The door swings open as I’m raising my arm a third time, and Andrew appears. I’ve never been more relieved in my life to see my brother’s face, which should show you exactly where I am mentally. “I thought I heard someone out here. He’s been waiting up for you. Come in.”
“I’m not sure I can.” There must be something on my face that alarms him, because after one quick glance over his shoulder, he steps outside and softly closes the door behind him. “You were so sure last week that I was only going to hurt him. Tell me why.”
“You know why. The usual Leti reasons.” His eyes narrow on me, and I resist rolling mine. Does he really believe my grudge against him extends to Julian? Maybe it did at one point before I really knew him, but Julian and I are long past that. He’s shown me ten times over that he’s nothing like my brother. “Did something happen on your date tonight?”
“Julian told you about that?”
He nods.
“No. Nothing happened. We called the date off early and he dropped me off almost an hour ago.”
“Then why can’t you come inside?”
If there’s anyone who knows for sure who Julian’s in love with, it would be his best friend. Elena and Bella have their theories, but only Andrew can confirm if there’s any truth to them. Not that there’s any guarantee he’ll tell me if I ask, but still. I have to try.
“Do you remember what you told me before you found me and Julian on the porch?” I ask him. “About Julian being in love with someone?”
Nothing in his expression changes. “What about it?”
“Do you know who he was talking about?” I ask him. “Did he ever give you a name or anything to indicate who this person is?”
“Isn’t this a conversation you should be having with him?”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me,” I say. “How you could know he’s in love with someone else but still believeI’llbe the one to hurt him. Unless there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“I’m not getting in the middle of this.” He stares down at his shoes. Finally. His one tell.He’s hiding something.“Talk to him yourself. Or don’t. I couldn’t care less.”
He turns back to the door. “Are you coming in or what?”
I nod, stepping inside behind him. “Spending another night here?”
“Well, I do live here.”
“You and Kayla sure have been fighting for a while,” I say, and I’m only stalling the inevitable at this point. “Don’t you think you guys should’ve made up by now?”
“Since when do you care?” The accusation lands. “Julian’s been hounding me enough as it is. I don’t need you two ganging up on me.”
“Apologize for whatever you did,” I tell him. “Buy her flowers and chocolate. She loves you, for what reason I will never know. I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”
He cuts me with a glare. “What makes you so sure I’m the one who did something?”
I don’t have the chance to answer before Julian steps out of his room. “Come on, man. I could hear you arguing through my AirPods. Is this what it’s gonna be like every time Leti comes over?”
“Maybe not for much longer, knowing my sister.” The barb hits me square in the chest as Andrew’s eyes cut to me.
“All right, that’s enough.” Julian hovers over my brother, face set in stone. “I thought I already made it clear once that you arenotto talk to her like that under any circumstances. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? Nothing.” He shakes his head with a smirk. “But why don’tyou ask your girlfriend why she was pacing outside your door like she was second-guessing her decision to be here?”
“I am really gonna need Kayla to take you back, and fast.” Julian’s jaw locks as he stares down the other man. Then he reaches for my hand and squeezes. “Leti, come on.”
Without a look back at my brother, I follow Julian into his bedroom.
38
Julian
Three and a half hours.
