Chapter 6
ARCHIE
“Where’s Rebecca?” I’m helping Jackson clear the table because we volunteered while everyone else heads outside into the cold-as-hell weather. I’d like to put that off a little bit longer.
“She went outside with everyone else,” he says, but something just feels off with my friend. I can’t really describe it.
Besides Walker, I’d say Jackson and Gabe are the two other crew members I’m closest to, and I know when Jackson is being shifty.
“Talk to me,” I say, carrying a load over to the sink. I start rinsing them and loading the dishwasher.
He brings more to the sink, keeping his voice low. “Nothing to talk about.”
“You’re bored out of your fucking mind, aren’t you?” I try not to sound too amused.
“I’m not.”
I hear the sliding glass door open and grin at Gabe when I see him walk in, clearly clocking that we were having a little talk. He’s just as worried about Jackson as I am.
“Uh-oh.” Gabe walks further into the kitchen, still bundled in his coat with his hood pulled up over his head. “The Rebecca talk?” he asks me, his eyes serious with worry.
“Seriously?” Jackson looks from him to me and then back at him. “You fuckers don’t have anything better to talk about?”
“Nope.” I fold my arms and lean back against the counter. “You can talk to us.”
He looks at Gabe. “You don’t want to supervise Amber? She’s around fire, and that kid isn’t afraid of anything.”
It’s a dick move. He knows Gabe is kind of a nervous wreck about Amber getting hurt. It’s strange—the man is not afraid of anything—except his daughter getting hurt. That seems to keep him awake at night, and I think it’s only gotten worse since he doesn’t live with her full-time anymore.
“I’m getting gloves for her, and her mother is there.”
“And Randy,” Jackson says, playfully nudging him. Most people would assume Gabe likes Randy. If you were just a casual observer, you’d think so, and maybe he would if he’d give him a chance, but Gabe isn’t one to trust easily.
And it’s not that he’s still hung up on Shelly, I don’t think. It’s just—trust. That’s a big thing to Gabe.
“Tell us what’s going on with Rebecca, and we’ll leave you alone,” I say, turning back to the sink and hurrying to finish up the dishes.
“Nothing is going on. She’s great. She’s nice. And I don’t know why people keep asking me about her.”
“So we aren’t the first?” My brows arch.
He huffs and looks at Gabe. “You better bring Amber some gloves. It’s cold as fuck.”
Gabe rolls his eyes, but doesn’t argue any more, shooting me a look that says we’ll talk later before he grabs his daughter’s gloves and heads back outside.
“We just care about you, man,” I say as lightly as I can because it’s true. We all care a hell of a lot about each other. This is the only family I’ve ever really had, and they mean a lot to me.
And life is way too damn short not to have fun. He’s not having fun. It’s clear to all of us. He’s being polite and tiptoeing around it, but he’s not in love with her. And I don’t understand spending one second with someone who you aren’t in love with.
What’s the point?
If it were just for sex, I’d understand that. I was a total slut at one time and loved every second of it—until I didn’t. But that’s a different story. But he’s in a relationship with her. They’re exclusive, and he’s not happy.
That—I can’t stand.
“I know you care, but I’m fine. Rebecca is great. My mom even likes her, and you know how picky my mom is.”
I snicker because Jackson is a total mama’s boy. Can’t blame him though. His mom is amazing—raised three boys all on her own after Jackson’s dad died when he was only two. “That’s great, but how do you feel about her?”
“What the hell is this about?” He dries his hands on a dish towel, his scowl heavy now as he glares at me. “Why do you care so much? I’m happy. Do I need to smile more or something?”
“Couldn’t hurt.”
He tosses the dish towel at me, and I catch it, drying my hands off before I shut the now-full dishwasher and turn it on. “I don’t know why it’s bugging me so much, Jackson. You’ve been dating her for a while now, right?”
“A couple of months.”
“And this is the first time you’ve brought her around.”
“It’s only been a couple of months,” he says as he leaves the kitchen as if to escape, but I follow.
“Yeah, but you don’t talk about her either. You also get shifty and defensive whenever any of us bring it up.”
“What the hell is your point?” He spins to face me. “Not all of us have to be obsessed with the person we’re dating, Arch. I’m happy for you and Cane, I am. But just because you can’t stop gushing about your man—”
“No.” I hold up a hand and stop him. “That’s where you’re wrong. You should want to shout it from the rooftops when you’re with someone. You should want to talk about them all the damn time. Not snap at your friends for bringing them up.” I refuse to believe any different.
At first, I thought it was a little gross how Walker talked about Dutton after they finally made it official. But I realized that was mostly just jealousy. I wanted that. I didn’t think it was something I ever wanted, but now I’m happy to be just as gross as they are.
Hell, maybe even more so.
He grips the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger, like he’s trying not to kill me. And fair, but I’m not dropping this. I hate seeing him miserable, and I know it has to do with his relationship with her.
“Just drop it?”
No can do. “You know I can’t.”
“Goddammit, Archie.” He says it like he wants to be mad, but there’s amusement and fondness there too. At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe.
“If you don’t love her by now, you need to let her go. Let her be happy with someone who can’t stop talking about her, and you find someone who lights you on fire.”
“Literally?”
I shove him playfully and snort. “No. No more Sandras.”
He finally laughs at the mention of his ex, who I’m pretty sure was close to burning his house down at one point. “Or Marks,” he adds, and I bark out a laugh because I forgot about that guy.
“Wow. You really do bring out the crazy in people, don’t you?”
“Ha ha,” he deadpans. “I thought it was passion.”
“Well, they were definitely passionate. I mean, Mark kind of stalked you for a little while there . . .”
“He did. Still calls me sometimes too. In the middle of the night.”
“Heavy breathing?” I ask, trying to joke, even though it’s pretty disturbing.
“I was an asshole. Selfish and shitty. I gave up on them too fast.”
Ah. Okay, so that’s why he’s sticking it out with boring Rebecca?
I shake my head and place one hand on his shoulder.
“Jackson, you didn’t. You stayed with them way, way too long.
” He quirks a brow at me because I know both relationships only lasted two or three weeks, but yeah—that was plenty.
They were toxic relationships, and to be honest, I don’t know which is worse.
Chronically boring or over-the-top fighting. It’s all bad, and I want better for my friend.
“Is that why you’re trying to force this thing with Rebecca?”
He glances out the window toward the backyard, and I’m sure he’s searching out Rebecca, but I leave my gaze on him until he answers. His eyes meet mine, and they’re kind of sad. “She’s nice. Normal. Doesn’t threaten to burn down my house.”
“Look, you’ve had some odd relationships, but boring isn’t you either.”
“I think I could use some boring.”
I want to argue with him, but maybe he’s right. At this point, he really could use some normalcy.
“I don’t know, man.”
“Good thing for you is you don’t have to know. It’s my life.”
“I think the right person is out there for you.” I look out at the backyard at all our friends, who are huddled around the firepit, and then back at him. “Or you could try being single for a bit. We have you covered, if you’re lonely. We’re your people.”
He shoves me, but it’s playful, and his laugh is hearty. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that too. Maybe monogamy or being in a relationship isn’t actually for me. Single may be.”
I shrug. “Single is fun.”
“Come on. Let’s join the party.”
And with that, I drop it.
At least for now.