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Tucking my chin into my chest, I take a deep breath. “I will. First, how are you, Matt?” I can’t be selfish and unload my emotional burden on my friend without making sure he’s doing well.
He smiles. “Better than you, I take it. My ordeal with brooding teens can’t have been crazier than the morning you seem to have had. Like I said, you don’t look too good. Come on, Row, what’s going on?”
“I saw Rebecca.”
He sits taller.“Oh.”
As my closest friend, he knows the sordid details about my dysfunctional family. All I have to do is mention my mother, and he gets it.
I nod. “Yup.”
“You mentioned your parents were visiting some weeks back, but it slipped my mind. So, you saw her at your sister’s place?”
“No, the big family get-together Mel has planned is this weekend. Rebecca came to my house.”
In the process of taking a sip, Matt sputters. “You told her where you live?”
“Of course not. Devlin has finally acted on her threat.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Rebecca said she called her. However, it seems all she did was divulge my address. My mother didn’t appear to know about the fortune I inherited.”
His eyebrows snap together. “Sothat’sher big revenge plot?”
I shrug. “Who knows? The woman is crazy. But her little stunt has managed to disrupt my peace, I’ll give her that. I messed up with Grace, too.” Rubbing my forehead, I grumble, “Again.”
Matt shakes his head. “Then what the hell are you doing here chatting with me, Row? Go to her andun-mess things up.”
I let out a laugh. We’ve been friends for years, but I still get a kick out of Matt swearing. “I’d love to, but she’s busy. I have to wait.”
“Ah, you’re here as a distraction. So you don’t go over the edge because of guilt.”
Refilling my glass, I hold it up and nod. “Precisely. I have a few hours to go. By the time Grace is finished with her classes, I’ll have sobered up and I’ll meet her at my place to grovel.”
Matt grunts. “You and groveling in the same sentence sounds strange. Grace has a pretty firm hold on you, huh? Things between you two sound serious.”
I take a deep breath. “Very serious.” It’s the first I’ve admitted it out loud to anyone.
“So, she isn’t too young for you anymore?” he asks with a teasing smirk.
“Screw that, Matt.” I think about the changes in me since Grace came into the picture. “I need her in my life. She makes me happy.”
His eyes widen and his jaw drops. I would laugh at his expression if I wasn’t so miserable and worried that I hurt her.
“She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I ruined it.”
“Come on, you couldn’t have ruined your entire relationship.”
“I was a complete dick to her this morning, all because I couldn’t deal with my emotions. I hurt her. I know I did. If I could kick myself in the ass, I would. I wish I was better at relationships... forher. I keep messing up.”
Amusement dances across Matt’s face as he strokes his chin. “Rowan Cavanaugh, in love. This is monumental.”
I almost choke on my next sip of scotch. “I never said I was in love. I care about Grace.” We haven’t been seeing each other long enough for me to fall in love. Right?
Shit. I’m too emotionally riled up to analyze this.
“Uh-huh,” Matt hums. He’s wearing a smug, irritating smirk. When I glare at him, he grins broadly. “Don’t worry, every relationship has its trials. You’ll apologize to Grace, explain why you were an ass, and you two will be fine.”
