Chapter 12
We pull up to the bar, the lot crammed with cars. The only open spot is across the street, and I have to wedge the truck in just to make it fit.
Ayden falls in step a few paces from me as we cross the road and power-walk toward the building. “The View House” is sprawled across the front in spray paint, the only real marker of the place besides the neon sign flashing “Bar”. It’s all old brick, no frills.
Inside, the place is alive, noise and movement crashing all at once. Standard tap house vibes; random movie posters, license plates bolted to the walls, a dozen TVs broadcasting the game. The crush of people is immediate. Bodies shoulder to shoulder.
Ayden ends up pressed against my side as we fight our way in.
My eyes sweep the crowd until I spot Corey waving.
Without thinking, my hand goes to the small of Ayden’s back, guiding him with me through the throng.
He stiffens like he wants to resist, but I don’t let go.
It’s just to cut through the mob, nothing more.
He’s likely never been here, and you know, I don’t want… something happening.
Excuses. I know it, but whatever, I won’t bother to dig too deep into it.
We break free of the worst of the crowd gathered around the bar, all eyes glued to the opening kick.
Taylor spots me and shrieks, grinning wide. “Fuck yes! You came! We thought Britt was a filthy little liar.”
At the table, Brittany is already seated, gaping at Taylor.
Corey drapes his arm over the bench seat and shifts from looking at me, to Ayden. “Didn’t know you were bringing a friend. The more the merrier to watch the absolute hurt on your face when the Cardinals get destroyed.”
“It’s honestly hilarious you all think I’m a fan of them just because I lived there.”
It isn’t until Ayden shifts slightly that I realize my hand is still resting on his lower back. Heat pricks at my neck as I pull away, quick and casual, like it was nothing.
I clear my throat and gesture toward the table, introducing everyone, and then him to them.
“How do you know Keoni?” Kali asks as Ayden slips in beside Taylor, and I shift to take the spot next to Corey. There isn’t enough room on that side anyway, and probably for the best. If I’m going to drink tonight, better not do it within arm’s reach of him.
He looks up at me. “Um… I’m his—”
“Friend,” I cut him off, before sending warning signals straight to Brittany. “I met him in high school.”
Technically, technically—technically—we are no longer stepbrothers, so I shouldn’t introduce him as such.
Not that it matters.
“Are you also from Arizona?” Kali continues.
My therapist friend gives me a probing look, but she can drown in her curiosity. I’ve no doubt she’ll tuck it away for next week to discuss why I didn’t introduce him as my stepbrother.
“Ah, I love San Francisco,” Taylor coos. “I want to go back. Nothing compares to their clam chowder bread bowls.”
“Have you never been to New England?” Corey slings his other arm across the back of the bench, not touching me, just letting it hang there. “That’s pure perfection clam chowder.”
“I’ve had both,” Ayden says, and I catch his eyes zeroing in on something to my left. I peek over to see what it could be, and see Corey’s hand. “I’d vote for the Bay’s being better.”
That has the redhead bellowing out a “HAH,” causing the rest of the table to erupt into laughter.
We all fall into easy conversation, Corey and I splitting our attention between the game and each other’s commentary. Brittany and Taylor chime in every so often, though they’re clearly more interested in their own side chat.
I can’t help but notice after a few rounds of beers for us, Ayden has simply stuck with water.
Taylor and Britt ask if he wanted something else, but he simply shook his head.
They don’t pressure him further, but it does have me curious. Alysa mentioned he loved college parties and was one hell of a shot when it came to beer pong, even when completely wasted.
He’s only twenty-seven, hardly old enough to swear off everything entirely, so I can’t help but wonder. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe he just doesn’t want to embarrass himself the first time out with me and my friends, trying to make a good impression. Not that he needs to.
Ayden is easy to love being around.
Fucking hell, the beers are getting to my head.
By the time the game pushes into the fourth quarter, I’ve got a solid buzz going. Maybe it was smart he didn’t drink—looks like I’m going to need him to drive us home. It’s possible that’s the reason he stuck to water all night. Always the smarter one between us.
I grin directly across the table at Brittany, who is slowly turning away from the TV.
“What was that about the Broncos, Britt?”
The score is thirteen to fifty-two with less than seven minutes left in the game. Cardinals winning.
“You biggity-bitch, don’t look at me like that.”
“Don’t make me report you for your language, missy.” I chuckle through my toothy grin.
“You cheated.”
That has me tossing my head back with my mirth.
The sudden shift of the table has me looking around to see Ayden getting up out of the booth.
“Where are you going?”
He wets his lips. “Bathroom.”
I press my hands to the table and stand, raising my hands up to stretch my back out.
“Oh. You don’t have to come with me.”
My brow pops. “I don’t need to go, but I’m going to close out the tab.”
“Oh, duh, right.” He clears his throat, and it’s now I look down at him fumbling around with his phone in hand.
“I’ll show you where it’s at, though. May as well.”
“Thanks…”
“No problem.”
After walking him to the bathroom—which, surprisingly, had no line despite the swarm of guys packed in here—I head back to the bar. I settle the tab and grab a water for the road. Not that Ayden really needs it, but I pick one up for him as well.
“You’re lucky,” Kali says through a hiccup. “You’ve got a DD. I’m gonna have to take an Uber.”
“I can drop you off,” Corey says as he slips from the booth. “I’m fine, and you’re along the way. I definitely didn’t have as much as you guys.”
“Zero tolerance!” Brittany shouts over the screaming patrons. “Take an Uber. Do the ride share, all of you.”
“Yes, mom. Who are you again?” The redhead gives her a catlike smirk.
“Don’t give me that, Taylor. I’ve held your hair over your head before you were legal to hold a bottle of liquor to your lips!”
A soft chuckle flows from my lips before I take a sip of my water.
I catch Ayden out of the corner of my eye as he makes his way back toward us. He looks drained, and concern punches through me before I can stop it. I close the gap in a few quick steps, not caring if anyone overhears.
“What’s wrong?”
His shoulders jerk, eyes going wide. “What?”
“You look…” I hesitate, not wanting to sound like an ass. It’s barely been five minutes and it’s as though he just stepped through a hurricane. “Disheveled. Did something happen in the bathroom?”
He shakes his head. “No… Are you ready to go?”
I don’t need to have some weird sense to tell he’s lying. Or, maybe he isn’t and it’s the liquor that’s making me overthink just simply being tired.
After a second of a silent standoff between us, I turn and shout, “See you guys.”
“Bye, Keoni! Byeeee, Aydennn!”
“See ya.”
“Text us when you’re home.”
“Ayden, come back out with Keoni!”
When I look back at him, he’s already making his way out of the bar. Something had to have happened.
A little wobbly, I follow him out. The game’s still on inside, though people are already filtering out—it’s a blowout, no suspense in who will win.
The cool night slaps my face, sobering me faster than I’d like to admit. I tug the tie from my bun and shake my hair out, only then realizing how much I’d been sweating. When I throw it back up, the cold air bites at the nape of my neck, sharp enough to make me shiver.
“Come on, the Uber is here.”
Ayden? Is he talking to me?
I look to my right to see him standing beside a car, and I cock an eyebrow. Sure as shit, he opens the back door, and gestures for me to get in.
With a laugh that’s far from humorous, I scoff. “Oh man, Sun—” I shake my head at him but also myself because the fact I nearly called him that is stupid. “You can drive my truck. We don’t need this.” I gesture toward the damn Prius idling beside him.
His throat bobs. “I’ve never driven it, and it’s really dark. I don’t want to accidentally hit something. It’s fine, I’ll pay for it.”
“I’m not concerned about that.” I’m honestly not even concerned about the truck. I’m more confused than anything. “I think you’re lying. Just like that smile you keep giving me and everyone else. It’s a lie. It’s fucking weird. What’s going on?”
He takes an unsteady breath and looks down at the inside of the vehicle. The driver doesn’t say anything, which I guess I appreciate because I don’t really want to get pissy with someone else.
When his hazel eyes return to mine, he once again plasters on a fake-ass smile.
“Nothing is going on. I’m serious, Keo.” Keo… My goddamn heart. “I’ll call the bar when we get home and let them know your truck has to stay overnight. It’ll be fine. I’d feel terrible if I crashed it…”
I know this isn’t real, this facade he’s putting on. I should know because I watched him for two years straight, nearly every single day. Something happened in the bathroom, and the fact he just won’t tell me, actually pisses me off.
What have you done to let him in, for him to tell you shit?
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you an Uber back tomorrow, and—”
“Shut up,” I grit out before pushing past him to the passenger side. “I don’t give a fuck about the truck, Ayden.”
Circling to the opposite side of the car, I open the back door, slip in, and slam it closed. I thrust my seatbelt on and rest my head against the top of the headrest.
It takes a few seconds, but he finally slides in. Only after the door closes, I shut everything out and disappear into that dark room with no windows or doors.
I’m done.