Justin smiles down at her. “Not now but I’m glad you’re here.”
Hearing that breaks my heart just a little. He knows she feels the same as everyone else does but he feels like he needs someone in his corner. That should be me. His wife is supposed to be the one that has his back.
Bridget pulls Andi further into the living room. “Why don’t we take dessert to the games room? Leave the old people to gossip about us.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Andi helps Bridget prepare platters for us. “You guys go ahead, we’ll bring sustenance.”
Denver leads the way and I follow with Justin bringing up the rear. I feel like I’m walking to my doom. I know it’s dramatic but why does everyone have to make a big deal out of something both Justin and I know we need to fix. I sincerely hope Denver doesn’t go all caveman on Justin. Because I’m an adult and I don’t need my big brother curating who I can and cannot sleep with.
Without saying a word, Justin walks to the pool table and sets up the balls in the triangle. He takes one cue and tosses one at me, ignoring Denver’s scowling. “You want to break?”
The intensity in his eyes tells me exactly how loaded that question is. He’s talking about so much more than pool. “You go ahead.”
Justin lines up the ball but before he can make the first move Denver speaks. “Are you just going to ignore the elephant in the room and play pool?”
“If you don’t mind.” Justin pushes away from the pool table and leans on the cue. “I’m really angry with my wife and I’m trying to choose my words very carefully.”
“Your wife?” Denver’s hands are clenched into fists. “We all know this marriage is nothing but a joke.”
It may have been something we did on a whim, an impulsive mistake even. But it wasn’t a joke. “Denver, shut up. This has nothing to do with you.” I turn to Justin. “What would you say if you weren’t trying to choose your words?”
He takes a deep breath and I can tell he’s still censoring himself. “You changed your plans without telling me.”
“Why the fuck should she tell you anything?” Denver is beginning to work on my nerves. “We all know this marriage is a sham. Did you figure the only way to get her to put out was to marry her?”
Before I can even react, Justin has pinned him to the wall. “You will not speak about her like that. Your sister has so much more to offer than sex. And if you think that the only reason I would be interested in her is to get in her pants, then that tells me what you think about both of us. But that’s on you, not us.”
I know it's totally archaic, but watching him defend me, defend us as a couple really, is a huge turn on. Although the jolt of lust flowing through me is totally inappropriate for the situation. I rest my hand on his back. “Justin, calm down.”
His back tenses where my hand rests but he lowers my brother. Denver, because he thinks I need some sort of bodyguard doesn’t back down. “If you hurt her, you will be sorry.”
Justin darts his gaze between Denver and me. “Me, hurt her? She just changed her plans and I’m the last person to find out. Which tells me where I stand on her list of priorities. Yeah, you're right. I’m more likely to hurt her.”
He turns to Andi, who had been silent throughout everything. “Can you drive grandpa home? I need to get out of here.”
She nods but is glaring at Denver. I have no doubt those two are going to have a row once they’re alone. “Go. I’ll tell him you needed to attend to some business or something.”
Justin turns to me. He flexes his hands, and his eyes are dark. I can tell he wants to say something. Instead he turns around and walks out of the games room.
Andi’s still glaring at Denver. “You are such an ass. That’s supposed to be your friend. A friend that is hurting right now. Are you really that blind?”
Denver’s shoulders sag. “I know, but when he said he was angry with Angie, when she owes him no explanation, I just lost it.”
“He has a right to be angry.” As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I know they are true. Marriage aside, what we shared was so much more than just a fling. I told him I would be home in a week. “Besides, couples fight. That won’t be the last time we argue.”
“So, you’re a couple now?” Denver walks over to me and rests his hands on my shoulders. “Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you have to be with him. We can have that shit annulled.”
“We’re not getting that shit annulled.” I say mimicking his words. “And I think I owe both of us a chance to see if we can be a couple.”
Andi stands alongside me. “Go. I’ll deal with the old people. He’s probably still sulking in his car before he drives off.”
I run through the house, picking up my phone and purse on the way to the door. “Mom, Dad. I’m going to see if Justin has any apartments to lease.”
I don’t wait for a response before I’m out of the door. Andi was right. Justin is still in the driveway. He’s staring out of the windshield, his forearms resting on the steering wheel. I knock on the driver’s side window.
He presses a button and the window moves down. “Hey.”
I gather my courage. I want to word this properly. I want to put the option on the table, but I don’t want him to feel trapped. “This is not how married couples handle arguments.”
He smiles and gestures for the passenger’s seat. “Hop in.”
Chapter 9
Justin
When I walked out of the York’s house,
