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“What the hell is wrong with you?” he growls. “She’s your friend and my sister, and you don’t even try to help her?”
I flinch, my fingers twitching against my stubbly chin. “Nick, I—”
He cuts me off before I can finish. “Save it for the gym tomorrow morning. I’m already late for a meeting. You’re my best friend, but right now, I want to throw you through a wall, Fox.”
He ends the call and I’m left to stare at the lifeless display. An uncontrollable rage boils up inside me and I throw the phone across the room before grabbing a tumbler and downing it in one gulp. The whiskey burns down my throat but does nothing to ease the ache burning in my gut. I slam the glass back onto the desk, wishing I could slam Amanda out of my thoughts as easily. “Sorry, Doc,” I mumble as I lean back in my chair, “but I really needed that.”
As minutes pass by, the agony of my dilemma becomes more vivid.What should I do?Amanda’s words still haunt me—the idea that she despises me is cutting into my heart like a jagged blade. But I’d rather have her hate me than know the truth and look at me with pity or anxiety.
7
BRIAN
The next morning, after twenty minutes of rowing in the gym, I stop when a multitude of fluttering sensations arise in my chest. This isn’t good. This is more than usual. Maybe working out wasn’t the best option. I twist the cap off my water bottle and guzzle down the cool liquid.
“Hey, Fox. Your turn,” Cole calls out as Nick delivers a series of jabs to the pads he’s holding with full force.
“Give me a minute.” I lower my bottle, tilting my head to the side, and stare at Nick. With his jaw set and brows furrowed, he’s punishing the pads with high kicks.
Is he imagining he’s hitting me?The muscles in my neck tighten. We haven’t talked since our phone call yesterday. And he hasn’t looked my way since I arrived. I can’t blame him. If I were in his shoes, I’d be pissed too. The fact is, I’ve upset his sister. A knot forms in my stomach when I think of Amanda. I’ve been awake the entire night mulling over how hurt she sounded when I said no to her. I get up and walk over to my buddies, who are taking a break. Time to face my friend.
“How is Alisha doing?” Nick asks Cole.
Cole runs his hands through his damp locks. “She’s tired and nauseous every morning, and I want to help her, but I can’t. The doctor says these symptoms are common in the first trimester and should get better since she’ll enter her second trimester soon. I sure hope they do,” he says, tired.
“Make her ginger tea. It will help calm her stomach,” I say.
Both friends cast me a skeptical side-eye.
“Since when are you an expert on pregnancy problems?” Nick asks as he wipes the sweat from his forehead with a towel.
I roll my eyes. “Women like to talk when they’re around me, and when they do, I listen.”
“Thought you wanted to tell us you got one of your hookups pregnant.” Cole grins.
I punch his shoulder. “Fuck, no. And for your information, I haven’t fucked anyone in weeks.”
A handful of people twist their heads our way as Nick’s and Cole’s bouldering laughter travels through the air.
“Sure,” Nick says with a chuckle, but when he sees my frown and crossed arms, he stops.
“Why not?” Cole asks, still grinning. “Is the Fox losing his touch with women?”
I grin. “Hell no, the ladies still love me.”
“Then why?” Nick asks.
My throat becomes dry when his sharp gaze meets mine.
I shrug. “I just have found none of them interesting enough.”
Cole lets out a sharp laugh. “Since when has ‘interesting’ become one of your golden rules when it comes to your one-night stands? It’s all about, and I quote, Brian Fox, ‘good times’ with those ladies.”
I snort but halt when meeting Nick’s intense glare. When he opens his mouth, I know what’s coming.
“Speaking of interesting, I’d love to hear your reason for refusing to help Amanda.”
Cole’s facial expression goes from upbeat to serious in a millisecond when catching Nick’s deep, serious tone. “Huh, what?”
