“Good to know you still can’t lie for shit,” LA teased as he clapped his hand on Brandon’s back. “I look like crap, but thanks.”
“I was trying to be nice.” Brandon chuckled. “I’ve seen better looking roadkill if you want me to be honest.”
“Thanks.” LA laughed. “Much better.”
Cass squealed frantically. “Oh my God! Yes! The big hug! The camaraderie! The ribbing! Oh, I’m tearing up.”
LA ignored him and how his own eyes burned. “Got a minute to catch up?”
“Yeah, yeah! Come on.” Brandon waved LA to follow, leading him over to a table near the art gallery.
LA sat, hating the hard wooden chair immediately. He shifted his weight so he was sitting mostly on his left ass cheek to help alleviate the pain. “Place looks nice. Staying busy?”
“Yeah, we’ve been doing really well.” Brandon grinned. “Been lucky. What about you?” His brow furrowed. “Still on leave or whatever it is from Barrie-Lucas?”
“No.” LA sighed. “They fired me.”
“What? Over getting hurt? What the fuck?”
“Yeah.” LA rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s bullshit. Talking to a lawyer about it, see if I can get it back.”
Brandon frowned. “Back? What? You wanna go back to the place that fired you?”
“It’s the only funeral home I’ve ever worked at. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to go back there and—”
“Let me guess.” Brandon crossed his arms, smirking. “You’ve got everything the way you like it there and you don’t want to change.”
LA bristled. “What are you talking about?”
“C’mon, man. Still drinking rum and Dr Pepper?”
“Yeah, so? What’s wrong with having a favorite drink?”
“Uh, it’s been your favorite drink since high school.” Brandon raised a brow. “You’re still driving the same car too, right? That Chevy Cobalt? I bet—”
“Yeah, because it’s paid off.” LA tensed.
“I bet you still have the same CD book with everything in the same whack ass order as you did when you first bought it, an order that only makes sense to you. You take the longest route to go fuckinganywherebecause it’s just the way you know to go.” Brandon chuckled. “You are literally the most stubborn person I know. Fuck yes, you don’t want to change.”
Cass put his paw on LA’s shoulder and squeezed gently.
LA shifted in his seat. “Have I really always been like that?”
“Uh, yes.” Brandon chuckled. “But hey, it’s not a bad thing. Not all the time, anyway. You were also the first one to pop off when someone was picking on me or any of our friends. If you said you’d be there at ten, you were there at nine-fifty. You were the most reliable guy I know.”
“Were,” LA noted.
Brandon’s expression softened. “Since Gavin… Yeah. Not so much.” He leaned across the table. “You’re really done with him?”
“Yes.”
“Like, reallyreallydone?” Brandon stared.
“I said yes!”
“You’ve said that before.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” LA scowled. “Look, I get it. I’m an asshole who’s stuck in his fuckin’ ways and I’ve fucked up so much being a stubborn bastard. I get it. I fucking suck. Message fucking received.” He paused to take a breath. “But I’m sorry. And… I’m trying to be better.”
