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You’d never stoop to date a guy like him.
He was probably right. I’d met Nick, if only briefly, and all signs pointed to a guy who was lazy, irresponsible, and completely spoiled. Not to mention rude and insulting. The kind of guy I absolutely should have nothing to do with.
But it had made Josh so mad.
Josh had no idea, but he’d just made Nick Mason sound like the perfect man.
FIVE
Nick
My brother’s house was in one of Millwood’s suburbs, on a street of one-story bungalows dating from the seventies. Most of his neighbors were factory workers and secretaries, and like me, Andrew didn’t fit in with his neighbors. But he had different reasons than I did.
I picked up two cups of coffee on my way and when I pressed the buzzer at his front door, I made sure to wave the cups in front of the security camera. There was barely a heartbeat before Andrew buzzed me in.
He was in his computer room, which used to be the living room, where some seventies family would watch TV. Now it was filled with expensive custom equipment and piled-up dishes. Andrew was at one of his keyboards, typing code, and he barely glanced up when I came in the room.
“You look like shit,” he said, going back to his typing.
I put the coffees down on the edge of a messy, overcrowded desk. “I didn’t realize it was a beauty contest.”
“Good, because you’d fail.”
“Tough crowd,” I said. “I guess I’ll just drink these two coffees by myself, then.”
“Fuck you, Mason,” Andrew said. “Give me one of those before I wheel over there and kick your ass.”
Andrew was my older brother, and my only sibling. He was a programmer. He was also in a wheelchair, since he was in a car accident five years ago at age twenty-three. This was the reason he lived in an old bungalow—because there were no stairs. If you think this is some sad story about a guy in a wheelchair, think again.
“You really do look like ass,” he said when I handed him his coffee. “What’s going on?”
I sat down and swigged my coffee. Andrew was wearing sweatpants and a white t-shirt, four days’ worth of beard on his jaw. He lived alone and didn’t give much of a shit about his appearance. Kind of like me, except I had a Chihuahua and I could still walk.
Andrew was also the only person I talked to regularly, so I came out with it. “Gina screwed some other guy,” I said. “I caught them together and punched him. Now we’re over. Oh, and I’m stuck with her stupid dog.”
Andrew lowered his coffee and his eyes went wide. “Oh shit.” He paused. “You’re stuck with her dog?”
I glared at him. “You are such an asshole.”
“Okay, okay. I couldn’t help it.” His expression softened. “I’m sorry to hear that, man. That sucks.”
We were quiet for a minute. This was our version of an emotional moment.
“At least you punched him,” Andrew finally said. “Did he bleed?”
I flexed my sore knuckles. The anger rose up for a second, pure and red and hot. I’d thought I was done with it, but I needed a session at the boxing gym. “Yeah, he bled.”
Andrew swigged his coffee. His hair and eyes were darker than mine, his face thinner and more sharp because of what he’d been through, his body a little smaller, but otherwise it was like looking in a mirror. “I have to tell you, man, I didn’t think it would work.”
I looked at him, surprised. “You didn’t meet her.” I’d never brought Gina to meet Andrew—I’d never brought any woman, ever, to meet Andrew. I never eventoldwomen about him. When it came to Andrew, in my opinion you either earned it or you didn’t, and I’d never yet met the woman who’d earned it.
“No, but when you talked about her—which was almost never—it sounded like you didn’t even like her much.” He shrugged. “Maybe one of these days you should try meeting someone who is actually nice.”
I snorted. And now that word—nice—made me think about Evie Bates. Again. “The guy Gina screwed was cheating, too. I met his girlfriend. I felt bad for her, you know? I took her out for a sandwich.”
Andrew licked a drop of coffee from his lip and raised one eyebrow—a talent he had that I didn’t. “Uh huh,” he said.
“What?” I was instantly on the defensive. “What doesuh huhmean?”
