7. Lars
SEVEN
LARS
Lars stomped into the living room, needing a moment before he really blew up on his best friend. He knew his words were harsh, but he’d meant it. Aaron was a great guy with a big heart, but he had a habit of acting like he was the center of the universe.
“Lars,” he said behind him. Because of course he followed. He always did. When Lars didn’t move or speak, Aaron put a hand on his arm. “Lawrence.”
Rolling his eyes, Lars faced him. “I thought we agreed you’d never call me that.”
“I think it’s warranted when you yell at me then storm off before I can respond,” he said. “I’m sorry, okay? My life fell apart this year, and I’m struggling.”
“Your life fell apart because you tore it apart, Aaron. You did this to yourself, so stop acting like the fucking victim.” Lars ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re the one who came between Aiden and Charlie, you asked her out, and you left her at the altar eight years later.”
Aaron took a step back with a look of betrayal in his eyes. A pang of guilt struck Lars, but he didn’t have a chance to apologize before Aaron said, “Yeah, I get it. I’m the villain here. But why does that mean I have to listen to them humping like fucking rabbits at all hours of the day?”
Lars let out a humorless huff of laughter. He couldn’t believe they were even arguing about this right now. They never fought. Throwing out his arms, he yelled, “If you’re that miserable, move out! No one’s forcing you to live there.”
Aaron’s jaw fell as he stared at him.
“You’re a grown-ass adult. Find another apartment; you have the money. Or move in with your mom. God, just switch apartments with Charlie. I don’t know. The point is, you have options. No one is stopping you.”
The back door opened, and multiple pairs of footsteps entered. They had about four seconds before Aaron was bombarded by the girls.
Lowering his voice, Lars stepped closer. “You are a single man who works from home. You make your own schedule and a decent income. You can go wherever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want. Your life didn’t fall apart, Aaron. It shifted, letting you start a fresh new chapter.”
Aaron stared at him for a second, a whirlwind of emotions in his eyes before he repeated just as quietly, “What happened last night, Lars?”
But it was too late.
“Unc Aaron!” Chloe yelled as she and Allie both ran toward him.
“Hey, girls.” He grinned and knelt with open arms, any sign of distress gone in an instant. “How was school today?”
Both started rambling about their days, excitedly sharing every detail. Aaron met his gaze over them, and Lars sighed, shaking his head. Then, he turned and went back to the kitchen.
“Aaron’s here?” Mel asked as she cleaned dirt off of Maddie’s fingers.
“Yeah.”
“Is he staying for dinner?”
“Doubt it.” He took Maddie once she was done. His little snuggle bug never failed to make him feel a bit better. She curled up against him, as if knowing what he needed.
Mel’s forehead creased, reading him just as easily. “What’s going on?”
Lars let out a breath in disbelief. “You know what’s going on.”
“Did… did you tell him? Is that why he’s here?”
“No. He’d have to stop talking about his own problems long enough to hear about anyone else’s.”
She stepped closer, reaching for Maddie. “Go see Uncle Aaron,” she told her, setting her down. Once she waddled away, Mel focused on him once more. “Talk to me.”
Lars shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Of course you can. We’ve always told each other everything.”
“Yeah, well, that was before you decided to interview for a job halfway around the world,” he hissed.
“I haven’t made any concrete decisions. All I said was that I had the opportunity and that I wanted to talk about it with you.”
He lowered his head. The last twenty-four hours had been overwhelming, to say the least. He’d wanted to vent about it to Aaron, but that clearly wasn’t happening. His other closest friend, Brent, was currently on vacation with his boyfriend, Kade, after a long baseball season for both of them.
Which meant the only one he could talk to about it was standing in front of him. But how was he supposed to get out his frustration when she was the cause of it?
Then again, the anger currently coursing through him was because of the man in the other room, not her.
God, he needed more close friends. A thought occurred to him.
Maybe he could reach out to Harper. They weren’t super close, but they were friends, and he’d opened up about the separation to her.
She’d seemed more than willing to hear him out, share her own struggles.
“Lars, why are you mad at Aaron? Why are you talking about him being selfish?” Mel asked, pulling out a barstool to sit. “At least talk to me about that if not the rest.”
He looked at her then, really looked at her.
They’d been so young when she got pregnant, and they’d only been dating a couple months before that.
But they’d been friends for over half of their lives; they were there for each other through the worst of it.
Despite everything, despite not being in love anymore, he knew they would always be close. She was his best friend too.
With a sigh, he stepped closer to wrap her in a hug.
He needed the comfort more than anything right now.
“It’s just been a rough day and a half,” he whispered against the top of her head.
“He’s usually the one I talk to when freaking out, but he was hooking up with some random woman, so he didn’t answer his phone, and then when he finally came over here, it was because Charlie and Aiden were driving him crazy.
He kept asking about why I tried to get ahold of him last night, but before I could even explain, he would start talking about his own stuff again. ”
Mel leaned back to meet his gaze. She lifted a hand to his cheek. “Do you want advice or just listening and siding with you?”
That was something they’d started years ago after a particularly bad day.
She had come home complaining about someone at work, and he’d jumped right in with suggestions she hadn’t wanted.
It had led to a massive fight that boiled down to him always trying to fix things instead of just listening.
So, from then on, they’d asked each other what they were looking for in that moment.
Did they just want to vent, or did they need help finding a solution?
“Maybe a bit of both?” he said with a sad smile.
She nodded. “Well, first of all, that’s really shitty of him, and your feelings are one hundred percent valid.
” Lowering her hand, she took one of his.
“But remember, you’re his person too. You’re the only one he really talks to about the Charlie situation, and…
I think walking away from the wedding isolated him more than he’s willing to admit.
I don’t think our other friends have moved on as much as they pretend to.
He might say he’s fine, that he did it so they could be happy, and that he doesn’t miss her like that, but you and I both know he’s lying. ”
Lars sighed again, realizing she was right.
“Regardless of how it started, that was an eight-year relationship that ended very abruptly. She was his entire world, even before they started dating. And I still don’t think he’s ready to admit to himself just how badly it hurt to leave her.
” She squeezed his hand. “Let alone the fact that he’s now living with Aid, hearing them together all the time.
Imagine if I started seriously dating someone and he stayed here most nights, that you could hear us in the next room. ”
“Dammit,” he hissed under his breath. Once again, she was right. He understood exactly what she meant. He wouldn’t care if she started dating, he would be happy for her, but hearing her with another man would be torturous.
Mel stopped him when he began turning away from her.
“That doesn’t mean your feelings are invalid.
You’re dealing with stuff too, and friendship is a two-way street.
He needs to be there for you too. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and tell him to shut up once in a while. The boy talks so much.”
With a chuckle, Lars leaned over to hug her once more. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
Releasing her, he walked into the living room.
Aaron sat on the floor with his back against the couch.
Chloe was on his lap, flipping through one of her picture books, while Allie colored nearby and Maddie played with some blocks on his other side.
The four of them looked perfectly content; Aaron seemed much more relaxed here in this moment with them than he had in a while.
He always seemed more at ease here with their family.
“And then, the frog turn into a prince!” Chloe said, twisting to grin up at him.
He gasped, his eyes widening, as if he hadn’t read this story with her a hundred times already. “He did?”
She nodded enthusiastically. Climbing to her feet, she yelled, “And they live happily ever after!”
Aaron set aside the book before grabbing her by the sides and tickling her.
She giggled, and Lars couldn’t help but smile.
He was still pissed at his friend, anxious about Mel’s job opportunity, and just exhausted by life, but it was easy to forget all that for a few seconds when his favorite people were happy.
Meeting his gaze, Aaron said, “Hey…”
He stopped tickling Chloe and got to his feet. She immediately raised her arms. Without hesitation, without even looking to see what she wanted, Aaron lifted her up. She really was obsessed with him. Probably because they had the same level of maturity.
Okay, that wasn’t fair. But they were very similar in a lot of ways. Aaron understood her and what she needed better than most; there was no denying that. He slowly swayed back and forth, always needing to move as much as she did. “I’m sorry.”
Lars took a deep breath. “Me too.”
“We good?”
“Always,” Lars said, reaching out to brush some hair from Chloe’s face. “But I think you should go help your mom with her stuff.”
Aaron visibly tensed. Never in their nearly twenty years of friendship had either of them asked one another to leave. But Mel was right; he needed to prioritize himself once in a while. And right now, he needed space.
“Yeah, I… I should go.” Aaron kissed Chloe’s cheek and tried to put her down, but she clung to him like the little monkey that she was. Rubbing her back, he told her, “I need to help my mom at her house tonight.”
“But we need more stories.”
Lars knelt and attempted to pry her off of him. “Come on, let him go. You’ll see him again soon.”
She pouted but went to Lars, hugging him around the neck. He picked her up.
“I colored your mom a picture,” Allie said, running to the drawer of the coffee table where she kept her creations. “Can we go too?”
“Maybe another day, Munchkin,” Lars said. “She just got home and is probably tired. Let’s let her settle in a bit first.”
She went to Aaron and held up a picture of flowers, mountains, and a rainbow in the bright blue sky. It was adorable, and honestly really good for a six year old. She’d been working so hard to get better. Aaron knelt as he took it, shaking his head in awe. “You made this?”
With a nod, Allie said, “It’s the mountains like the picture she sent you.”
“I can see that. This is incredible, Al.” He smiled at her and handed it back. “I think you should give it to her though. She’ll love it, and I’m sure she misses you.” Looking at Lars, he said, “Maybe you can all come to Friday night dinner? We’re having a cookout.”
“How about next week?” Lars said. “I have to go in to work tomorrow evening to take care of some things and check in with second and third shift. I won’t be home until like midnight. And the girls are having a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa’s.”
Aaron stood with a nod, his smile dimmer than usual. Lars felt another tinge of guilt, but he wasn’t lying about work. And Mel had plans with some other friends since she would have the night to herself. Scratching the back of his neck, Aaron said, “Okay. Next week it is, then.”