Page 14 of Bad Wolf
God knows how much money this wedding has cost. But he’s got it, and he’d spend his last dime on making sure Anna knows how loved she is.
And not just by him. By all of us.
So that’s why Scott, Jase, and I, are currently on our way to pick up our tuxes. We amble down the sidewalk, shades on, while the relentless heat of the sun warms me through, clearing the hangover and melancholy once and for all.
Jase guides us into the nearest coffee shop, ordering up three iced coffees. Not too sweet and with a little whipped cream, it hits the spot.
We continue onto our destination that’s four or five blocks ahead, our stroll slow but purposeful. Yeah, we’re on a mission, but the suits will be in our hands in no time. We’re even gonna try them on to make sure everything is as it should be, but we don’t need to run around the streets of Miami like we’re in a rom-com.
So long as I report to the makeshift HQ before 1:45, I’m all set. The All-Star weekend isn’t for another two days, but it’s good to show your face and they close up shop at 2 p.m.
“Doing okay?” Jase asks from my side, giving me a shoulder bump.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say with as much conviction as I can muster.
“You gonna talk about what happened last night?” Scott asks from my right.
I shake my head “no” and he nods sarcastically.
“Great. Bury it down deep, that’s healthy.”
“Coming from the most locked-up guy on the planet, yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and not take any of your backhanded advice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t sweat it bro, unrequited love’s a bitch. We all feel for ya.”
Obviously, this is a deflection tactic on my end, but it still never fails to amuse me, and I dodge the jab he aims at my ribs.
“For the last fucking time, nothing is going on between me and Jenna. No one loves anyone else, and I’m fine living my life the way it is. My ex, whom I haven’t seen in God knows how long, didn’t just dance on a stage practically naked in front of a club full of horny assholes, and then sing like her life depended on it. It’s okay for us to check in!”
“She was not naked. She’s not a fuckin’ stripper,” I growl.
Scott holds up his hands. “You know what I meant.”
What is it with this family? Why are we always up in each other’s business? Always meddling, always overstepping.
Fine. I like doing it to them, but I wish they’d just drop it. It’s a bonus Casey is busy today because he is. THE WORST.
He and my sister combined? Forget it.
“Just tell us where your heads at, and we’ll leave it alone,” Jason sighs.
I swipe the baseball cap from my head and run my fingers through the long strands at the front, tossing my empty to-go cup in the trash can as I come to a stop.
I look from my older brother to my younger brother and then up to the cloudless sky. Perfectly clear. Perfectly blue.
I bet she hates it here. Yeah, she used to complain about the cold, but she enjoyed living through each season. Was always excited for the next one to roll around. She loved all of them, and could never settle on a favorite. Always harping on about the beauty of autumn or the possibilities of spring. She loved spending the holidays with my family and the entire summer with me.
Yep, she hates it here.I can’t help getting a little satisfaction out of knowing that.
Aware I’m not going to get away without giving them a truthful answer, I relent.
“I don’t get it, okay? I don’t understand how this came to be her life. Seeing her feels like taking a puck to the throat. I can’t fucking breathe, but then I’m so goddamn livid I feel like I could burn everything around me to the ground.”
“A. Don’t do that and B. Wanna go and find her?”
Before I can even tell Scott where to shove that plan, Jason speaks up, “Bro. I need to tell you something.” He pauses as he measures his words and pulls on his light blond hair. It’s a tick he’s had since he was a little kid.