He just continues to push around the steak on his plate that I know he won't eat. The past few weeks I've basically had to force food down his throat; that's how messed up the bastard's been over Remy. Apparently, leaving these two together in our apartment for ten days while I was traveling, and Remy needing a place to stay resulted in both of them leaving with broken hearts. God only knows what happened during that time, because neither of them will admit their feelings to each other, let alone to me. So, I just play the clueless best friend, offering comfort with meals and vague words.
"I'll be there," he says in a gruff voice. "I promised your parents I'd go, plus I'm hoping..." He looks away and swallows his words, even though I know the end of that was going to be,I'm hoping Remy will be there.
I nod and steal a bite of steak off his plate. "Eat the rest. You sucked in training this week because your strength has been shit lately." I climb off the barstool and start to clean up my own plate. "I'm leaving in a little bit. I'd offer you a ride but I have family stuff before and after and I figured you wouldn't want to deal with that." I don't bother telling him I'm driving Remy to the party and that’s why I can’t take him. "So I'll just see you there, yeah?"
He nods and continues pushing his last bite around. With a sigh, I step up to him and clap him on the back. "Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end."
He looks up at me, and in his eyes I see so much pain, so much desperation, that I'm almost tempted to blurt out that I know Remy's in love with him. The two idiots have their wires crossed and don't know that they have the same feelings for each other, so they're both just sitting around, miserable and heartbroken.
He just nods an unspokenthank you, to which I nod in return before walking upstairs to get ready for the party.
But as I shower and get dressed in one of my suits, it's not Tristan and Remy that I'm thinking about with concern. It's Remy's sister, Hailey.
Although Remy's been the one closest to my family for over a decade, Hailey's been a big part of it too. While Remy was my best friend growing up, inseparable and always by my side, Hailey was the little sister who I couldn't help but take under my wing. Being five years younger than me meant I was the responsible adult figure between us, even at the age of fifteen. And she was mesmerized by me.
Everyone knew she had a kid's crush on me when we were younger. No one was surprised. What ten-year-old girl wouldn't crush on the fifteen-year-old boy always hanging around her house? I never treated her any differently because of it, except maybe making sure I didn't do anything to further her crush or give her false hope. And when I started seriously dating at seventeen, her crush seemed to lose its steam and settle comfortably into friendship. By the time she became a teenager, and I left for college, we had a friendship that’s bond was so strong that no distance could test it and no words could hurt it.
Even seeing me bring home my college girlfriend didn't affect how close we were. Her welcoming smile was just as warm, just asHaileyas I could've hoped for. It became an unspoken thing that she would always bebaby girl, my friend through relationships, school troubles, family drama, all of it. I was the boy who drove her to dance classes and helped her with her math homework, and she was the girl whose sunshine could melt any storm clouds in my life in a heartbeat. She was so happy, so wholesome, that it never surprised me that our bond was as pure as it was. It always felt like this living, breathing, ironclad thing that became apparent every time the two of us were in a room together. I would've done anything for that girl.
I never thought of her as anything but a friend. In fact, I got more comments about dating her sister than I ever did about Hailey. A big part of that was obviously her being so young—an actual minor for the majority of the time we spent together during our childhood—but even after she turned eighteen, it never really occurred to me to pursue anything more. I knew she was gorgeous, but I never felt like I wanted to change what felt like a perfect friendship. I liked being her friend and protector, the guy she always knew she could count on. I almost felt like I didn't want to mess with perfection.
Even when she moved into the city with Remy after high school, I liked the comfort of those nights I spent with the two of them, reminiscing about our hometown and talking about whatever happened during our days in the city. We lived such different lives—me in Corporate America by day and the gym by night, and her, an 18-year-old waitress, working in the restaurant industry—and it was fun sharing over our different experiences. I even kept my reactions to only slightly-feral when she started dating. I would always be protective of Hailey, but I only ever wanted her to be happy.
Which is why, as I finish buttoning my shirt, I can't stop stressing over tonight. Because Hailey's not happy anymore, and the piece of shit that she's bringing to my parents' party is the reason why.
I finish the last button and remind myself once again that I need to keep my fucking cool. Too often I want to strangle Steve for snuffing out the sparkle in Hailey's eyes, and I had to make a vow to myself a long time ago that I wouldn't physically hurt him for it.
I've tried talking to her about it, but I've seen how she reacts to Remy's attempts, and the fact of the matter is, I have even less of a right to tell her what to do than her sister. At the end of the day, it's her choice how to live her life and as long as he's not physically or mentally hurting her, I don't really have a good reason to step in.
I just hate the fact that he's so much less than she deserves. Even Tommy, her high school boyfriend, was good to her despite being a bit of an airhead. It never shredded me to see them together the way it does to see her with Steve, who I can see is killing her self-esteem. But she swears that she's happy, so between that and not having the right to step in in the first place, I just watch from afar and grind my teeth in my fury.
I never know if today is going to be the day that I finally snap, but as I slide my suit jacket on and grab my car keys, I remind myself that it would only hurt my relationship with Hailey if I did.
* * *
"Jaxon, darling, I haven't seen Remy yet. Don't tell me you didn't bring my favorite future granddaughter-in-law tonight."
I swallow my sigh as I take a big gulp of the beer in my hand and turn to face my grandmother.
"Hi, Grandma Birdie," I greet her with a smile. "How are you enjoying the party?"
She returns my smile, but its shine pales in comparison to the obnoxious bird pin in her hair.
"Don't change the subject," she says with a knowing look. "Did you bring her tonight or not?"
This time I don't contain my sigh. "Yes, I brought her. I was just talking to Mom and Dad with her. But, Grandma, you know we're not dating. We'll never date. It's too weird, I've known her too long."
She flaps her hands as if all my reasons are bullshit. "Nonsense, you can always move from friendship to relationship. I knew your grandfather when we were both in diapers and look how we turned out. You're just being a pussy about pursuing her."
I choke on my beer. She doesn't even blink, just gives me a few hard pats on the back and waits for me to respond with God knows what kind of answer.
"Jesus Christ, Grandma, how did you—why did—I don't even know what to say to you right now. Other than no, I'm not." Suddenly, I remember the point of her comment, so I straighten and glare at her. "I'm not a pussy. We just don't mesh well. We're better as friends. Plus, I'm pretty sure she's in love with my roommate."
She seems to deflate at my response. Everyone knows that she's always been smitten with Remy—feisty women unite—so she never takes it well when we inevitably reach this point in the conversation.
She sighs as she concedes. "I'm not sure anyone would be better than you, but if she's happy, then I guess that's okay."
I just smile and press a kiss to her weathered cheek. That seems to brighten her back up because she smiles up at me, a sparkle in her eye. "What about her sister? She's beautiful and mature, from what I remember. And you've never treated her as someone that you couldn't be more than friends with." She rolls her eyes and puts air quotes around that last part, causing me to aim a glare at her that definitely readscareful.