Pressing his number, it rings once, twice, three times. I’m preparing to leave a message when he answers. “Hey, bro. What’s up?”
“Hey, got a question for you.”
“All right. Shoot.”
“Still haven’t heard from Matilda. Are you sure nothing happened at that restaurant?”
“Alec….”
That’s not an answer. “Adrian? Swear to me on Grandma Mimi’s life.”
“She’s already dead, bro.”
“Fucking answer me.” He sighs dramatically enough for me to hear it through the phone. “What the fuck did you do?”
“I may have told her you were too busy for some fangirl bullshit.”
“Fangirl? She’s not a fangirl.”
“Well, how was I supposed to know? You never tell us dick.”
Ignoring his jab, I ask, “What else did you say?” I’m going to kill this little fuck when I get home next time. Hell, I’m this close to jumping on the first flight out to get to him faster.
“Um… I think that’s it.”
“Spit it the fuck out, Adrian.”
“God. Are you into that… that—”
My voice gets deep. “Watch it, Adrian.”
“Wow. You are. You’re into that.”
That?What the fuck does he mean bythat? “Whatever there is between Matilda and me is none of your fucking business. Except, if you upset her, it’s gonna be my fist in your business.”
“You’re choosing some weird chick over your own flesh and blood? That’s cold, even for you.”
I’m at a loss here. I’m cold, sure. That doesn’t mean I don’t love my brothers, my family. “This isn’t about choosing. This is about Matilda. What else did you say? And don’t fucking lie to me this time.”
“Fine,” he spits. “All I said was you were busy and to stop stalking you.”
“Stalking me? That’s a goddamn serious thing to say to someone. It’s a crime to stalk someone. It’s not a term you throw around.”
“You know what I meant. Not a stalker, per se, more like a stage-five clinger.”
I’m quiet on my end of the line because I’ve got to think. “You called her a stalker?”
“In my defense, I had no idea you had something going with the girl. You never tell us shit. This isn’t my fault.”
And there you go. I’m so sick of my brothers using that as an excuse. “It is your fault. And since I can’t get up there right now, you’re going to fucking fix this shit.”
“What?” he squeaks. “How?”
“You’re going to go over to her house with a dozen fucking roses thatyou’repaying for and you’re going to ask her, nicely, to please call me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
