39. Brock Jones
Chapter thirty-nine
Brock Jones
I smile down at Ariel. She hasn’t stirred for the last two hours, not even when I replaced my leg with an actual pillow so I could clean up from breakfast and check on work.
I hadn’t expected to stay here for so long, but one look into her tired eyes changed all of that.
Past me would have been anxious to get back to work, and it’s not easy to break up with that feeling.
There is a part of me that grapples with the old thoughts and patterns.
You should be working.
You’re getting behind.
All that you’ve worked for is going to disappear if you keep this up.
Ariel says it will go away with time, and I trust her. She hasn’t steered me wrong so far.
I pick my phone up and check my messages.
Not for work, though. It’s been days since I both texted and called Sutton telling her I wanted to talk.
After everything that was said the last time we saw each other, I thought she’d answer right away.
I can’t help but worry I pushed her and Shaw both too far while I was in LA.
I recall what Ariel said one time during an argument, that it would be easy for me to get on a plane and go see them. Maybe that’s what I’ll do. I’ll see if Ariel wants to come, and I’ll make time to go to Alabama for an in-person apology.
My phone buzzes in my hand, making my heart jump. It’s just an email alert telling me about an award one of my clients won. I sigh and text Marie to send them a congratulatory gift.
I don’t know if I can wait to go to Alabama.
The anxiety of thinking that my sister and best friend hate me is too much.
I texted Shaw two days ago with no response, but maybe if I call him, he’ll answer.
If he doesn’t, I’ll resort to texting in the group chat with all of our friends.
Which has been suspiciously quiet lately.
Did they all talk and decide to digitally exile me?
Nervousness builds as I step into Ariel’s back yard and press call on Shaw’s name. The phone rings and rings. Just when I think it’s going to voicemail, he picks up.
“Hey,” he says.
“Look, I’m going to come right out and say a few things,” I blurt out.
“I messed up. Big time. I pushed you and Sutton away, and I’m sorry.
A lot has happened recently. I know Ariel told Sutton some of the story, but I’d like to talk about it with both of you.
I’m going to try to come to Alabama. Maybe this weekend. ”
There’s a long pause. I think I hear talking, and hushing sounds in the background. Maybe Sutton is with him?
“Uh, where are you now?” he asks.
My brows pull together. After everything I just said, that’s what he wants to know? I look over my shoulder. Through the sliding glass door, I see Ariel curled up in blankets on her couch.
“That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. I’m at Ariel’s place.” I rake a hand through my hair and let out a nervous laugh. “We’re–well, we’re dating.”
“ What? ” my sister shrieks. I guessed correctly about her listening in.
I grimace. I was going to walk them through my side of the story, then tell them about me and Ariel.
“You and Ariel?” Shaw asks, but he sounds like he’s struggling to talk.
“Tell me everything.” Sutton’s voice is louder now. I’m betting she just took the phone from Shaw.
“Sutton, why would you–” Shaw’s voice cuts off. I look at my screen, which says the call is still connected. She muted her side.
“What is going on over there?” I can’t help but laugh.
The sound comes back. Sutton is hushing Shaw. Loudly. It’s like I’m playing mediocre ocean sounds at full volume.
“We’re very busy right now,” Sutton says. “But we’ll talk to you in a little while.”
My smile falls. “I know you’re mad, but can you give me a chance to apologize?” I pace Ariel’s back patio. “I’ll get a flight to Alabama today,” I decide aloud. My business can go up in flames for all I care. I can’t lose my family.
“No!” Sutton shouts, making me wince. “No, don’t do that. Just give me thirty minutes, okay?”
“Thirty minutes? What–”
The line goes quiet again. I look at my screen. She hung up. Feeling a little discouraged and a lot confused, I head back inside.
Ariel sits up when I walk in. “Hey, you okay?” Her sleepy voice makes me smile.
“I’m all right. How are you doing?”
I sit down next to her. She leans against me.
“Much better. Thank you for taking care of me.”
I wrap an arm around her and kiss the top of her head. “Anytime, Duke.”
“You sure you’re okay?” She tips her head back to look at me, blue eyes lined in concern.
“I called Shaw, and even talked to Sutton for a minute.”
“That’s good, right?”
“I’m not sure. They fought over the phone, and then Sutton said they were busy and needed thirty minutes. I told them that we were dating, because Shaw asked where I was. Why would he ask that?”
She frowns. “I don’t think I’m awake enough to dissect all of that.”
I laugh. “I don’t think I am either.”
Ariel stands and stretches her arms up high with a low groan. “I’m going to go get a shower and see if that helps me wake up.” She bends down and gives me a soft kiss. “She’ll call back. She loves you.”
I muster a smile. “I know.”
But the truth is, I don’t. I’ve pushed everyone around me away for months. While I don’t think Sutton will stop loving me because of that, I do think it’s going to take more than a phone call to repair our relationship.
Once Ariel is in her bedroom, I call Marie.
“Can you get me a flight to Alabama? Sometime this afternoon. Possibly for Ariel too.” Hopefully Ariel will forgive me for not running these plans by her, and for cancelling our s’mores date.
“Can do,” she says. “I’ll send you the details when I have them.”
I hear her typing in the background.
“Thanks, Marie. Go ahead and give yourself another raise too.”
Her typing stops. “If you keep giving me raises, the company is going to go bankrupt.”
“We both know that’s not true, Marie.”
“Well, my husband would tell me to stop talking and take the money. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
I chuckle. “Good. Thanks again, Marie.”
“Just doing my job, Mr. Jones.”
She hangs up before I can tell her for the thousandth time not to call me that. She’s a couple decades my senior. The woman shouldn’t call me mister anything.
As soon as our call ends, the doorbell rings. I didn’t think the delivery guy was supposed to be here for a couple more hours, but it’s good that he’s here since I now have to go to Alabama. I open the door and freeze in place.
Sutton and Shaw are standing on Ariel’s front porch with grins on their faces. Behind them are Miles, Jason, and Emmett too.
“Surprise!” Sutton says, and throws her arms around me.
Surprise, indeed.