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“How was Cora after last weekend?” Clay asks as he turns back to me.
Cole lets out a groan, and all three of us glance at him.
“I think she’s fine,” I tell them, ignoring the look Cole gives me.
“You think?” Clay’s brows rise. Ash takes another sip, but he’s watching me over the rim of his glass. It’s funny because, at this moment, it’s not Winston who feels like her brother. It’s these two, and without anything else being said, I already know I’ll be in the hot seat.
“Her brother showed up here on Tuesday,” Cole chimes in, and I shoot him a look that says, “Will you please keep your fucking mouth shut.”
“He w-what?” Clay asks, louder than usual for him. A few people glance our way, not that they’re listening to us. They just heard the outburst.
“Yeah, I could hear him and Cora yelling at each other all the way from her house to the barn,” Cole says.
“And you didn’t think to step in?” Clay looks at me curiously.
“Oh, I did. But you know Cora, she didn’t need me. She doesn’t need anyone.”
All three of them eye me warily. There wasn’t a bite to my tone. In fact, it sounded more resigned than anything, but by the way they’re looking at me, they’re certain they know there’s more to the story but aren’t sure they want to ask. One by one, they each pick up the beer in front of them and take another sip.
At this moment, I wish I had stayed home tonight.
Eventually, Cole breaks the silence. “Briggs here also hasn’t talked to Cora since Tuesday.”
Cue the record scratch. I’m going to kill him when he shows up for work tomorrow. Sometimes, things need to stay just between us and not be shared with everyone we know. Especially when it comes to my personal life.
“Why?” Clay asks.
I shrug my shoulders. “No need to, I guess. We’re just friends.”
“Friends?” He lets out a low laugh. “I’m not sure that’s what I would have called you last weekend. Don’t forget, I was there, and the two of you, well, let’s just say the way y’all were looking at each other went way beyond friends. I also seem to remember a very vivid scene in the rain.”
My eyes drop to the IPA in front of me. That kiss in the rain was the best kiss of my life, and my heart aches thinking about how there won’t be any more of those. “She made it clear that she didn’t see a future with me.”
More silence and then I look back over at Ash and Clay. They’ve known her the longest, and I find I’m envious of the extra time in her life that they’ve gotten to know her and spend with her.
“She said that to you? Out loud?” Ash asks, confused by what I’ve said.
“No, she said it to her brother. They were talking about me, and I was standing right there. He was going on and on about marriage, and she told him she would never marry me. I guess I just didn’t see the point of continuing with us after that. I’m not one for friends with benefits. I’m too busy with my life to deal with that.”
“Ouch,” Clay says.
My soul seconds that sentiment.
Ash runs his hand over his chin as he thinks about this.
“But something about this doesn’t add up,” Clay says. “Emma and I saw the two of you together. Emma’s known her for almost ten years, and she said she’s never seen Cora with someone like she was with you.”
“Maybe she just missed those moments.”
“But that’s what I tried to tell you at the grocery store. There are no moments. Sure, she’s had dates here and there to events and things, but there’s never been a someone, and you were clearly her someone last weekend from what I’ve heard too,” Ash says. “I feel like you might have listened to the words coming out of her mouth, but you aren’t really listening to all of the other things she’s been saying to you.”
I rub my hand over my face. I’ve tried very hard to listen to the words that come out of her mouth on purpose. I wanted her to know that I hear her. Always. “What does that mean?” I ask him, feeling more tired than I have in a long time.
“It means I wouldn’t write her off just yet. If you want her, then maybe stick around and prove it to her. You know about her family. Other than the girls, no one has ever made her feel valued or loved. She lives alone like she does for a reason.”
I hear him, I do, and maybe I do need to talk to her about this a little bit more. I’m just not ready. I jumped the gun knowing how I feel, but I haven’t really allowed her time to figure out how she feels, what we are, and what we can be together. I’d like to think that when you know you know, like I do, but she’s not me, and maybe I was so consumed with myself being hurt that I didn’t stop to look at the full picture.
“I’ll talk to her soon enough. I’m not going anywhere, and we do live next door to each other. Maybe after this weekend, after Avery’s party. Did you find out what the baby is?” I ask, again desperately trying to change the subject.
