Page 60 of The Easy Part
Brick shook his head. “No. She won’t take it back. I know she won’t. She won’t hate you.”
“Take the damn ring.”
A chuckle escaped. “We’re already fighting again. What the hell, man. Put the ring away. I’m not taking it back.”
Corey grinned. “Because you’re so damn hardheaded.”
“Not as much as you.”
“Whatever, dude. Let me grab my wallet. I’ll help you find a ring so you don’t screw it up. You’re terrible at picking shit out.”
Brick laughed as Corey disappeared for a moment and returned with a leather jacket on. Corey locked his door and they jumped in his truck, an awkward tension still lingering between them.
“Where to, oh wise one?” Brick asked with jovial sarcasm.
Corey rattled off an address. “I know the guy there. He’ll give you a deal.”
The drive was easygoing, the conversation light. Corey hadn’t exactly said the words ‘I forgive you’ but Brick knew in his own way he had. That was the thing about them. They could argue, fight, sometimes even get into fistfights, but one of them always apologized and they moved on. They had their say and then the matter was closed. Brick hadn’t been sure it would be that easy this time around, considering three years of silence had reigned between them. But, like old times, they had made up with little fanfare.
By the time they made it to the jewelry store, any lingering tension between them had disappeared. Corey talked to his friend Eugene behind the counter and they were suddenly looking at an array of rings. Overwhelming nerves attacked him.
What one did he pick?
There were too many options. They would all look beautiful on Jezebelle’s finger.
“Well?”
Brick rubbed a hand over his head, shrugged, his eyes bugging out. “I have no clue.”
Corey laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. “You’re hopeless. How did you even manage to propose?”
“Well…about that.” Brick winced, taking another glance at all the rings before him. “I didn’t exactly propose the traditional way.”
Corey cocked a brow. “Oh, I always love a good story.”
Brick pointed to one of the rings. “I’ll tell you on the ride to the bar. I like this one.”
Corey nodded. “Good choice. Maybe you aren’t that hopeless.”
The ring had a large round diamond in the center with tiny diamonds weaved around it making it looked like it was a flower. Eugene said it was a one-carat diamond in the center with a pave´ design. Whatever the hell that meant. All Brick knew was when he looked at it, Jezebelle’s beautiful smile sprung to mind.
After spending more money than he had anticipated, the ring was in his pocket and they were headed to the bar.
“I’ve been clean a year.”
Corey’s soft words drifted toward him with an edge of despair. As if he had struggled alone in his battle, and still was.
“That’s great to hear. I’m proud of you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Brick would forever regret how he dismissed his brother’s pleas of innocence.
His brother had been struggling with their mom’s death, turning to drugs to numb the pain. Shortly after, accused of stealing, losing their grandmother and not getting what he deserved—her ring as promised. Brick was amazed Corey dug himself out of his turmoil on his own. Yet, also damn proud.
“I wanted you to know that I’m clean. You have nothing to worry about.”
Corey said it in a way as if Brick still believed he stole the money.
“I’m not worried. I’m so damn sorry.”
He winced when Corey punched him in the arm. Playfully, but still hard. “Enough of your damn apologies. I got it. Water under the bridge. I wanted you to know, that’s all.”