He wrapped his arm around my neck and shook me playfully. “Hey, you’re sleeping with my best friend. You can hear about my sex life.”
I cracked up. “That’s nasty.No.”
“Now I have to go shopping for baby stuff with Jay,” Elise complained. “Lord, help me. He’s going to police everything I buy. I’ll have to ship my Amazon boxes to your house, Justus.”
“I’m going to be there every step of the way, even from Michigan,” I assured her. “You can ship your stuff to me, and we’ll just pretend you got everything at the baby shower I’m going to throw you.”
“See.” Justus shook his head in mock disgust. “Y’all be scheming.”
“Just pretend you didn’t hear that, lil’ brother,” Elise chirped. “So it’s decided, Char?”
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “Dex and I still need to talk, but I’m ready to take that step with him.”
Elise slid off the chair and shuffled over to us on her knees. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
I wiped the tears from her face. “Please stop. You’re going to make me cry, and I don’t want to have bags under my eyes when I see Dex.” I hugged her.
Justus wrapped his arms around both of us. “Y’all some punks for real. Get ya’ shit together and wash your ass. Duke just texted me his location.”
* * *
Dexter
“Bruh, you’re wrong as hell.”
I paused, cue stick in hand. Standing to my full height, I glared at my brother. “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”
“When has that ever stopped me from giving it?” He finished off his beer. For the last few hours, we’d been at a bar near my brother’s house, shooting pool and talking shit. Dad had just left, and now it was just me and Duke.
I didn’t bother arguing with him because he was right. I hadn’t been gone for two minutes before I’d realized I was a fuckin’ asshole. I wouldn’t give my brother the satisfaction, though. “Why am I wrong?”
“Did you at least tell her you loved her?”
I lined up my shot again. “Who said anything about love?” Then, I took it, sending my ball into the corner pocket.
“Shit, man. I shared a damn amniotic sac with your ass for nine months. I can feel that shit whenever Charlye’s around.”
I barked out a laugh. “You’re dumb as hell.”
“It’s true, though.”
I also didn’t bother denying my feelings. “It is. And I did tell her.”
He clasped my shoulder. “‘Bout time.”
“Does it really matter how I feel, though, if Charlye isn’t ready?” I asked. “I’ve never pushed her before. I’m not going to start today.”
“Did you ask her to stay?”
“Why would I do that?”
Duke lifted his hands. “Because you want to be with her? What the hell?”
“It’s a good opportunity for her.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity for her,” he agreed.
“Again, why would I ask her to stay?”
