Page 35 of Truck Up
“Hmm, you don’t think he’s using again, do you?” Charlotte asks. Her question makes me tense. If Christian starts using again because of me, I’ll never forgive myself.
“God, I hope not. His last relapse nearly killed Chase. I’m not sure that family can handle another fall.” Clara sighs, and we all turn and look at Christian.
We all study him for a moment. I’ve never been around him when he’s been high, but he’s not using. I know it. His problems have nothing to do with his addiction. He’s emotional and hurt and scared. Same as me.
“He’s not,” I say. “If he was, we’d see it in his eyes.”
“I hope you’re right,” Charlotte says.
“Hope you’re right about what?” Ash’s voice calls out behind us. We all turn around to find him holding his girlfriend’s hand with Warren just behind them.
Warren hasn’t been back in town long and this is the first time I’ve seen him in years. He’s just as handsome as all theMutter men with the same deep brown eyes, dark hair, and tall frame. But there’s a darkness in his eyes that rivals the darkness Christian hides. There’s been lots of rumors circulating about why he left all those years ago, but no one really knows the truth. I’m not even sure his brothers know the reason.
“Oh, nothing.” Charlotte waves him off. “Just girl talk.”
“I need to check on the food table.” The words rush out of Clara like she’s racing to get them out before she forgets them. Then she spins around and disappears behind a small crowd of people forming on the other side of the room.
“That was weird.” I frown.
“She doesn’t like me,” Ash’s girlfriend, Andrea, says.
Ash looks down at her with furrowed brows. “Why would you say that?”
“Because.” She lifts her hand and points in the direction Clara went. “She runs off every time I’m around.”
“No, she doesn’t.” Ash scoffs.
Charlotte hides her laugh behind her hand, and I look away. I haven’t been around them enough to know how Clara behaves when Andrea is with Ash, but I can’t imagine it’s good. Clara’s not-so-secret crush on Ash is legendary in this small town. Everyone knows about it except Ash. The man is clueless.
Andrea lets out a frustrated huff and shakes her head. “You’re blind. You know that?” Then she spins around and rushes out the door.
“Andrea, babe,” Ash calls out after her. “Where are you going?”
“Well, she’s right about one thing.” Charlotte pats Ash on the back. “You are blind.”
Ash frowns and furrows his brow. “Why does everyone keep saying that to me?”
He takes off after Andrea and is gone before any of us can respond. Charlotte looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Poor guy. I don’t think he’ll ever get it.”
“You guys should leave him alone,” Warren says. His voice is deep and sounds almost angry. It causes both Charlotte and me to snap our eyes in his direction. Those are the first words I can recall hearing him speak since we were in school.
“He speaks!” Charlotte grins.
He shakes his head and growls. “Yeah, I speak.” Then he pushes past us and joins his brothers on the other side of the room.
“Well, that was fun,” Charlotte says. “Never a dull moment around those men. Are your brothers like that?”
I huff. “Yes, and no. My brothers aren’t as playful and funny. But they might be grumpier and meaner.”
Charlotte laughs. “Have you met Garrett? I’m not sure anyone is grumpier than that man. Though he’s not mean. He tries to pretend he is, but he’s really just a big teddy bear with a frown.”
“Yeah, well. My brothers are not teddy bears. They’re just mean. Don’t get me wrong. They have their good qualities, but they work hard to hide those. No clue why.”
“Men are so weird.”
“True.” I smile and add some finishing touches to the table. “But I guess they say the same thing about us.”
“Also true.” Charlotte’s smile grows and her eyes light up as she fixes on something behind me. I turn and follow her stare. Hannah Fisher and her husband, Charlie, are headed toward us. “Hannah! So glad you made it.”