I pull up to Aiden’s country property and park in the same place I have so many times before. Nothing has changed, and yet, to me, everything has changed.
“Look who decided to come home.” Aiden throws another log on the fire, then walks toward me.
“What’s up, brother?”
We slap hands and bring each other in for a hug.
“Ha! Did you ever think I’d actually be your brother?”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Don’t remind me. She’s your problem now.” I level my eyes with his. “You do realize what you’re getting into though, right?”
His smile spreads from ear to ear. “I sure do, man. What can I say? I love her crazy ass.”
I smack his stomach. “You’d better.”
“What are you going to do anyway, all the way in New York City?”
“Yeah, I still find it very convenient that you waited until I left to try to get with her.”
“Are you kidding? You know I had to wait for you to leave, or you would have kicked my ass!”
I thrust forward like I’m going after him, making him flinch, and then we both laugh.
I nudge his shoulder. “Get me a beer, and we’ll call it good.”
He motions for me to follow him, and we walk to where the cooler is set up.
A few other guys I haven’t seen in years start to arrive, and before I know it, the place is crowded with people hanging out and having a good country time together. I never thought I’d miss this stuff until now. It’s not just the environment or the location; it’s the people.
New York can be very lonely with everyone living their own life, chasing their own dreams. There’s no place where people can go and just hang out. Even bars are really made to close business deals or hook up with people. You never get to know someone well enough to care about them the way people do in a small town.
As the night winds down, there are a few of us kicked back in front of the fire, including my sister and Aiden. Seeing them together like this makes me both happy and jealous at the same time.
My sister chose well with Aiden; he’s the man of her dreams, and I couldn’t have asked for a better brother-in-law. It’s just weird that she’s growing up, getting married before me. I’m the oldest, and I guess I just assumed I would get married first.
I was on that path with a soon-to-be wife and the dream career, and the only thing left would have been kids, but life kicked me in the ass, setting me back to only having the career. I thought I was good with that, but I’m quickly realizing I’m not.
I’m lost in my thoughts, staring into the fire, when Katie breaks into my pity train.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” she asks while sitting on Aiden’s lap with her arm wrapped around his neck.
I shrug, then take a sip of my beer that I’ve been nursing for way too long.
“Have you heard from her?” Aiden asks.
I glare at Katie. “You told him?”
“Of course I told him! I tell him everything, but it’s not like he’s not your best friend.”
I shake my head. “No. She made it pretty clear she didn’t want me.”
She sits up straight. “No, she actually didn’t say that. She thought you both hated each other. Now, she’s a mess, and I’m pretty sure she was bawling her eyes out that night, trying to ask you to forgive her.”
“How would you even know that? You weren’t there.” I roll my eyes at her, taking another sip.
“No, I wasn’t. But I spoke to her yesterday, and she told me everything.”
Seething, I slowly sit up to face her. “You what?”
