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“Guess it’s a good thing we’ll be able to move back into our house again soon, huh? Less chance of you being murdered in your sleep that way.” BJ chuckles.
Lovey elbows BJ in the side. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
But everyone exchanges a look.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Geyser
Lavender
Present day
I’M NOT PLEASEDto see River’s car in the driveway when we get home late that night—or early that morning, I guess. BJ wishes me luck, and Maverick is pretty much gleeful as he punches in the code. If River is in the living room, there’s going to be a confrontation—one that has to happen if Kodiak and I are going to try to make this work.
I steel myself for the coming meltdown as Maverick opens the door and we follow him inside. Kodiak laces his fingers with mine and gives my hand a squeeze. I feel a lot like we’re walking into an angry lion’s cage.
River is right where I expect to find him, sitting on the couch. Idon’texpect him to be drinking one of my extra-sugary coolers and watching old episodes ofVampire Diaries, but then, this has been the year of the unexpected.
His gaze shifts away from the TV and immediately finds me. His eyes narrow as he takes in Kodiak’s proximity and our clasped hands.
His lip curls up, and he flings out a hand. “What is this?”
“Can you hold the meltdown for a minute? I need to get popcorn for this.” Maverick is so excited, he’s like a shaken bottle of soda, ready to explode.
I throw an unimpressed glare his way. “Not helpful, and you are not sticking around for this. I need to have a conversation with my brother without a bunch of gawkers.”
“Sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” Maverick looks appropriately chagrined.
“I think we need to have a talk, Lavender, in fucking private.” River’s gaze bounces between me and Kodiak, nostrils flaring.
“I fully agree that we need to have a talk, but there are some issues we need to address, and since they revolve around Kodiak, he should be involved.”
River slams his bottle down on the table and pushes to his feet. “You can’t be serious!”
He storms across the room, and I step in front of Kodiak, crossing my arms. “You need to calm down.”
“And you need to get out of my way because I’m going to kick this fucker’s ass! How are you with him? He put you through hell!” River yells.
“So have you!” I shout back.
“What?” River recoils as though I’ve slapped him.
“You keep blaming Kodiak for making a mess of things when we were kids, but you were just as bad. Look at what you’re doing right now.”
“I just wanted to keep you safe. I’m always going to want to keep you safe, especially from someone who’s hurt you time and time again.” River jabs his finger toward Kodiak. I can feel him behind me, but I don’t turn to see his reaction.
“I love you, River, and I will always love you, but this blame game has to stop. It’s not healthy for you, or me, and all you’ll do is push me away if this animosity between you and Kodiak continues.”
“He’s been nothing but an asshole to you all semester, and now you’re going to what, go right back to the way things were when you were kids? How isthatgood for you?”
“We aren’t kids anymore, River. I’m not the same girl I was, and he’s not the same boy. We’re adults, and we’re figuring things out. Holding on to the past is going to drag us both down.”
“Can I say something?” Kodiak asks.
River’s angry glare lifts. “You need her permission to speak now?” he sneers.
Kodiak sighs. “Look, River, you have every right to hate me for the way I’ve acted this semester. I was 100 percent a dick. But, in the interest of not making things more difficult, I think we need to clear the air so we can all move forward like Lavender has been trying to do pretty much her entire life.”
