Page 7 of Ghosted By Texas

“Do you want to go back to my place?”

Without realizing what I did, my body took an inadvertent step backward. Austin cringed at my reaction. “Just so we have privacy to talk, that’s all. Plus, I can make us both some fresh coffee.”

My stomach dipped and twisted at the prospect of putting coffee in it while my anxiety was ramped so high. “How about if we just talk for now and not worry about coffee or anything else that might need to go in my stomach.”

Austin nodded. “Do you want to follow me?”

“Is it far?”

“A few blocks,” he explained.

“I walked here from campus.”

“I’ll drive then, if you’re okay with that?”

“That’s fine,” I agreed and proceeded to follow him outside and down the street to where his car was parked.

Once we got to the apartment he shared with his brother, Austin and I sat down on a cozy leather couch that had seen better days. It took a minute of him fidgeting before he finally glanced up at me and our eyes locked.

“I’m so fucking sorry for how things went down last night, Becs. That should have never happened, and it’s all on my shoulders that it did.”

There was really nothing I could say to that. Sure, there were plenty of responses at the ready, especially as my sarcastic tongue wanted me to bite down hard and come out swinging. That was my hurt trying to speak for me, so I kept my mouth shut and waited for more.

“The thing with Jordan and me is stupid,” he started to say.

“Pretty sure that she would disagree with that.”

He nodded but refused to meet my eyes again. “The thing is, she’s the one who suggested the friends with benefits thing a few years ago. At first, I told her that I wasn’t interested because I thought it would ruin our friendship. Our moms are best friends.”

I sighed at that news because it meant their mothers had probably already planned out their wedding, future children, and more. That meant being with Austin in any romantic capacity would be next to impossible.

“We never went there with one another until her mother passed away. She was grieving and needed something more.” He cringed before adding, “I gave it to her. It was always with the understanding that we were never going to be anything more than friends. That was two years ago.”

“So, you’ve been fuck buddies for two years?” I asked, unable to keep the shock out of my voice. How in the hell the man thought having a sexual relationship with his life-long best friend, for two whole years, didn’t mean more to her, was beyond me.

“Not two solid years. I’ve dated a few people here and there.”

“She didn’t, though.”

“No, I guess she didn’t. I never even noticed until you asked her that question last night. Jordan has never been real forthcoming about her dating life with me.”

I laughed at the ridiculousness of what he’d admitted. He couldn’t be that blind, could he?

“What’s so funny about that?”

“You’re so clueless. She hasn’t been forthcoming because she hasn’t dated outside of you.”

“She went out with a few guys when we were still in high school.”

“Likely to make you jealous,” I surmised.

Austin stared at me as if I were speaking another language. Then, he shook whatever thought he had off and took one of my hands in his.

“I honestly didn’t bring you here to talk about Jordan’s dating history.”

“It’s relevant, Austin.”

“How so?”