I walked into the dining room and pulled out a bottle of Merlot, twisted the top off, stuck a straw in, and drank straight from the bottle. Eventually, I’d have to face it. Face myself.
Tonight was not that night.
And if I had anything to do it, that night would never come.
I flopped onto the couch, the wedding album directly in my line of vision. I toasted it with my bottle and chugged.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Rick
What the fuck, Devon? You’re really leaving town?
28
AARON
I WOKE UP to Daisy whining and licking my face, her paws on my chest. I groaned and pushed her away, but she wasn’t having it. It didn’t help that I was on the couch, making it that much easier for her to get to me. Paws back on me, she panted and looked at me expectantly.
“This is why I should have gotten a cat,” I muttered, sitting up as Daisy turned in circles, eager to go outside. I pulled myself up to standing, crumbs from last night’s pizza falling to the floor, and walked to the kitchen to let her out. The deck practically screamed at me, reminding me of the last time I’d been out there with Devon.
“I don’t owe you anything.”
The words had pinged around in my head for two days and were already at it this morning.
It was exactly what my mother had said. Word for word.
Well, fuck me.
I flung myself back on the couch and closed my eyes.
Banging on my door brought me back to consciousness. Judging by the way the light slanted through the curtains, I’d slept past noon.
“Aaron!” Will’s voice boomed. “You in there?”
“Keep your panties on,” I yelled, pulling myself up to deal with an unwanted interruption for the second time that day. I yanked the door open and glared at him. “What.”
“You’re late for your shift, that’s what.” He pushed past me to walk in. “Jesus Christ, man. The fuck is wrong with you?” He gestured to the place, then pulled his shirt up to cover his nose.
I kept glaring. “None of your fucking business.”
He rolled his eyes and spoke through his shirt. “Nice try, asshole. Spill it or I’ll give you a noogie.”
I scoffed. “You can’t give me a noogie, Will. We’re grown-ass men.”
He lunged.
I ducked.
He was faster.
“Ow! Dammit!” I yelled, flailing and slapping at nothing, thanks to my brother’s superior head-locking skills. Which I would never admit. “Get the fuck off me!”
“Now that’s the brotherly love I like to see,” came Price’s voice from behind me.
At least, I assumed he was behind me, seeing as how my brother had gone full twelve-year-old and was, as threatened, attempting to saw through my skull with his bony knuckles.
I changed tactics and went for his pants, jerking them up and grabbing his leg hair.
“Mother fucker!” Will said, letting go of me and hiking his knee up to rub at his shin. He looked at Price. “He pulled my leg hair!”
I stood triumphantly. “Served you right.”
Price laughed.
“Also, you stink,” Will said, waving at the air in front of his nose.
I shrugged. “Maybe don’t go giving noogies and you won’t be subjected to other people’s smells.”
“You look like shit,” Price declared. “Also, what is that on your face? You know you need to go through puberty before trying to grow a beard, right?”
I rubbed at the scruff that’d grown over the past few days. “Fuck off.”
Will stepped past me and went to the kitchen door to let Daisy in.
Price took in the scene around him and swung his eyes to me. “Seriously, man. What’s going on? You’re not answering texts and you were due at the station this morning.”
I sat on the couch and leaned forward, my elbows on my knees. “Devon.”
