Chapter 43
CHAPTER 43
Drew
“Have you talked to Brody?”
Charlee snuggles deeper into my chest. “No. Rainey told me it’s best to give him some time to warm up to the idea of you and me together.”
I swallow hard. “I don’t know if that’s going to happen anytime soon.”
She lifts her head. “What do you mean?”
I tap her shoulder, prompting her to move so I can sit up. “He told me that I had to choose, Charlee. Between you and him. He said I couldn’t have you both in my life.”
She shoots up in bed. “What the fuck? Why would he say that?”
I do my best to look her in the eye, so I don’t get distracted by her bare tits. “He was pissed. I’ve never seen him that angry before. He’s never looked at me with so much disgust.”
“What did you say to him?”
“I didn’t get a chance to say anything. He stormed out of my apartment, and he won’t return my texts or calls. I reached out to Rainey, and she told me he’s furious. Even she can’t calm him down. He said he has no desire to talk to me until I’ve made my decision.”
“What are you going to do?” she whispers.
I cradle her face and rest my forehead against hers. “It’s not going to come to that. It’s been less than twenty-four hours—he’ll come around.”
She pulls back with a sigh. “Drew, I don’t want to be reason?—”
I shake my head. “Don’t say that. That’s not what this is.”
“The hell it’s not,” she argues. “If you choose me, it will break up the group. I know my brother, and he can hold a grudge like nobody I’ve ever met. At least if you choose him, I can still see Rainey or Devyn separately. My absence won’t affect your group dynamic. Let’s face it. I’m the newcomer. They’ll probably barely even notice I’m gone.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“It’s not,” she insists. “The last thing I want to do is walk away from…”—she flicks her wrist between us—“this. But I know how important Brody is to you. And how important you are to him. You guys have been friends for ten years, Drew. We’ve known each other for ten months . I couldn’t live with myself if I’m the reason your friendship ends.”
I wrap my arm around her and pull her into me so we can lie down again. “We’ll figure something out. I don’t know how, but there has to be a way.”
She squeezes me around the waist. “I hope so, Drew. God, I hope so.”