Within no time, I hear the soft click of Luca’s bedroom door tapping the frame but not closed all the way, followed by quiet little steps. I lean forward with both elbows on top of my knees.
Bailey is suddenly standing in front of me. “That was thoughtful of you to come over tonight.” Then she moves to the side of the couch, leaving some space between us and sitting with her legs crossed. “It’s not really a good time to mess around right now, though.”
“That’s not why I came.”
“Why did you come then?” she presses.
It’s not even clear to me why I rushed over here so quickly. I felt the urge to be with her, so I came. I didn’t want her to be alone, and I also wanted to be here for Luca. There was something that came over me the minute I read the text that he was sick, something protective.
“I’m not really sure. Maybe because we’re friends and I wanted to be here if you needed anything,” I say.
Her eyebrows slowly knit together, and she gifts me with a half smile. “Are we friends? I’m still not sure if I like you or not.”
“You do. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Lies. All lies.” She teases, avoiding eye contact.
“When do you fly out, again?” I ask, leaning forward to brush a piece of hair out of her face. Even in the dimly lit living room, I can see her cheeks flush.
“Thursday. I’ll be gone for two days.”
“I think it’s cool that you became a flight attendant after college. I remember your brother mentioning to me that you wouldn’t feel free behind the four walls of an office,” I say, slowly scooting closer to her.
She awkwardly laughs before answering me. “That’s true. I’m glad I have a business degree, but it just wasn’t the direction my life was headed. Wait, you used to talk about me with Harry?”
“Yes, often.”
She blushes at my honest answer. “And honestly, I think I was running. I wanted to be weightless. After experiencing what I did with Tyler, then having Luca—I felt empowered, like I could do anything. It was very freeing. And I made enough money to take care of Luca and myself.”
I nod my head, letting my eyes trace the features of her face. She notices and blushes again. Since college, I’ve always thought that Harry’s little sister was hot, but not until recently have I started to notice how beautiful and absolutely perfect she is. I let a brief silence sit between us before I speak again.
“Do you still love Tyler?” I ask, feeling bold. I wonder how close their relationship was. If they had spoken about a future together and if she loved him.
Visibly taken aback by my question, Bailey immediately rises off the couch. “Why would you ask me that?”
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “We just never talk about him, and I’m curious about how close your relationship was?”
“I don’t ask you about your exes,” she says, crossing her arms in front of her body.
“I don’t have a child with one of my exes, Bailey. None of them meant anything to me. I think that’s a little different,” I retort. Even though she has quickly put her guard up, I keep my tone firm.
“Why do you care? And why do you think it’s any of your business? Is this like you getting upset when I didn’t tell you I was going to Vegas?” Her voice has become slightly elevated.
I don’t think I can answer her question. Maybe I’m suddenly feeling jealous of the love they may have shared? Does she still love him? Would she get back together with him if he got clean?
“I guess I just assumed that since we’re friends now, that you’d share these things with me.”
“I wasn’t aware that you cared enough to know,” she snaps.
This is escalating quickly, so I hold up my hands, showing her a sign of surrender. “I didn’t mean to catch you off guard. I was just curious, that’s all. I’m sorry if that offended you,” I say, feeling slightly remorseful about bringing up something that isn’t my business.
Bailey’s shoulders lower, and her eyes begin to swell.
Shit. I’m an asshole.
“You want the truth, Mason? I don’t want to talk about him because he made me sad and broke my fucking heart. That I couldn’t stick my hand in pockets for years after we broke up, without flinching first, for fear of getting stabbed by an uncapped needle. Or that even though I lived alone, I would still get a rush of panic before I opened the front door of my condo, worried about what I might come home to. There are many reasons why I never dated anyone seriously after Tyler, and Luca is only one of them. I left that relationship broken, paranoid, and filled with trust issues. Is that what you want?”
I stand up, taking a step toward her, but she backs away, wrapping her arms around her body. Fuck.
