She reaches over and squeezes my arm, and frankly, I’m surprised she’s being so cool about this. We neverhadto hide it from her, and she’s not even questioning why we did. She just seems to get it, andthatis why she’s my best friend. “He’s neverhadto fight before. He might not know how.”
I chew on my lip. Is she right?
He’s an adult, but he’s always lived recklessly. He’s always done whatever he wanted that felt good or right in the moment. He never had to think about anyone else. And regardless of whathappens withus, he’ll still have Jack. He’ll still have someone else to think about in every decision he makes.
Eventually I head back home. I don’t feel any better after admitting the truth to Ivy, so maybe some family time will do me good.
I still share a room with Claire and Holly, my nineteen- and seventeen-year-old sisters, respectively. Claire is attending community college while Holly is a senior in high school, and my brothers—Carson and Henry—also share a room. It’s a modest, three-bedroom home with only two bathrooms, and I can’t say I miss sharing a bathroom with two sisters. It’s probably why I spent so much time at Ivy’s house, to be honest.
But I’m back. This is where I lived all through college and even after I graduated last year. I was saving up to find a place of my own, something that’s harder than I realized it would be when rents are skyrocketing while entry-level paychecks remain the same.
It’s a Friday night, always movie night in the Riggs household, and when I walk in after visiting Ivy, I find my two brothers and my parents on the couch, a bowl of popcorn on my dad’s lap as everyone reaches in to grab handfuls. There’s popcorn on the floor, and my mom will make a game of cleaning it up once the movie is over. They’re watching one of the Marvel movies. I debate heading to my room for a bit just to be alone, but instead, I plop down onto the couch beside Henry. I reach across him to get my own handful of popcorn.
“Where are Claire and Holly?” I ask.
“Claire is out with friends, and Holly’s at Becca’s,” my mom says, naming Holly’s best friend.
I miss having them here. These little family moments are always so lovely, even if I didn’t appreciate them so much back when I could have them any time I wanted. I’ve even missed this since I’ve been in Vegas for the last few months. Maybe I didn’trealize how much I missed it until I was back here in the thick of it.
But it doesn’t even come close to comparing to how much I miss Dex and Jack.
CHAPTER 50: Dex Bradley
Family
Ivy’s jaw drops when I walk through the front door. “Dex! You’re here! And you have my sweet nephew!”
Her sweet nephew is currently crying his brains out.I get it, little dude. It’s a long trip, and you’re ready to get the fuck out of your car seat.I pull him out and hand him over to my sister, and she coos over him as she tries to get him to quiet down. I grab a bottle from the duffel and head to the kitchen to mix up some formula and water, and Jesus, this is more than I’m used to handling on my own.
But that’s the whole thing.
Icanhandle it on my own.
I’m doing it.
Ainsley believed in me, and she was right. She was fucking right all along. Of course she was. Of course I can do this. It’s hard, but life’s fucking hard, and here I am, doing my best to step the fuck up.
“Is Dad home?” I ask once I’m back in the family room. I move to take the baby, and she shakes her head and holds outher hand for the bottle. I guess she wants to feed him, so I let her.
She walks over to a chair and sits with the baby and his bottle. “No, they went to some dinner party. You know whowasjust here, though?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Who?”
Jack starts sucking down that bottle, and the room is quiet when Ivy says, “Your wife.”
I press my lips together, schooling my reaction.
“What did you do, Dex?” she whispers.
“I didn’t fucking do anything,” I mutter as I sit in a chair across from her.
She purses her lips. “You messed my best friend up good.”
“Yeah, well, she messed me up pretty good, too.”
“So why are you apart?” she asks.
“If I tell you a secret, will you keep your trap shut?” I ask.
