Oh boy.
Ohhhhh boy.
This was all very true. I had been spending a lot of time with Bowen. Mostly at his place because, well, he lived alone and had two dogs who depended on him for things like food, water, and opening and closing the back door for potty breaks. But come on. It wasn’t the first time one of us had been in a relationship.
“Okay, fine. You’re right. I haven’t been home much recently. But I’m allowed to have a life. You know what it’s like when you start a new relationship. It’s all so new and exciting. Can’t get enough of each other…or keep your hands to yourself. Do you really want to come home from work to find me and Bowen making out on the couch?”
“At this point, it might be the only way I actually get to see you.”
I leveled him with a glare. “This isn’t fair. When you were dating Andrea, I didn’t say a word about how you disappeared for days at a time.” I looked at Aaron, hoping for backup only to find him staring down at his shoes, his lips clamped between his teeth. “Are you mad at me about it too?” I asked him.
Aaron’s hands rose in surrender. “Don’t drag me into it. I’m just trying to order a drink.”
Seriously frustrated and more than a little annoyed, I leered at Mark. “I’m sorry, okay? I never considered you’d be upset about me finally meeting someone.”
“I’m not upset about you meeting someone,” he snarled. “I’m fucking terrified you’re someone else I’ll lose too.”
My whole body jerked, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aaron’s do the same. There was a lot to tear apart about that statement. At the moment, we were standing at my father’s going-away party—the very one Mark had gone out of his way to not only host, but lure my father to as well. There was one word he’d said that struck me the hardest. Too.
All the fight drained from my system.
Having guys as best friends could be tricky from time to time. Okay, most of the time. While Aaron was an open book with his feelings and emotions, Mark was too damn macho for the “touchy feely shit” as he liked to call it.
Aaron and I had had countless bitchfests about how bad it would suck when Dad moved away. Though, if I thought about it, Mark had been surprisingly quiet regarding the topic.
I should have known.
I should have read between the lines.
I should have asked him.
But, bringing it back full circle, I’d been too preoccupied with all things Bowen to even notice he was hurting. Keeping my finger on the pulse of our little family was exactly why I’d created mandatory weekly dinners. Yet I was the one who had treated them as optional over the last few weeks.
I reached out, caught Mark’s hand, and gave it a pointed squeeze. “You aren’t going to lose him.”
He tried to tug it away, stating, “I need a beer.”
I refused to let go. “Don’t you remember how things were when I went off to college? He’s going to expect phone calls, texts, letters, telegrams, smoke signals, you name it.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re his daughter.”
“So? You may not be his son biologically, but Jack Grey adopted you—and Aaron—a long time ago. It doesn’t matter one damn bit that he’ll be living in a different zip code.”
His gaze finally found mine, and he stared back at me like a hopeful little boy.
“Yep. You heard me right. He’ll want to know how you’re doing and if you’ve been working too much or eating enough veggies. He might even ask you to be a spy for how things are going at The Wave. You’ll refuse of course, which he won’t like very much, but he’ll get over it. Oh, and this is my personal favorite.” Smiling, I did my best impression of my dad as I said, “When ya gonna finally settle down and make me a grandpa?”
The slightest grin tilted one side of Mark’s mouth. “You’re not making this sound fun.”
“Oh, it’s awful. He’s overbearing with absolutely no boundaries. And there will be so many times when you’ll consider changing your phone number. But mark my words, he’s not going anywhere. Not really.” I moved in close and peered up at him. “And I’m not, either. You. Are. Stuck. With. Us.” I hooked my arm around Aaron’s neck and hauled him into our little huddle.
“Hey,” he objected when I messed up his obnoxiously perfect hair.
“Stuck, do you hear me? Boyfriends, girlfriends, different houses, different states. None of it matters. You fools aren’t getting rid of me. Ever. Got it?”
“Okay, okay,” Mark mumbled. “I’ll meet your boyfriend. Fine.”
“And you’ll be nice? Not issuing death threats like this guy?” I pointed at Aaron.
