Harrison walks over to the counter to grab the bag of subs and pulls out both, sliding one my way. It’s one of the foods we both enjoy, and whenever I bring him lunch, it’s my go-to. Meaning he knows they’re made exactly the same, so it doesn’t matter which he takes. We may not be close, but we know each other well enough.
I watch as he unwraps the sandwich, noting how much he looks like me when I was that age. His eyes are different. He has his mother’s honey brown ones, and he has more curl to his hair than I do—also from his mother. But his height and build match mine, and his face is full of the youth I once had and took advantage of for quite some time. Not that it got me anywhere outside of women’s beds, not until I met his mother. But that’s what happens when you’re poor. No one gives you the time of day. I don’t have his mother to thank for my success, but I dohave her to thank for my confidence. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Confidence is key when building a business as large as mine. There is no room for second-guessing. It took a long time for me to find myself and my voice, and it’s all thanks to Laura.
“What do we need to discuss?” I ask, pulling out the stool to take a seat at the island.
He swallows his food before grabbing a napkin and wiping his mouth of the red sauce.
“Angela and I are staying together,” he says, leaving no room for argument. “This has been going on for a while, and we have no intention of stopping.”
I nod once, not surprised by the declaration. Maybe even grateful for it. It means there’s no chance of him and Seraphine getting back together.
“Okay,” I answer simply, picking up my sub.
It’s not what I expected him to say, I had no idea this was a thing between them, but how would I when he never confided in meandhe had a girlfriend? This enrages me for all the wrong reasons. It isn’t about him keeping it from me, it’s about hurting Seraphine.
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”
“What would you like me to say? You’re an adult. You make your own decisions. I can’t stop you.”
He blinks at me, then shakes his head. “Fine. Whatever. How do we deal with this?”
“Beats me. But I’ll get my team on it to figure it out.”
“And Sera?”
“Seraphine is being handled.”
Sort of. She will be. As soon as I can get her to listen to me. At least I don’t think she’ll tell anyone what happened in the meantime.
“You better not threaten her or anything,” he warns, pausing with his sub halfway to his mouth.
I raise a brow. “Perhaps you should have thought about that before you got into bed with your stepsister and allowed your girlfriend to find you.”
He grits his teeth, putting his food down harder than necessary. “All I’m saying is she’s a nice girl. She doesn’t take well to men being mean. Her father was a fucking dick.”
Oh? This is news to me, but news that will be helpful.
“Then why were you unfaithful?”
“I’m not getting into that withyou.”
“Alright.”
He makes an annoyed sound and leaves the room, returning a moment later with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He pours two fingers in each and slides one over to me. Meatball subs and whiskey, what a lunch. I won’t deny the alcohol though.
“I appreciate you helping me with this,” he says, though it’s forced. Still, I appreciate his manners.
“Well, you didn’t leave me much of a choice, Harrison.”
“Why do you have to do that?” he barks, putting his glass onto the counter harshly.
“Be honest?” I question.
“I’m apologizing to you, and you’re being an asshole.”
I take a mouthful of whiskey. It burns as it goes down, settling heavily in my stomach.
“Apologies do nothing, son. Not a goddamn thing. What you should have done was think about what you did before you did it.”
