I look over her shoulder, toward the area where Talia disappeared and sigh. “I don’t know, but something is off.”
“Maybe, but Ben obviously likes her, and you have to accept that.”
Tears prickle my eyes. I’m not even sure why I’m so emotional about this. I don’t want to believe my sister is right, and that Ben is the one for me. He’s always been my best friend, the one I’ve turned to for everything. I’ve had the best of both worlds, having Ben and Peyton by my side, talking about school, life and… guys.
Ben has always been my go-to about guys, asking him ridiculous questions on whether so and so likes me or if I should date someone, and yet at every major rite of passage, Ben and I went together.
“Do you think… never mind.” I turn and gather my stuff. There’s one question on my mind and only one person who can answer it. That’s if he’ll even talk to me.
* * *
The driveway to Brad’s new place is about a half mile long, winding through dense forest until the land opens up to a wide area with a gorgeous mansion. Behind the main house is a bungalow where Brad stays while working on the owner’s cars.
Parking in front of the garage, the sound of machinery fills the air. When the noise stops, music takes over. I walk in and look around for any sign of Brad, but see none.
“Under here,” a voice calls out. I walk around the car, looking at the ground, wondering if he’s under there. In the front, legs stick out, and I laugh at the sight.
“Brad?”
“Yep.” Before I can say anything else, he pulls himself out from underneath. There’s a smile on his face, but it quickly morphs into a grimace. Brad and I haven’t exactly been friends over the years, and even though Ben has told me otherwise, I feel as if Brad resents me because Ben moved here. “I don’t service other vehicles.” He tries to go back under the car, but I grab his pant leg to hold him still.
“I’m not here for a car repair.”
“So why would you come all the way out to the canyon?’
“Because of Ben.”
Brad pushes himself back out. “What about him?”
“I was hoping you could tell me what’s going on.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” I ask, putting my hands on my hips. “Because one minute we’re best friends and the next, he’s avoiding me and dating some girl named Talia who has already moved into this apartment.”
Brad smiles and continues to shake his head, which I find annoying.
“You know something.”
“No, I don’t. What I do know is you need to let him go. Release this imaginary hold you have on my brother so he can live his own life and not the one you have mapped out for him.”
“What’re you talking about? Ben does his own thing.”
He smirks. “Ben does no such thing. He didn’t even want to move out here, but he did because of you.”
“He didn’t have to.”
Brad laughs once. “Really? Because the constant whining about how you don’t want to be alone, even though you have your brother here, not to mention the fact your family are not far away, wasn’t a plea
with Ben to apply to UCLA? A college, mind you, that he didn’t even want to attend.”
“I don’t whine, and Ben could’ve made his own decision.”
Brad stands and picks up the rag on the car to clean his hands. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what, exactly? You are talking in spades, Brad. I’m here because I want to know what’s going on with Ben or better yet, where he is. Because he’s not at school, he quit his work study, and I never see him at the apartment.”
He throws the rag down onto the counter and looks at me. “Since the day Ben met you, his life has been about Elle James. Elle, this. Elle, that. Your family adopted him as if he were some stray animal you found on the street corner.”