thinking?
"Hey, Eric, what did Brody say when he called?" I've just had a nagging feeling all day, like something eating at the pit of my stomach. Call me crazy, but I just feel like Quincy might need me.
He sighs, his shoulders sagging, before answering me. "Jenna, just promise you won't be mad." His knuckles grow white as he grips the steering wheel with both hands. I knew it. Something happened last night.
"Just tell me before I decide to kick your ass." My pulse becomes erratic, and I can feel my heart fiercely beating in my chest as I silently pray that nothing happened to Quincy.
"Basically, he was calling to tell me that Quincy was with him and everything was fine. He didn't want you to worry in case you heard..." He gulps, his tongue wetting his lips before continuing. All it does is make me more nervous. "In case you heard that Declan found out about them."
"What? Why didn't you tell me? How could you?" I'm about two seconds away from making him pull over and turn this car around. My best friend needs me, and I'm not there for her. I'm such a shit.
"I know I should have told you, but he said he was taking care of things. You know her, Jenna. She would have called you if she needed you, and he said she was with him. Just this once, let someone else take care of her." His words cut deep. She's my BFF, like a sister to me, and we're always there for each other. I feel like I've abandoned her.
"What else did he say?" I ignore his comment, afraid I might say something I'll regret.
"He just said Declan knows. Honestly, he wanted to take care of her himself. You know he'd never hurt her, right?" He lets out a deep breath before continuing. "Jenna, we're only going to be gone for two days. You can call and check on her later. Just don't let this ruin our plans." I can hear the resignation in his voice, like he knew this would happen if he told me.
"Eric, he may love her, but she's my best friend. I only have one. I will physically hurt someone if she's not ok." I feel helpless, and I hate it.
"Yeah, well, I have two best friends, and one of them is going to be hurt no matter what happens. How do you think I feel being thrown in the middle of them, knowing that somebody has to lose? She may be your only friend, but at least you still have her. When we go back home, I can't say the same for me. Can't we just have this weekend? Just this one night for us?" His emotional plea stuns me. I had no idea how much he was affected by this screwed up situation.
Making up my mind, I plaster on a smile. "Yes! Yes, we can. Because you are completely right. I'll call and check on Quince, and then, we'll focus on us." Because I love you .
"Good. That's good." He smiles, breathing easier, because he expected me to say no. "I'll make sure you don't regret it." He reaches for my hand, his thumb brushing back and forth over my knuckles. It's reassuring. It's sweet. And it's exactly what I need.
But I have one more question. "Do you like Quincy? I mean, do you blame her for all of this?" I couldn't take it if my best friend and the man I love didn't like each other. I'd be just as torn as Eric is between his two brothers.
"You know what, Jenna? I used to blame her." That hurts, but I know it's just because he doesn't, couldn't possibly, understand her. "I used to blame Brody, too. But I don't anymore. I'm beginning to understand. I mean, not all of it, because I feel like she should have been more honest and Brody shouldn't have crossed the line with her. But I get it. Jenna, nobody could have kept me from you either. Not my friends, not another guy, not a brother. I would have found a way to have you, no matter who I had to go through. If he feels even half of what I feel for you..." His voice trails off as he links his fingers with mine and pulls my hand to his lips. "Yeah, I get it."
My heart melts into a pool at my feet. That's the closest we've ever gotten to talking about our feelings, and I'd love to tell him how I feel,
"Hey, Eric, what did Brody say when he called?" I've just had a nagging feeling all day, like something eating at the pit of my stomach. Call me crazy, but I just feel like Quincy might need me.
He sighs, his shoulders sagging, before answering me. "Jenna, just promise you won't be mad." His knuckles grow white as he grips the steering wheel with both hands. I knew it. Something happened last night.
"Just tell me before I decide to kick your ass." My pulse becomes erratic, and I can feel my heart fiercely beating in my chest as I silently pray that nothing happened to Quincy.
"Basically, he was calling to tell me that Quincy was with him and everything was fine. He didn't want you to worry in case you heard..." He gulps, his tongue wetting his lips before continuing. All it does is make me more nervous. "In case you heard that Declan found out about them."
"What? Why didn't you tell me? How could you?" I'm about two seconds away from making him pull over and turn this car around. My best friend needs me, and I'm not there for her. I'm such a shit.
"I know I should have told you, but he said he was taking care of things. You know her, Jenna. She would have called you if she needed you, and he said she was with him. Just this once, let someone else take care of her." His words cut deep. She's my BFF, like a sister to me, and we're always there for each other. I feel like I've abandoned her.
"What else did he say?" I ignore his comment, afraid I might say something I'll regret.
"He just said Declan knows. Honestly, he wanted to take care of her himself. You know he'd never hurt her, right?" He lets out a deep breath before continuing. "Jenna, we're only going to be gone for two days. You can call and check on her later. Just don't let this ruin our plans." I can hear the resignation in his voice, like he knew this would happen if he told me.
"Eric, he may love her, but she's my best friend. I only have one. I will physically hurt someone if she's not ok." I feel helpless, and I hate it.
"Yeah, well, I have two best friends, and one of them is going to be hurt no matter what happens. How do you think I feel being thrown in the middle of them, knowing that somebody has to lose? She may be your only friend, but at least you still have her. When we go back home, I can't say the same for me. Can't we just have this weekend? Just this one night for us?" His emotional plea stuns me. I had no idea how much he was affected by this screwed up situation.
Making up my mind, I plaster on a smile. "Yes! Yes, we can. Because you are completely right. I'll call and check on Quince, and then, we'll focus on us." Because I love you .
"Good. That's good." He smiles, breathing easier, because he expected me to say no. "I'll make sure you don't regret it." He reaches for my hand, his thumb brushing back and forth over my knuckles. It's reassuring. It's sweet. And it's exactly what I need.
But I have one more question. "Do you like Quincy? I mean, do you blame her for all of this?" I couldn't take it if my best friend and the man I love didn't like each other. I'd be just as torn as Eric is between his two brothers.
"You know what, Jenna? I used to blame her." That hurts, but I know it's just because he doesn't, couldn't possibly, understand her. "I used to blame Brody, too. But I don't anymore. I'm beginning to understand. I mean, not all of it, because I feel like she should have been more honest and Brody shouldn't have crossed the line with her. But I get it. Jenna, nobody could have kept me from you either. Not my friends, not another guy, not a brother. I would have found a way to have you, no matter who I had to go through. If he feels even half of what I feel for you..." His voice trails off as he links his fingers with mine and pulls my hand to his lips. "Yeah, I get it."
My heart melts into a pool at my feet. That's the closest we've ever gotten to talking about our feelings, and I'd love to tell him how I feel,
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