“I saw Ian the other day.”
“That’s obvious,” I say trying to ignore his intention to strike up conversation with me.
“He’s not doing so well.”
“Happens,” I say flatly.
“I’d even say he’s devastated.”
“Jamie,” I stop him quickly.
“I’m worried, about him and about you.”
“You’re a traitor,” I tell him resentfully.
“I love both of you.”
My heart beats painfully in my chest.
“So, now I want to know: what the hell is going on?”
“I don’t think you really want to know.”
Jamie raises his eyebrow in challenge.
“Let’s just skip the parts you think might upset me.”
I smile against my will. Talking to Jamie has never been difficult for me.
He’s not just a brother for me, he’s a friend too, the best one I could have and I’ve never had problems talking to him about any of my relationships, serious or otherwise. But talking about Ian…
“Riley,” Jamie calls my attention. “Did he do something to you?”
I shake my head.
“Okay. I had to ask, even though I don’t think he’s capable of hurting anyone – if he were, we wouldn’t be friends and you would never have trusted him.”
I bite my lip at the tension of his last words.
“I get it. Is that the problem, you don’t trust him?”
I set my plate down on the side table.
Jamie shows me the bottle and I hold the glass out to him thankfully. It would appear this discussion deserves more than the promised half a glass of wine.
“He wants it all, Jamie.”
“What do you mean?”
“He wants all of me.”
He nods and takes a slug directly from the bottle.
“And you don’t want to give him everything.”
“I can’t. You know that.”
“Sooner or later this weight is going to crush you, Riley.”
