“Are you serious right now? She’s been ready to go with you since I first knew her. I can say that with the utmost fucking certainty.”
“‘Utmost fucking certainty?’” I repeated with a smile. “You say things like that to your students?”
He waved his hand. “How many years did I have to watch the two of you pine from afar for each other, when you were in the same damn room? The two of you exhausted me.” He smirked around the glass rim as he took another sip.
“I never should have let her go. I thought leaving and telling her to forget me was the right thing to do, but—”
“But nothing. Falco, it’s time. Take your girl, once and for all.”
“Hey, boss! Someone here to see you.” Lou peeked into my office door after I left Reid. A shitload of clarity was dumped into my lap and I had to figure out what to do with it.
“Really?” I was surprised. We’d gotten a couple of new customers, but the weeks before Christmas were pretty dead.
“Yeah, says his name’s Scott.” He shrugged.
You’ve got to be kidding me.“Send him in.”
“Hi, Josh.” Scott’s lips stretched into a tight smile as he strolled into my office and took a seat in front of my desk. I held back the twitch of my lips, remembering how Brianna and I almost kissed in that very spot last week.
“Scott.” I nodded back. “You don’t strike me as the motorcycle type.”
“I’m not. I’m here for personal reasons.” He crossed his legs and rested his hand on his knee.
“Okay.” I leaned my elbows on my desk. “What can I do for you?”
“Stay away from Brianna.”
My eyes widened as I drew back in my chair. “That’s not up to you.”
Scott’s eyes narrowed into slits as he shifted in the chair. “You’re confusing her. She’s distracted.”
“Maybe she’s distracted, but I don’t think she’s confused.” I leaned forward and rested my forearms on the surface of my desk as a smug smile spread across my face. “And neither do you.”
He shook his head and leaned back. “You’re a piece of work. You come back after ten years and think you can just swoop right in. Bad enough you strung her along all that time.”
“Strung her along? What the hell are you talking about?”
His nostrils flared before he set his glare on me.
“Thosefuckingletters,” he sneered. “She’d get one, and I’d lose her for a whole day. She’d ramble on about whatever crap you’d tell her. Since you’ve been back, it’s a hundred times worse.” The scowl faded on his face as his jaw tightened. “Why can’t you just leave her alone? I’ve shared her with you enough. It took me years to get her to agree to even go on a date with me. Guys fell at her feet in college, but she never gave any of them the time of day. Probably because of you. I don’t believe the best friends shit. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and it’s anything but friendly.”
At any second I expected him to pop out of the chair and lay me out—ortryto lay me out. It would be another fight he wouldn’t win.
I dropped my elbows to the desk and rubbed my eyes. “We’ve loved each other our entire lives. And you’re right.” I nodded and met Scott’s angry gaze. “We were always more than best friends. The timing was never right—”
“And it’s still not. She belongs to someone else. Someone who’s loved her for years and can give her a hell of a lot more than you ever could.”
“Then where have you been lately? You love her so much, why is she always alone?” I rose from my seat and made my way over to where he sat.
He stood and came closer, his body stiff as he inched toward me. “Working. Yes, maybe too much, but that’s ending. You won’t take her away from me. I did some digging on you.” He folded his arms and raised a brow. “You were quite the bad fucking seed. Selling drugs, fighting. You really think you’re good enough for her?”
I nodded. “On paper, it looks that way. I went into the military and they made a man out of me and eventually helped me get my life together. And no, I’m not good enough for her. But she still belongs with me. So, I’m not going anywhere. I think we’re done talking.” I nodded over to the door.
He scoffed as his hands balled into fists. I kept my gaze on his, waiting for him to make a move. My calm demeanor pissed him off even more.
“Does she know everything?Allthe shit you did that almost got you thrown in jail?” He laughed as he stepped closer. “I’ll bet she doesn’t.”
I burst out laughing. “Are you threatening me? I assure you, she knows it all. She stuck by my side until the day I left, no matter how hard I tried to push her away. You could lie.” I shrugged. “And embellish. She won’t believe you. But hey, do what you have to do.”
