Chapter Nineteen
“Antihistamines, painkillers, and heart shaped chocolates,” Rusty said proudly as he came into the living room with a paper bag in one hand and a glass of water in the other. “Happy anniversary.”
Blake laughed, forcing himself to sit up on the couch to make room for him.
“I thought about getting you flowers, but something told me you wouldn’t appreciate them,” Rusty added.
“I appreciate the meds,” Blake said. “Chocolate is also medicinal. But you really didn’t have to get me anything.”
He took the glass of water and the paper bag, tipping the contents out onto the coffee table and opening both kinds of pills immediately.
Rusty shrugged. “They were right there at the counter, and itisour anniversary. I didn’t forget.”
“I didn’t forget, either,” Blake said.
He really hadn’t forgotten, he just also hadn’t been sure he should mention it with divorce papers looming over him.
“You got me the good ones,” Blake said as he tossed an antihistamine in his mouth, taking a sip of water to swallow it.
“Jude recommended them,” Rusty said. “I ran into him while I was out. He wanted me to put in a good word about taking him up on his offer, so here’s me, doing that. I think you should take it. You only live once, and you look so much happier here than you did in your office.”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Blake said.
He had been, and his thoughts were starting to line up with what Rusty had just said. Hewashappier here, for the most part. This was his home.
The idea of getting to work with Jude was appealing, too. It would have been nice to have friends again, and Jude looked so damned happy these days.
Maybe Blake could be happy, too.
He took a couple of painkillers, even though his headache was already starting to clear now that he wasn’t around the flowers anymore. It was still a better option not to be inanypain, since they had a long day ahead of them.
“Were you guys planning on helping at all?”
Blake turned to look at the doorway, where his sister was hovering.
“Chris is breaking his back out there putting the archway up and you’re lazing around in here.”
Blake sighed. The antihistamines would start working in a few minutes, so he might as well get back to it. “I’ll help, he said,” moving to stand.
Rusty raised his arm in front of Blake’s chest, stopping him from moving.
“It’s his wedding,” Rusty said. “And your brother is sick.”
Megan sighed, rolling her eyes. “He’s not sick. He’s always been full of crap about allergies.”
Blake bit his lip. He’d heard that a lot from her.
Rusty stood, drawing himself to his full height and moving to stand between Megan and the couch, blocking Blake’s view.
Blocking Megan’s view of him, too, which was probably the point.
“Mate, I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to lay off your brother,” Rusty began. “You seem smart, so you know better than to think he’s not sick. You saw him. We all saw him, and thisisyour wedding day, but not literally everything is about you.”
“Oh comeon, it’s not that bad. I get it now, he’s got you fooled, too. Blake’s perfect, I get it, everyone says so.”
Blake swallowed. He was a long way from perfect, and he didn’t understand why Megan was so mad at him.
He’d come here to celebrate with her. It hurt to realize that she maybe didn’t want him here, after all.
