“What happened last night, man?” Will drags another chair over and sits too.
“What do you mean?”
“With Lexi. I thought you’d be keen. Then you blew her off and the next thing I knew, you’d disappeared. Everything okay with you?”
Loaded question. “Yeah, all good. I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t feeling it.”
“You haven’t been feeling it since you got back. Any particular reason?” Will tips his sunglasses down and fixes his blue and red gaze on my face. His hangover is easily as bad as mine. Maybe worse.
“Nah. Just busy. You know. Settling in. And the hooking up thing. I don’t know. It’s getting a bit … old, I guess.”
“Whoa. I finally get my favourite wing man back and you’re bailing?”
“Not bailing. I’ll still be your wing-man. But I think it’s time for me to take things a bit more seriously. I don’t want to stuff up this job. It’s full-on. And then there’s the house …”
“Sure, sure. I get it. You know you can always talk to me. About anything.” I’ve never heard Will so earnest, and my throat tightens at how he always has my back. If he knew what I’d done, what I think about doing over and over again, he wouldn’t be so supportive.
“I know, man. And I appreciate it. If I had a problem, you’d be the first person I came to.”
Well, except for the fact that I do have a problem, and he is absolutely the last person I can go to about it.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Greer
TakingJessieandWillwith us to check on the progress of the house, not to mention seeing Matt and Ty, made it easier to be in Josh’s company. After his stupid speech in my apartment, I was so angry with him I wanted to smack him upside the head. But that wouldn’t get us anywhere. And I’m ashamed to say I have trouble staying mad at him, despite his appalling behaviour, which pisses me off even more.
I let it go for now, but Josh is deluded if he thinks he’s heard the end of this. I am my father’s daughter, after all. Dad may appear jolly and friendly and oh-so harmless, but if you cross him, he has a very sharp bite.
After our tour of the house, we head to Mum and Dad’s for Sunday night dinner, and because Ty was there, we take him with us. Josh looks shy and hopeful as he introduces his brother to my parents as if their approval means the world to him.
Dad takes to Ty right away, and I can almost see Ty opening up under the attention. It reminds me so much of Josh at the same age. At last, I’m starting to understand where Josh is coming from. The depth of his fears. The affection and respect between Josh and my parents is plain for anyone to see. Josh has been trying to tell me all this time he can’t lose them. And despite the fact I don’t believe that would happen, I can see how even the spectre of it would be too much for Josh to risk.
Since we all have hangovers of either the alcoholic or emotional kind—except for Jessie, who is too smart and stable for that shit—we head home as soon as dinner is over.
Josh makes a few friendly overtures on the drive home, but I give him nothing to work with. Just because I’m beginning to understand where he’s coming from, doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“I guess your talk with Josh didn’t go so well?” Jess asks as soon as we’re alone in the car.
“He gave me all the usual excuses. ‘I wish it could be different, Greer’. ‘If you were anyone else, Greer’. You know. The equivalent of it’s not you it’s me.”
“And you accepted that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re right, and I need to back off.” Even I’m not sure if I mean this or not.
“At last,” Jess says while managing to look sceptical at the same time.
“I don’t know. I need some space at the very least.”
Jessie laughs as we pull up outside my flat. “Well, giving him the silent treatment tonight sure seemed to unsettle him.”
She’s right. It did. “Hmmm. Maybe that’s what he needs. Less sugar and a little more salt. Or ice.” My face must give away my determination because she cringes.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m beginning to feel a little sorry for him.”
“Yep. I think that’s the solution. Make like Elsa and freeze his arse.”
I’m resolved. Starting Monday, Josh is a client. Nothing more. Nothing less.
