His brother looked horrified, his jaw snapping shut with a loud click. “I didn’t—shit. I didn’t mean to say that.”
Jesus, it made so much sense. “Will you just tell me if he’s okay? I mean…I mean with me. Tell me I haven’t made whatever he’s going through worse.”
His brother licked his lips, then sighed. “If anything, you’re the first person who’s made it better in five years.”
My chest warmed. “Well, I won’t tell him you said anything.”
“He’ll know,” he said with a laugh. “He’s used to me fucking up like this.” He shrugged, then pushed one hand into his pocket. “I recorded you by the way. And I’d like to show him when I get back to my parents’ house. He’ll be there for the week, until his showing, and after he’s seen his ortho doctor.”
“Oh,” I breathed out. “Yes, of course.” I was still reeling, and frankly, I was also terrified that whatever Forrest was hiding was going to change everything. But I wanted to be brave because fuck, I was falling in love with him too. I met his brother’s gaze. “Will you give him my number? I’ll come to the show, but if he wants to talk, I’d like that.”
At his nod, I quickly rattled it off, and he added it to his phone. “I’ll give it to him as soon as I see him.”
I nodded, trying to lick my lips but finding my tongue painfully dry. Seven days from now, I was promised a chance to finally see him.
“I should go. My parents will be expecting me,” he said softly. He glanced up at me. “Can I give you a ride?”
“I think I need to walk,” I admitted. It was cold, and earlier, it had been snowing, but I didn’t care. I knew I wouldn’t feel it anyway. “When you talk to him, tell him that I—”
“You can tell him,” Forrest’s brother interrupted, giving me a pointed stare. “Trust me. You can tell him whatever it is you want to say. It’ll mean a lot more if it comes from you. He might not believe it otherwise.”
I nodded, then said nothing as he turned and walked away. He immediately pulled out his phone and made a call, and I wondered if he was on with Forrest or with someone else. But it didn’t matter. I had a chance now to make all this right. All I had left to do was be patient like Forrest’s brother had asked me to be.
Chapter14
It was late—damn near midnight—and I had never felt more alone in my life. The apartment was so quiet, and my bed against the wall felt so cold. Today was a triumph, but it felt like a loss because the one person I’d wanted to share it with wasn’t there.
I ached deep in the center of my chest as I wrapped my blankets around myself and basked in the warmth of the heat Forrest had given me. My phone had been as silent as the grave, and I figured I’d pushed too far.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to the empty room. “I didn’t mean to—”
My words were cut off by a faint buzz, and I scrambled for my phone, which was sitting at the edge of the bed. I didn’t recognize the number, but I knew.
“Forrest.”
“How’d you guess?”
He sounded strange, so clear without the wall between us. His voice was crisp and rumbly and perfect. I couldn’t help a small laugh.
“No one else would call me this late,” I said. “You’re one of five people I know in the city, and everyone else is a contact in my phone.”
He huffed softly, but I could still hear his smile. “I couldn’t sleep without telling you congratulations.”
“I couldn’t sleep knowing you were hurt,” I countered.
He groaned. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”
“Yeah. He said he was bad at that kind of thing,” I told him. “I also forgot to ask his name, and I feel like an ass.”
“He didn’t introduce himself?” Forrest demanded. “He’s such a fucking caveman. His name is Ash. Well, Asher, if you’re being formal.”
“Asher Byrne,” I said. The name tasted familiar on my tongue. “Asher…” Fuck.Ash Byrne. The man buying my uncle’s building. This could either go very badly or it could give me everything I was afraid to ask for. “He’s a real estate guy?”
“How’d you know? Did he try to sell you something?” Forrest asked.
I laughed in spite of myself. “No. My uncle wants to sell the apartment building. He said something about Ash Byrne being up his ass for the last five years.”
Forrest was so quiet the silence was almost painful. “He’s been trying to buy it so he could gut the place and tear down the wall between our apartments to make it a bigger place for me.”