“Of course. We all do,” I said, unable to look him in the eye.
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you, Jenner.” Eric pushed off the counter and came at me with an intensity in his eyes.
My heart rate quickened, and once again, I worried he was about to hurt me. Whether with a punch to the gut or slap across the face, the man had a gaze that meant destruction.
I tensed as he reached over and grabbed me by my shoulders.This was it...I wouldn’t put it past Eric to have a knife stashed up his sleeve so he could pull it out when I wasn’t expecting it.
My eyes flickered to Hamish with a desperate plea, but Hamish just stared with a frown, as if he was taken by surprise too. He didn’t know what to do. I helped Hamish get cleared for murder. He owed me, but he stood there like a scared child ready to run instead of lifting a finger to help.
I was alone in this fight, so I had to decide. Either puff out my chest and fight like a man, or cry like a baby as the man I thought was my friend murdered me for kissing his sister.
I went with the latter.
A high-pitched yelp escaped my lips, and I fell. Using the dead-weight technique, I crumpled to the floor as Eric’s eyes widened and he stepped back.
Ha! It worked. He wasn’t expecting that. Now was my chance to run and save myself.
“What the hell, Jenner? Are you having a stroke?” Eric dropped to his knees and looked deep into my eyes.
It was almost as if he wasn’t about to stab me, but kiss me.
“I’m not having a stroke.” The closer he moved his face to mine, the further I leaned my head back to avoid whatever he was planning to do. Until I leaned it so far back, my head hit the wall.
“Can you stand?”
“Yes.” I got up, and Eric reached out, trying to help me.
“I’m fine, it’s just…” I realized I didn’t want him to know why I cried like a wounded seagull and collapsed.
“What?” He tilted his head while resting his hand on my shoulder.
There was something different about Eric. It was like he mellowed in the year since I had last seen him. Sure, I talked to him on the phone, but we hadn’t hung out in a long time. And in that time, it felt like he had changed. I had only been in the room with him for five minutes, but something was different.
“I just haven’t talked about Lola in a long time, and I guess I freaked out about it.” I frowned.
“Dude.” He pulled me into a full hug and didn’t let go. “You cared for her too. You were a good friend to her. To me.” He stepped back, letting me go, yet the sense of suffocation persisted.
Since when did Eric become a hugger?
“The one thing we never had growing up was someone to trust—not even our dad. But you... I knew I could trust you.” He pushed his finger into my chest, and it felt like a knife ready to cut. “I just knew I could trust you with my sister. All those greedy men I did business with, I understood what they wanted with her—to get her money and use her. But not you; you were her friend, and I trusted you didn’t look at her like that. You were protective and cared, and you would never do that to her.”
I felt like I was about to throw up.
I nodded because no words would come out of my mouth.
“That’s why, when I thought about who would go to the ends of the Earth to find Lola, you popped into my head. You’re smart and know people, Jenner. I trust you to find her and bring her back so I can hug her once again.”
Blood flooded my ears, racing there to drown out the sound of Eric. I had broken his trust long ago when I gave my heart to Lola. At the time, I knew what we were doing was wrong, but I really believed, over time, her brother would accept me in her life.
I had a plan to slowly get him used to me being in Lola’s life. But I guess he mistook it as me being a good, protective friend.
Which I was... but also so much more.
And when he announced she’d be marrying that jerk, I realized my mistake. I went to explain everything to Lola, but it was too late. She had already left by then.
I failed her. Even her brother thought I could protect her from men who only wanted to use her, but I couldn’t do that. Lola was smart enough to realize that, so she ran.
I was angry at her for a long time, but time made me realize it was all my fault. I was a coward.