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“Of course, you know you don’t have to ask. This is always your home too,” Summer said, and Alley agreed.
“Okay, I’m beat. I’m going to shower, curl up on my old bed, call Braxton, and then go to sleep. Love you both so much,” I told them as I grabbed them both and hugged them fiercely.
Later, after I was all cleaned up and snuggled down in my old bed, I made my second hard call of the day.
And when Braxton answered the phone, “Hey baby, you okay? I miss you like crazy and love you so fucking much,” I knew then I couldn’t give up anything and had to fight for everything that we were and that we deserved.
“I’m getting there,” I struggled with those words, getting choked up again because one part of me wanted to be with the girls and another part wanted to run back to him then. “I will be home tomorrow because I miss you too. Just got a little lost there for a bit, but I know exactly where I am now. I love you. I will see you soon.”
After we hung up, I did some soul searching. No matter which way things played out, I knew that Braxton would always be right alongside me.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Braxton
I was an asshole.I’d been snapping at everyone today, but in my defense, I just wanted to get home so I would be there when Jurnee walked through the front door and was on edge waiting for the day to end. Then she called and my mood tanked even more.What is a bigger word for asshole, because that would probably be a better description right now?
She assured me that even though she was staying one more night with the girls, it wasn’t because she didn’t want to come back to me… toourhome. She said they had some stuff to go over and she was also worried about Summer. I hated that I’d have another night without her, especially when I still didn’t know what happened yesterday. But as much as I desperately wanted her back, I was concerned about Summer too and didn’t want to push. I needed to believe in us, and that what we had would win over the demons vying for her attention, making her possibly question everything.
Damn it though, I was going out of my mind!
Not able to sit in my office any longer, I got up, tossed my pen on my desk, and headed toward the indoor shooting range. What better way for me to work out my frustration than to shoot some shit up? Hopefully it would help release a little tension.
As I finished up, I heard clapping from behind me. “Not bad, not bad at all. Did you work out some of your crap so the rest of us can live with you for the remainder of the day?” Gyth said.
“Dude, piss off. What are you guys a bunch of sissies who can’t handle my attitude for one day?” I fired back. If looks could kill, Gyth would be toast because I was shooting daggers at him with my eyes.
“Oh, we can handle you, but maybe instead you can just talk to me about what’s eating at you?” he said, a lone brow raised.
“What are we, a bunch of girls?” I immediately returned, but then felt awful. One, because talking to her friends was exactly what Jurnee needed, and I hoped it helped. So, I sounded like a prick acting like talking through stuff was wrong. Second, Gyth was my best friend and he didn’t deserve my bullshit—we confided in each other about most everything.
“Sorry man, that was rude. I have a lot on my mind and have some things going on that I am working through.
“How about you head out to grab a beer after work with Kace and me?” Gyth asked. “We can talk about it.”
I wasn’t sure I was in the mood, but what was my alternative? Heading home to an empty house and sulking without my girl?
“Sure, sounds good. Better than going home alone,” I said, sounding deeply dejected.
Gyth gave me a puzzled look but didn’t say anything. Later, over beers would be the time to chat about my feelings, and he must have realized that too. We both let that be the end of it and headed back to work.
I wrapped up my workday in no better mood. Knowing that wasn’t fair to the guys, I told myself to get my shit straight and not take my crap out on them. Letting my personal life get in the way of my work was not something I should do. Happy as hell that the day was almost over, I grabbed my keys off my desk, then swiped my jacket off the extra brown leather chair in my office where I had thrown it this morning and headed out.
Just as I came out of my office, Kace was coming down the hall. “Heard we’re having a drink and shooting the shit, with the possibility of a heart to heart thrown in the mix.”
Leave it to the smartass to make me chuckle and want to punch him at the same time. Kace did have a way about him that made you unsure sometimes which one you had the urge to do more. Since I was grumpy today, I went with door number two and gave him crap right back.
“If we are having a heart to heart, maybe it’s time you explain what brought you here, and why you're not back home with your girl.” Once again when bringing up his personal life, he didn’t seem to want to talk about anything pertaining to himself at all. His response had shut that shit down fast.
“This isn’t about me, it’s about you. And for the record, I don’t need to talk about that fucked up situation. It can stay where it belongs. Buried in the past. Besides, Gyth said this is about you, so no detours for you, buddy. Your path is clear, so you just fix the bumps along the way. As your friends, we are here to help.”
That was nice of them both, but they needed to see that I was just as much here for them as they were for me. Eventually maybe both their stubborn asses would listen to what they were saying to me and talk about their own stuff for once.
“Where’s Gyth?” I asked, nixing any more conversation.
“Did I feel my ears burning?” The man himself asked as he rounded the corner and headed down the same hall that Kace had just come from minutes before.
“Yeah, let’s get this show on the road. You wanted the beers dude, so are you both ready?” I addressed each of them, giving them a questioning look.
