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I can’t look at Ant. I know he’s there, watching me, waiting, but I can’t look at him again. If I do, I’m afraid I will fall apart in the very place I stand.
“Courtney, please, just talk to me,” I plead, keeping my focus on her. She’s been pacing in front of me for a good two minutes, refusing to even look in my direction.
It isn’t until Tess comes running out of the house, face flushed, that she seems to snap out of her fog. She looks up at the porch where Tess is now standing with Sebastian and Ant and then back at me, realization dawning on her face.
“You fucking knew?” she screams at Tess across the yard. “You knew they were fucking behind my back, and you didn’t tell me?”
“She didn’t.” I move to defend Tess. “She didn’t know anything was going on between us beyond how I was feeling. I swear.”
“Like I would believe a fucking word that comes out of your mouth ever again.”
“Courtney.” Tess steps up next to her, voice soft and hesitant. “Maybe we should go somewhere, just the three of us. We can hash this all out without an audience.” She gestures to the handful of people standing near the driveway, one of them I’m fairly certain is Ant’s cousin who went to school with us.
“I’m not going anywhere with her,” Court seethes, eyes on me like daggers.
“Listen, you’re upset, I get it.” Tess steps directly in front of her. “But this is Bree. I know how much you love her and how much she loves you. You just need to hear her out.”
“So you’re on her side then?”
“I’m not on anyone’s side,” Tess objects.
“Did he tell you the night we went to dinner that he kissed me?” She turns her attention to me, her words like a sucker punch to the stomach.
“What?” I step back, eyes going to Ant who is crossing the yard toward us, to Tess who steps back and looks at Ant just as surprised; to Courtney who gloats like she just got the last laugh, back to Ant who doesn’t look at me even once.
“Go ahead and tell her, Anthony. Tell her how you had your tongue in my mouth just hours before going home to her.”
“Courtney. Don’t do this.” His response knocks through me even harder as he stops next to me.
So he did kiss her?
“She deserves to know. Considering she chose you over me, I guess it’s only fair that she sees now what she’s actually getting herself into.”
“You kissed me,” he grinds out, rigid next to me.
“Technicality,” she huffs. “You still kissed me back.”
“Because you caught me off guard, and it took me a second to react,” he argues. “Why don’t you tell her what happened after that?” he suggests. “Tell her how I pushed you away. How I told you that I was into someone else. Don’t pick and choose what information to share. If you’re going to give her the truth, give her all of it.”
“Like you gave me all of it?” She narrows her gaze at him.
“I gave you the truth.”
“Like hell you did.”
“I simply omitted who it was; it was still true.”
“Omitting the truth is the same as lying.”
“Then I’m a fucking liar, is that what you want to hear me say?” I can tell by the strain in his voice that he’s losing his temper, but I’m too drawn into their argument to make any attempt to stop it.
“Guys, maybe this isn’t the time,” Sebastian speaks for the first time, reminding us all why were actually here.
I pause, realizing how right he is. We just buried his father hours ago, and now we’re all standing out here arguing like a bunch of teenagers.
“He’s right,” Tess adds, resting her hand on Courtney’s shoulder who quickly shakes her off.
“How long?” Courtney refuses to be deterred, shoving a finger in Ant’s chest as she steps up to him. “How long has this been going on?” she repeats.
