She gives me a weak smile. “If he’ll ever talk to me again after what I said, then I probably will. I’ve been calling, but he won’t answer. He told Maverick that he wasn’t making up with me until he made up with you. Says he’s never letting you think you come second again.”
My heart squeezes and aches in a violent, unforgiving rush of painful emotions. But now I feel so guilty for putting this on him.
“Then maybe you should go to him,” I say softly, moving my eyes back up to the movie and praying for escape.
“He never loved me, Tria. He never looked at me the way he does you. He has never held anyone so tightly in all his life as he held you at Edward’s funeral. Kode would move heaven and hell to be with you.”
She just never saw the way he looked at her, because she was too busy looking at Dane.
“He thinks you’re perfect,” I grumble. So what if I’m sulking. I’m in mourning. I’ve lost my father and the man I love in a two week span.
“Then he never really paid much attention to me. Dane knows I’m not perfect, which is what makes him love me more. Since Kode hated you for a while, I’m pretty sure he knows you’re not perfect, and he loves you anyway.”
I groan while leaning back and putting my arm over my eyes. “Rain, I love you for trying, but you don’t see things the way I do. Never had to. Please stop pushing this. It’s hard enough as it is.” I peek out to see her staring at me, and I add, “So you’re not mad at him anymore?”
I need her not to be mad at him. And she seemed pretty pissed a week ago. It’s hard to believe that fury has died down so soon.
“A lot can happen in a week.”
“Go to him. Talk to him. Let him apologize to you. He needs you as his friend. Don’t let one thing tear you guys apart.”
I see her studying me out of the corner of my eye, but I don’t acknowledge it.
“Don’t let the same thing tear you apart, Tria. Hollywood doesn’t control your happily-ever-after. You do.”
I wish it was that easy. I really do.
“Care to tell me what helped you get over everything so fast?”
Her smile forms instantly, and her eyes water as she pulls a picture out of her purse and hands it to me.
“This did.”
***
KODE
“Holy hell,” Maverick drawls as he uses the damn emergency key for the wrong reason, just like all my cousins have done this week—my brother, too.
He walks around, looking at the messy house I’ve let go, as he makes his way toward me. My couch and I have gotten overly friendly this past week. Whiskey has also become a close companion. I haven’t started drinking today… yet.
“I leave you alone for a few days, and you go from looking like Pretty Boy to looking like Mountain Man. When’s the last time you shaved?” he asks.
I rub the longer hairs on my face and shrug while turning my attention back to the TV.
“Dude, you look about as good as your house right now. You should come out with us tonight or something. This shit isn’t healthy.”
Well, fucking up the best thing that ever happened to me is unhealthier. I should have come clean from the beginning. I should have made sure she never had a reason to doubt me when I told her the truth. And I should have changed Rain’s motherfucking name in my phone. Why did I leave it that way?
Because I’m a procrastinating stupid jackass, that’s why.
“Mav, any good reason you’re here?” I ask, annoyed and on the verge of punching him just to shut him up.
“Yeah. I just told you. I want you going out with us tonight. We’ve given you a week.”
Rolling my eyes, I shift on the couch, turning over and away from him.
“Not long enough.”