No.
Nate didn’t answer but that didn’t stop Neil from telling him anyway. A large smile spread on his brother’s face. “I stopped by to see my girl.”
Anger that he had no right feeling surged through him. He’d always hated when Neil referred to her like that. Even though she had been his girlfriend.
“Have you seen her? She looks hot! Hotter than I thought she ever would. I mean she was cute, but she wasn’t exactly hot in high school.”
Yes she was.His brother was too much of an idiot to notice.
Again Nate was silent and again his brother continued anyway. “After all these years, the spark’s still there. It was like the Fourth of July when we saw each other. We picked up right where we left off. I guess what they say about your first love is true, you never get over them. I’m taking her to the Masquerade Ball.”
Nate felt his brother’s words like a punch to the gut. Nate was gifted in predicting behavior, even his erratic brother’s behavior. But hearing that Eliza and Neil were picking up where they left off came so far out of left field, he was glad he was already sitting down, because otherwise the blow would’ve knocked him on his ass.
“You’re what?”
“We’re going to the ball together,” he repeated as his phone buzzed. “Oh shit. Timbo’s at The Plate. You wanna go grab a beer?”
“No.” Nate answered flatly hoping that his face was blank. If there was ever a time he didn’t want someone to know what he was really thinking and feeling, it was now.
“Alright, bro. See you Friday. Mom told me to tell you to make sure your penguin suit is dry cleaned.” Neil winked before leaving the office.
Nate felt a numbness come over him as he sat in his chair dumbfounded at what his brother had just told him. If there was a jackass scale, Neil had registered at about a four in high school. As an adult, he was definitely coming in at a ten. How in the hell didn’t Eliza see that? Could having a first love really make her that blind?
Another wave of déjà vu washed over him. But this time it wasn’t about the best part of his day, this was about one of the worst days of his life. The day that Neil had barged into his room and told him that Eliza Young was his girlfriend.
Nate was heartbroken then, but now he didn’t have a heart to break. She’d taken that with her and never returned it.