“Thanks, man.”
“Hey, Jax?” he called.
“Yeah?”
“What’s going on with you and Tanner? He’s acting weird. The other day, I caught him talking to a bottle of whiskey. Not drinking.Talkingto it.”
“Um…it’s complicated.”
“Then uncomplicate it because the clients are starting to ask questions.”
I sighed. “Trust me, I’m trying.”
“By the way, who’s the hot chick that keeps coming over?”
“My sister.”
“She’s definitely the better-looking sibling. She single?”
Not for long if she can help it.
“Why don’t you ask her next time you see her,” I said before heading toward the stairs leading to Tanner’s apartment.
I knocked twice before opening the door, finding him staring at the street outside his window.
“Come in,” he said without looking behind him to see who it was. “Need my help downstairs?”
“Matt’s got it all handled.”
He turned around and gave me one of his smiles, but not the one I’d gotten used to over the last few weeks. “What are you doing here?”
“Some time ago, the question would be bedroom or couch?”
“Some time ago, I wasn’tengagedto your sister.”
“You don’t have to marry her, you know?”
He laughed, but it came out all wrong. “I promised I would.”
“You were six-fucking-teen years old, Tanner. You can change your mind as an adult.”
Couldn’t he see how ridiculous this whole concept was? It was as if both he and my sister had entered an alternate Stepford universe. He couldn’t think for himself and she had changed from a career woman to a desperate housewife. I would have zero problems with that if they were actually in love with each other.
“Why should I? It’s not like I have any other options out there. At least with Jodie, I can come home to my best friend and hook up with other people whenever I want.”
I took a few steps closer to him. “Is that what you really want?”
“Like I said, I don’t have better options.”
“You sure about that?”
His blue eyes were wide and tired, but there was a glint of hope. Maybe he was just waiting for me to give him a reason to say no.
“What do you mean?”
I broke the rest of the distance between us and cradled his face between my hands.
“I mean you have me.”
