CHAPTER NINETEEN | Penn
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Penn
“You maybe want to explain that?” I turn toward my brother’s voice, having just watched London drive away.
“What the hell are you still doing here?” I ask, a little surprised that anyone is here at this point, given that most, if not all, of our ships should be out on the water.
“I think the better question is, what are you doing?” He gives me a look I’ve seen thousands of times over the years. “You and LV?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” I turn, heading toward the office, Alec fast on my heels.
“Not to rain on your parade, brother, but I’d tread carefully if I were you.”
I stop so abruptly that Alec nearly runs into me as I turn around to face him.
“I do not want, nor need, your advice where London or any woman is concerned. You’re not exactly working with a stellar track record.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“London is going to meet Josie right now. Wonder what she’ll say about you when she gets there.”
My brother shifts uncomfortably.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, you don’t.” I roll my eyes.
“Josie and me...” He reaches around to squeeze the back of his neck. “It’s complicated.”
“Is it? Or do you just make everything that way? You know, sleeping with a woman and then turning around and sleeping with another woman the next day isn’t exactly best practice when it comes to not pissing people off. Let me guess, you let history repeat itself.”
“For your information, no, I didn’t. I... Well, I asked her on a date.”
If I were drinking something, I have no doubt I would have spat it out right in his face. Not because it’s funny, but because it’s so damn surprising.
“You asked her on a date,” I repeat back slowly.
“She told me to eat shit.” He lets out a humorless laugh.
“Not to be a dick, but did you really expect her to say yes after the crap you pulled after the wedding?”
“Didn’t stop her from going back to my place last weekend just the same.”
“Sleeping with someone and dating them are two very different things.” I feel the need to remind him.
“You would know.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You haven’t dated anyone since London.”
“And? You haven’t dated anyone ever.”
“I’m just saying, you’re not exactly in a position to give me advice on women, considering you’ve been obsessed with the same woman since you were a kid and even when she ripped out your heart and stomped on it, you never gave up hope that she’d come back to you.”
I open my mouth to argue but quickly realize he’s right.
I may have hidden behind my hurt and anger, but beneath all that, there was always love.
Unconditional and overwhelming love. The kind of love you know only comes along once in a lifetime if you’re lucky.
The kind of love you never truly let go of.
“Josie is a good girl,” I say instead. “Too good for you, if we’re being honest. If it was your intent to date her, perhaps you shouldn’t have screwed another woman less than twenty-four hours after she left your bed.”
“I didn’t want to date her then.” He shrugs.
“But you do now?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I like her. I think about her a lot. She makes me laugh like no one else can. And don’t get me started with what that girl can do with her tongue.”
“I don’t want to know.” I spin on my heel and close the remaining distance to the office, quickly pushing my way inside, not the least bit surprised when Alec follows me in.
“What do I do?” he asks, my back to him as I shuffle through some papers.
“I thought you didn’t want my advice.”
“I don’t. But since you seem to have a way with women, perhaps you could at least give me some pointers.”
“Pointers?” I turn to face him.
“Yeah, like what the hell do I do? She’s got me all twisted up inside and it’s driving me crazy.”
A smile creeps onto my face.
“Has it finally happened?”
“What?”
“The infamous womanizer Alec Kade has finally met his match.”
“I’m glad you’re finding humor in my discomfort.”
“Just repaying the favor, brother.” I give him a knowing look. “Or should we revisit how buddy-buddy you were with London when she came back, just to spite me.”
“Hate to break it to you, brother, but that was never about spite. I felt like at least one of us needed to be kind to her so that you’d have a chance to get out of your own way and figure out what everyone else already knew.”
“And what’s that?”
“That you still loved her.” A smile plays at the corner of his mouth. “It would appear as though I was right.” He crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I grumble.
“So, how was it?”
“I am not, nor will I ever, discuss my sex life with you.”
“So you did sleep with her.” His smile widens. “I knew as soon as you asked me to fill in for you today... I can’t recall you ever doing that before.”
“Alec,” I warn.
“Okay. Okay.” He holds his hands up in surrender. “Just do me a favor and tread carefully. The last time she left, she nearly destroyed you. I’d hate to think what would happen if she were to do it again.”
His words find that insecure pit that’s been brewing in my stomach since yesterday and gives it a good poke.
“She won’t.”
“I hope you’re right. Just do me a favor and take it slow. Be sure that she’s in this for real before you let yourself get too deep.”
“A little too late for that,” I mutter under my breath loud enough for him to hear.
“We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?” Alec flops down in the chair across from my desk, stretching his legs out in front of himself.
“You really want to know how to win Josie over?” I ask, lowering myself into my own seat.
“I wouldn’t have asked for your help if I didn’t.” He blows out a hard breath.
“Befriend her.”
“Befriend her?” He looks at me like I’ve just sprouted horns out of the top of my head.
“Don’t scoff at it until you try it. Take the time to get to know her and not just on the surface level, to really know her.
Be her confidant. Her comfort. Her companion when she wants to do something no one else will do with her.
Show her you’re someone she can lean on, that she can trust; the rest will take care of itself. ”
“How do you know it’ll work?”
“Because I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
“Oh yeah?” He perks up at that.
“And because that’s what I did with London.”
He thinks on that for a long moment.
“So how would I go about doing this, exactly?”
“You have to let it develop organically.”
“Easier said than done when she won’t even answer my calls and barely answers my texts.”
“Maybe London can help with that.”
“How so?”
“Josie has been her best friend for most of her life. If anyone knows how to wear her down, it’ll be London.”
“Not a bad idea, I’ll admit.” He nods, thinking this over. “You think maybe she’d agree to a double not date?”
“Not date?” I laugh.
“Well, if I’m working the friend angle, I can’t exactly invite her on a double date.”
“Let me talk to London, see if we can come up with something.”
“You know, you’re a lot more agreeable when you don’t have a massive stick up your rear.” He grins.
“Okay, enough of that. Why don’t you fill me in on today?”
“If I must.” He lets out a slow exhale and proceeds to do just that.
It’s nearly eight o’clock by the time Alec and I finally exit the office, by which time I’ve checked my phone about a million times, though I don’t know why because I know how Josie and London are when they get together.
Her phone probably hasn’t left her bag since she sat down at the restaurant. .. Which gives me an idea.
“Want to get a beer?” I ask Alec as we reach the parking lot.
“A beer?” He cocks a brow. “Isn’t it past your bedtime, old man?”
“Maybe a burger, too. Carvers?”
“Carvers?”
“Do you want to go to Carvers with me for a beer and a burger? I’m starving.” I give him a pointed look. “And that’s where London and Josie are.” I give him a look that says duh.
“Ohhhh.” My intent finally dawns on him. “You know, a burger and a beer actually sound pretty perfect.”
“I’ll meet you over there?” I ask, tugging open my truck door.
“Meet you there,” he quickly agrees, climbing into his car that’s parked next to mine.