Chapter 49
forty-nine
Jeremy
She said no?” I ask, leaning back on the couch.
“She didn’t say anything, actually.” Brooks drops onto the couch next to me, beer in hand. “I never got a chance to ask.”
“Fuck, man.” I groan. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say you’ll go out with me tonight. I need to get my mind off Liv, and I think drowning my sorrows in alcohol is the way to go.”
“I don’t think that’s ever the way to go.” I chuckle. “And I can’t man, sorry. I’m going costume shopping with Tristyn and Henry.”
“You’re such a dad, man.”
“I’m not his dad. I’m just a person who cares about him and his mom a lot.”
Jaxon and Declan walk in the door, laughing about God knows what. The second they see us on the couch, their demeanor shifts.
“Who died?” Declan asks.
“Brooks and Liv broke up,” I reply.
“She said no when you asked her to marry you?” Jaxon’s face falls.
“I never got to ask.”
“Aw, dude, I’m sorry.” Declan walks over to the couch and squeezes Brooks’ shoulder. “I know how much you loved her.”
“Yeah, well, you all were right. I guess she never loved me as much as I loved her.”
“Maybe she knew you were going to propose and wasn’t ready for it,” Jaxon suggests.
“So, she ends our relationship entirely?”
“It was just a thought.”
“A shitty one.”
“Well, you know what, I told you from the beginning that Liv was a bad idea.” Jaxon crosses his arms. “After freshman year, your relationship completely shifted, and I think you’ll be better off without her.”
The guys and I all look at Jax, who is standing awfully high and proud of himself.
“What? If he’s going to be mean to me, I’m going to be honest.”
“He’s right. Maybe I just thought we were stronger than we were.” Brooks groans. “But it doesn’t matter, cause tonight, we’re going out!”
“Who’s we?” Declan tilts his head.
“Well, Daddy Jeremy can’t because he’s going shopping for Halloween costumes, but I know my other two favorite guys will be in.”
“I can’t. I’ve got a double date tonight with Alex and Brinley.” Declan shrugs. “Sorry, bro.”
Jax shifts his weight and brushes his fingers over his nose.
“You can count me in. I could use a night out,” Jax agrees. “We could probably get Zeke and Fletch to come out, too.”
“Maybe even Cam,” Declan suggests. “The more the merrier, right?”
“Yeah, especially since two of my best friends are traitors.” Brooks pouts.
“Sorry, I’ll make sure to plan my life around your next breakup so we can go out.” I shake my head.
“Thank you.”
“Well, since our sweet Brooks isn’t tying the knot anytime soon,” Jax crosses his arms, “who do we think is going to be the first one down the aisle?”
“Jeremy.” Declan and Brooks say at the same time.
“Whoa, I don’t think Tristyn and I are even close to being on that page.”
“I don’t know. You guys seemed like quite a married couple the other night.” Declan wiggles his eyebrows.
“Well, I think it’s going to be you.” I narrow my eyes at him. “It’s basically been a year, so it’s only a matter of time before that thought is on Ember’s mind. Especially with that sister of yours being one of her best friends.”
“Not going to happen. We aren’t even close to being there yet.”
“Well, I know it won’t be me.” Jax lifts his hands in defense.
“Fletcher?” We all think about it.
“If not with Tate, then there’s no way,” Brooks continues.
“Zeke?” I suggest, and there’s a long pause.
We look back and forth between each other and then burst out laughing.
“Nah.”
Halloween party 2.0!” Zeke yells, dumping ice into the cooler.
“I’m just happy it’s our last year, so I don’t have to plan for a Halloween party 3.0,” Jax sighs, searching the fridge for anything we need to get rid of that will be gobbled up by some drunk college students.
“What makes you think we aren’t going to continue throwing these parties once we graduate?” Zeke raises an eyebrow.
“Not gonna happen.” I roll my eyes. “I’m staying at Tristyn’s tonight, so don’t be worried when I don’t come home.”
“We had no plan to be worried about you, Jere.” Zeke shoves a couple of cans of beer into the ice. “You stay over there at least three times a week, we don’t worry about you then.”
“Just don’t overdo it, okay?” Jaxon uses his leg to shut the fridge door behind him. “I know PT has been moving more smoothly than last time, but that doesn’t mean you should jump into walking long distances.”
“I’m using my wheelchair tonight,” I clarify. “I can carry more candy that way.”
They both laugh.
“That’s fair. What time are you leaving for trick or treating?”
Before I can respond to Jax, the doorbell rings.
I grab my crutches and walk to the front door.
When I open it, Tristyn, Henry, and Vince are standing on the other side.
“Trick or treat!” Henry grins, holding out his bag.
“I’m sorry, bud, I don’t have any candy.”
“It’s okay, I’m just practicing.” Henry doesn’t wait for me to invite him in; he shimmies past me.
I give Tristyn a kiss as she walks in and wave to Vince, as we follow Henry to the kitchen.
“My man.” Zeke grabs Henry and flips him upside down. The second he’s upside down, and he pulls his mask over his face. “Wait a second, when did Spiderman get here?”
Henry giggles as Zeke gives him tickles, his legs kicking around in the air, until Zeke flips him back around and his feet hit the floor.
“Are you coming trick-or-treating with us?”
“I wish I could bud, but we have some people coming over here, and I need to be home.”
“Next year?”
Zeke messes up his hair, “Sure thing, bud.”
“You ready to go?” I ask, wrapping an arm around him and patting his chest.
“Yes!”
Henry gives Zeke and Jax high fives before running back toward the door.
“Hey, little man!” Zeke yells after him, and he runs back in. “Happy Halloween.”
Zeke takes a large bag of candy out of a grocery store bag, rips it open, and dumps it into Henry’s bag.
“We thought we should help your candy haul get started.”
“Whoa.” Henry’s eyes widen. “Mama, look.”
“I see it, baby.” Tristyn covers Henry’s ears. “Can’t wait to feed him all of it and send him over here.”
“We’ll welcome him with open arms.” Zeke winks and gets back to filling the cooler.
“Alright, bud, let’s go get you some more candy.”
How did staying at your dad’s go?” I ask, as I wheel us around the neighborhood.
Tristyn and Vince walked back to his place to grab his car, since we kind of just followed the crowd and didn’t realize how far away we got until it was too late.
I’ve been meaning to ask him, but I haven’t had a chance to. I know Tristyn said her ex wants to have him at least one weekend a month, but is now pushing for even more time.
I know she doesn’t hate the idea because she’s losing time with Henry, but because she knows he doesn’t want to go to his dad’s house.
“I have to go again next week.”
“You don’t seem happy about that.”
“We just sit at his house.” Henry rips open a chocolate bar. “He plays video games, and I sit in his room and do homework.”
“He doesn’t hang out with you?”
“I think he just wants to upset, Mama.”
Henry frowns. For a little kid, he picks up on a lot. I guess I can’t blame him when his dad is a total ass who is showing his kid that he just wants him so that his mom can’t have him.
“He doesn’t play games with me like you do,” Henry continues. “He doesn’t talk to me like you do.”
“Well, I hope you know you always have me to talk to.”
“'Cause you won’t leave me.”
“Exactly. You’re stuck with me, buddy.”
We stop at another house, and I motion for him to run up and get more candy. I don’t remember getting this much candy when I was a kid. Tristyn and Vince carried back two full grocery bags of candy when they went to the car, and this bag is overflowing, too.
“You make her happy.” Henry smiles at me. “I can’t remember the last time my mama smiled like she does when she’s with you.”
“Every time she’s with you.” I squeeze his shoulder. “You make her happier than anyone ever could.”
A car honks, and when I turn around, I see Tristyn and Vince pulling up.
“I think you doubled your candy since we left you.” Vince shakes his head. “You ready to head home and divide up your stash?”
Henry yawns and then gives a small nod. I wheel us around the car and pop open the door for Henry. He climbs in, and then I go around the other side and shimmy myself into the car.
“I got this.” Tristyn smiles, grabbing my chair and placing it into the trunk. “You boys ready to go?”
“Yes.”
“Vince here has a party to get to, so he’s just dropping us off at my place.”
“A party, huh?” I raise an eyebrow, and our eyes meet in the rearview mirror. “Plan on seeing anyone I might know?”
“As he told me on the way over, he doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s all you do.” I tease.
“Fuck you both.” He flips off Tristyn, then moves his hand around his seat so I can see it, too.
“Uncle Vince, language.”
“Sorry, Henry.” He flips us off again.
I just laugh.
“Tell Marcus we say hi.”