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It would be so easy to tell them all the things he said. Let them be angry at Craig. But I’m the one who hurt Ash.
“I compared Ash to Craig.” My voice breaks on a sob. “I said they were exactly alike.”
They gasp. I understand their reaction. It was the same as mine after I realized what I had said.
“I all but said he was a piece of shit.”
“What did he do?” Margie asks.
“He left.”
“Wait,” Brielle cuts in. “He just left? He didn’t say anything? Didn’t fight? Didn’t ask for an explanation?”
I shake my head, not knowing how to explain what happened. I didn’t give him anything to fight for.
“The evening started so beautifully. When he picked me up at my house, he showed up with an ocean breeze orchid. My favorite. We kissed before leaving for dinner. There was some awkward silence on the way to the restaurant, but soon enough, we were having a fun conversation. Then Craig showed up.”
I take a breath, trying to brace myself. Reliving that night hurts more every time.
“He started saying horrible things about me. Ash stood up to him. Stood up for me. Craig went after Ash about not being good enough for me. Kept making cracks about being the little cousin who wanted his leftovers. He attacked Ash’s family. Then Ash…um…Ash…he—”
Margie lays her hand over mine and stares me in the eye. “Whatever it is, we’re here for you. You are more than our boss. You’re family.”
Brielle nods and places her hand on top of Margie’s. “I can’t believe they’re cousins.” Margie side-eyes her. “You know you didn’t see that plot twist coming either. Although, douche-pickle would be the one to play the evil family member in any story.”
“Are you done?” Margie asks her.
“Yeah. Sorry, Riv. What happened next?”
“Ash told Craig he knew all the awful things he’d done to me. I didn’t know Ash knew. It broke something deep inside me, and I snapped. I said horrible things, and he left.”
We’re quiet for a second, then Brielle throws her hands up. “That’s not fucking right!” Margie and I stare at Brielle as she begins pacing. “I get that you shouldn’t have said what you did, but he abandoned you at the restaurant with the king of all dicks. Uh-uh, not excusable. He’s no longer the better Momoa brother.”
I love that she’s protective of me, but that’s not how it went. If he were Jason Momoa’s brother, Jason would be in awe of him.
“He didn’t abandon me, Bri. He went into the kitchen and asked Taniyah to call the police to have Craig removed. He paid her for both our meals and my favorite dessert. Then set up a ride for me to get home. Even though I compared him to a piece of shit, he isn’t one. He’s the best man I’ve ever known.”
She stops dead in her tracks. “Oh, damn. He is the better Momoa brother.”
The three of us chuckle. It feels good, but I’m still hollow inside.
“I don’t know what to do. He’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”
Brielle cocks an eyebrow as Margie asks, “Why do you think that?”
“Um, because he traded his delivery route with someone else so he won’t have to see me.”
Brielle starts snort-laughing. “He didn’t trade shit. If you paid attention to any delivery driver besides Mr. Momoa, you’d know he had vacation time and took some. It may be to nurse a broken heart, but he obviously hasn’t given up on you. He’s trying to figure things out.”
“I pay atten—wait…you think we could still have a chance?”
“Duh. Time for an epic romantic gesture.”
Hope starts to fill the emptiness. Ash isn’t gone. He’s ten minutes away. But…
“I have no idea how to fix this.”
Margie sighs. One of the big ones she normally reserves for Brielle’s ridiculousness. “You apologize, River.”
