Alright, I’m gonna head out,” he says, grabbing his wallet and keys off the table next to the door.
“Okay,” I say, trying to sound indifferent.
“Hey, Ant.” Both mine and Anthony’s eyes go to Court when she speaks just as he pulls the door open. “I’m only in town for three days, you think maybe we could have dinner or something while I’m here?”
My eyes are glued to Anthony as a deep grin takes over his handsome face, and he nods. “Of course, I’d like that.”
Jealously knocks into me so hard it’s debilitating. Guilt comes next. By the time they say their goodbyes, I’m not sure if I want to run to the bathroom and throw up or jump across the room and strangle Ant for making me feel so torn up inside.
Of course, I can’t lead on to any of this in front of Courtney. So instead of melting down like I want to, I let an easy smile fall when she turns back to me seconds after the door snaps closed and practically does a little dance right there on the spot.
It’s clear that Courtney is still interested in Ant. I don’t have to be her best friend to know that much is true; she’s wearing it like a flashing neon sign. I’d be lying if I said that a part of me isn’t angry with her over this fact.
I know it’s not her fault; hell, if anything it’s mine. But the emotions are there and they are more raw than I think they’ve ever been before. Because Ant isn’t hers anymore—he’s mine.
I know how irrational that seems, to stake claim to someone who belonged to her first, but I also can’t accept that after the last couple months Ant and I have spent together that she could just waltz in and take it all away from me.
But deep down, I think that’s the worst part. I think that she can and she would take it away from me. And she wouldn’t even realize she had done it to begin, with because she has no idea what’s actually been going on. And that’s on me. I know that.
“So is he dating anyone?” Court asks as she comes out of the kitchen, two wine glasses in hand.
It’s just after six in the evening, and Tess is on her way over. Apparently, we are having a girls’ night, and the guys are staying at Sebastian’s; though, I wasn’t made aware of this plan until a couple hours after Court had arrived this afternoon.
“Huh?” I look up from helping Jack with his puzzle that’s spread out across the coffee table just as she extends a glass to me.
