I nodded, knowing he was right but hating the knot in my throat over it. All those years I stubbornly refused to acknowledge my role in their break-up made me feel like shit. Now that I was leaning into my conscience, it was like a dam breaking; and a torrent of emotions rushed to flood me.
"Even though I'm a little annoyed at you, I accept your apology and forgive you."
I rolled my lips in and nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
"It helps that E's forgiven me, and my ring is on her finger," he joked.
I snorted a laugh.
"You know, Eden told me that she thinks we were always meant to break up."
I reared my head back in shock. If any two people were meant to be together, it was Barron and Eden. Sofia was right; they were soul mates. "She said that?" I incredulously asked.
"Yep. Damn near broke my heart all over again." He sent me a wry smile, shaking his head. "But what she actually meant was - that we were always meant to end up together; we were just meant to go our separate ways first. She was always meant to do what she does now. She's fantastic at it. If we hadn't broken up, she would never have gone to New York with her mom, would've never been scouted." He gave a heavy sigh. "Even though I'm not one hundred percent convinced that she's right, that we were meant to part, I can't deny that she's done amazing work with her career. She's supported her mom, spoiled her siblings, and given back to her community." He gave another weary sigh, slapping his cap against his hand. "I just wish..."
"That you didn't have to break her heart for it to happen?"
He nodded dejectedly. "Yeah."
"You know, I was always envious of you and your relationship with Eden."
Barron turned surprised eyes at me. "You were?"
"Don't get me wrong, I genuinely liked her, even as a douchebag teen. But you guys were so close; you had all these inside jokes; you would look at each other like you hung the moon." I gave a gruff, uncomfortable laugh as memories of my awkward adolescence tumbled through me. "You were so confident. All your life, you've been that way. Captain of the soccer team, cool as girlfriend, parents who were supportive and involved."
Barron threw his head back and gave a bark of laughter. "Holy shit. And here I was, envious of you! You had the best video games and were so good at them; you could draw the shit outta anything. Remember when I suggested the most outrageous shit, and you'd draw it like it was nothing?"
I smiled at the memory, recalling us cackling like a bunch of idiots at the dirty pictures I would sketch. Ten and eleven-year-old boys were a different breed.
"And then you were so popular. Quarterback of the football team, friends coming in and out of your house, even your parents left you alone and didn't bother you."
Now it was my turn to laugh at the paradox of the situation. Before long, we were comparing notes of our childhood, reminiscing on all those vacations we took together and our favorite memories from years gone past.
The thick tension and discomfort that swirled around us during our heavy conversation started to bleed away. I still felt terrible about my role all those years ago, and Barron probably needed a few days to decompress everything. But I liked to think we were heading back on track.
When we finished our snacks of mixed nuts, sandwiches, and water, Barron cleared his throat as he scrunched up his paper sandwich wrapper.
"Uh...so, I'm under strict orders by a certain someone to ask you something."
I quirked a brow as I threw a few almonds in my mouth. "Alright..."
"Sofia," he started.
I paused mid-throw and lowered my hand. I was surprised at the mention of her name and the warm thrill I got low in my belly.
"What about her?"
Barron shifted his hand back and forth. "What's the deal with you two?"
"Err..." How to answer that? Somehow I knew confessing that my"deal"was that I wanted to rail Sofia into next week wouldn't go down well.
"Look, this is fucking awkward for me. I didn't want to ask, but I can't deny that woman a damn thing, and she knows it," he growled. "Eden seems to think she saw some sort of fucking spark between the two of you. Lord knows where she comes up with these things," he shook his head in mock annoyance. "So, are you into Sof or not?"
I was quiet for a moment as I considered my answer. "And what if I was?" I tentatively asked.
Barron groaned. "So you are." He looked up at the sky. "Fucking perfect," he muttered.
I frowned, a little offended at what I heard in his tone. "Would it be so bad if I was?"
