Page 107 of Best Kind of Trouble
Talk about a turnaround. I’d come here to figure outhisintentions—and, honestly, to get in the way of them if at all possible.
I take a sip of my beer, trying to figure out what to say. Finally, I land on, “I think a lot of her…and I think about her a lot.”
“Obviously,” he says. “Who wouldn’t?”
“So we understand each other. I know you feel the same way.”
He lifts his beer up as if toasting me. “But you’re the lucky one, because she wantsyou.”
“Why do you say that?”
He laughs. “Look…Ann and I might have been high the other night, but Briar ran outside without a coat to look for you.” He sounds wistful as he adds, “I always knew it was a long shot. She’s…her. And I know I’m a lot younger. But I thought at least I could be around her. Help her out. I still want that.”
“I want that too.”
“So?” He gestures toward the front of the house. “Why don’t you go find her? Doesn’t seem like you to give up after one try. We’ve all seen what you’ve done to get that beer ready on time.”
“My sister made me promise not to date any of her friends. I screwed up pretty badly in the past, so she had her reasons. I wasn’t expecting that anything would happen between Briar and me, so it was an easy promise to make.”
He stares off in thought, then pops yet another exclamation point onto the poster. “Sophie likes them,” he explains offhandedly, then adds, “You know,I’mafraid of Hannah. Most people are, but I didn’t thinkyou’dbe afraid of her.”
“I’m not afraid of her. I’m afraid of disappointing her. She’s my little sister. She used to look up to me. It’s not a good feeling having your little sister think you’re a jackass. I’m the one who taught her how to read. I played dolls with her, for fuck’s sake.”
Otis nods in understanding, and I remember what Dottie said about how much he’s grown. I didn’t know the kid before, but I see it. He’s on that cusp between being a boy and being a man.
“Look, I shouldn’t have agreed to take you boxing and flaked out. That was shitty. We’ll figure out a time to go. Just be ready for all the guys to give you a hard time. They do that with fresh meat.”
He hesitates, eyeing me. “Do they all look like you?”
“A few of them. But you know what? Maybe they used to look like you. We all start somewhere.”
After giving this some thought, he nods again. “I’ll do it. Would you like another beer?”
Yes.
We have another. And then one each with dinner. And then five more.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
BRIAR
I’m sleeping with the gloves again when I’m awoken by a heavy knock on the door. Karma yowls and jumps onto my face, and another knock lands before I manage to peel him off.
It’s pitch dark outside.
Why would someone be at my door at this hour?
I tiptoe out of my bedroom and through the living room, dodging the sectional in the dark. When I reach the door, I stand still for a second, worrying my lip.
I won’t open it. I’ll see who it is, that’s all. And if they won’t leave, I’ll call the police.
I peek through the peephole, my heart racing, and see…nothing.
“Oh, that’s not creepy at all,” I mutter to Karma, who has settled at my feet and is giving the door a death stare. Unfortunately, it works better on people than on possible ghosts.
No sooner does that thought cross my mind than a figure sways into view. The breath escapes my lungs as I throw the door open without a second thought.
It’sLiam. He came. He came to me after all.
