Page 31 of The Sounds of Her
“You ready for this?” I ask him.
He lets out a sigh, his eyes squinting as he looks over the water. This isn’t the reaction I was expecting.
“Honestly, I have no words. It sounds fucking stupid to say it, I’ve gone over in my head so many times, thinking I don’t deserve to be this happy. To have her. She’s too good for me.”
“That’s bullshit,” I tell him, turning my head towards him as we stand side by side in the surf. “Why would you think you’re not good enough?”
Adam shrugs. “She’s perfect, she’s beautiful, strong, she deserves the world.”
“You can give her that.”
“Jenna isn’t materialistic. She doesn’t care about my money or the fame.”
“But she doesn’t hate it either.”
He turns to me, his brow creased.
“I don’t mean she’s in it for what you can give her. I mean, she sees beyond it. Fuck man, this kind of fluffy shit isn’t something I’m good at, but when we see the two of you together, it’s right. You know? I’ve never seen two people more perfect for each other. So knock this shit off, if you force me to say anything else this pathetic, I’ll be forced to punch you in the dick.”
Adam runs a hand through his hair, his lip tilted as he looks to the horizon.
“Are you having second thoughts?” I ask.
“No. You think I’m stupid? Even if I don’t deserve her, I’m not letting her go.”
“Well shut the fuck up then.”
“I can always rely on you to keep it real.”
I shrug and drink more beer. It’s called La Goudale, a blond beer I’ve never tried before. It’s cool and crisp and a little bitter. I’m pretty sure I’ll be downing a few more of these tonight.
“So, what’s going on with you?”
Fuck, here it is. “Nothing, why?”
“Madison?”
Perceptive asshole. I hate how well he sees through me. I thought I’d done a decent job of keeping the whole Madison thing quiet. “That shit is over, has been for a while. We were just fucking.”
Adam turns and looks at me, his eyes probing. I don’t break the stare and try to keep my expression impassive.
“I know it went on way longer than you said. More than that one time?”
“It was never gonna go anywhere. The whole forbidden thing got kind of lame and we called it quits. Besides, she’s like an ice queen. I’m pretty sure she’s a robot.”
“Hot though.”
“Insanely hot,” I agree, the words tasting sour on my tongue. She could be the last woman on the planet, I’d sooner slice my dick off than go near her again.
For the briefest of moments, I want to tell him. I want to share the bullshit that woman put me through, but I clamp my mouth shut. We’re here for his wedding. The last thing Adam needs is to be burdened with my crap.
“When is everyone else getting in?” I change the subject.
He looks at me like he knows there is more I’m not saying. When you’ve been best friends since you were five, lived and breathed each other’s lives, you get a feel for when they’re lying. And I’m lying through my teeth right now.
“Tomorrow,” he says. “Two more flights, one in the morning and one later on.”
“You worried about not inviting Bianca?”