After he took a long lukewarm shower, he changed into shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He fixed a tall glass of ice water, then stared into the fridge, trying to figure out what he was going to fix for dinner. It was humid as hell outside since a storm was coming, so he didn’t feel like firing up the grill. He decided to make a turkey and avocado sandwich instead along with some carrots and hummus.
He took his drink and food into the living room and turned on the TV, found a baseball game and settled in. Puddy came over with his favorite chew bunny in his mouth, did three circles on the floor by Jason’s feet and went to sleep.
Jason polished off the sandwich, then dove into the hummus with his carrots. It tasted good. When the doorbell rang, he frowned, picked up his plate and went to the door. Who the hell would be here this late? He took a peek and raised his brows.
Erin.
He opened the door and found her leaning against the door frame.
“Hey,” she said, “you up?”
His lips curved at the slight slur to her words. “Obviously. You drunk?”
“Maybe a little. But not so much that I don’t know what I’m doing or saying. Are we clear on that?”
“Perfectly.”
“Good. Can I come in?”
“Sure.” He made room for her. She stopped to give Puddy some love, then dropped her purse on the table.
“Did you just eat?” she asked, looking down at the plate in his hand.
“Yeah. I mowed, then worked on the master bath.”
She nodded. “You’re always working, always doing something. You stay busy.”
He didn’t think that needed an answer. “You didn’t drive over here, did you?”
“No. Clay dropped me off. He came to pick up Alice, who had too much to drink. We were celebrating. Did you know they got engaged?”
“I heard that today. Pretty great, huh?”
“Yes. It’s very exciting. Anyway, Clay offered to drive me home. I suggested here would be better since we need to talk.”
“Okay.” He put his plate on the island. “Would you like some . . . water?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’d rather have a margarita. I had a few of those at the restaurant.”
Clearly.
“I just want to make it clear, though, that I’m not drunk. I’m clearheaded enough to have a conversation. To make decisions. To know what I’m doing.”
“Okay. How about some water anyway?”
She shrugged, then kicked off her shoes. “Fine.”
While he fixed her glass, she made her way to the sofa and plopped down on it. He wondered if she’d still be awake when he got there. She was, sitting straight up, her legs crossed over each other. She was seemingly riveted to the baseball game.
So she did have her shit together. Fine.
He handed her the glass.
“Thanks,” she said, taking a few sips then setting it on the table. “About the other day, when I ran out on you. I saw the text from Owen and I reacted. I was mad. Not at you. I just needed to get out. I’m so sorry for the way I behaved, for not answering your calls and texts. Obviously, I’m still kind of a mess about him.”
Not exactly what he wanted to hear. But it made sense. They’d been about to get married. It wasn’t like her feelings for Owen were just going to disappear after a few weeks.
“It’s okay. But you know you don’t have to run whenever his name comes up. You can talk to me about how you feel.”
“I feel pissed off. I’m mad that he texted you and not me. Is that the first time?”
“The first time I’ve heard from him? Yeah.”
“Did you reply?”
“No. I don’t know what to say to him without telling him to go fuck himself. And if he wants to know how you’re doing, he should ask you.”
That made her smile. “Thank you.”
He picked up her hand. “Owen and I have been best friends since we were kids. You and I, we’ve been friends since we were kids, too. And now? We’re something else. So now I don’t know what the hell to do. But what he did to you was shitty, so I’m on your side, no matter what my relationship with Owen is. And that’s just the way it has to be right now.”
She let out a breath, feeling as uncomfortable as Jason likely felt. “I never meant to put you in the middle, to make you feel like you have to choose between your friendship with Owen and your friendship with me. And I didn’t set out to do that when I . . . when we . . .”
He rubbed her arm. “I know that. And it’s not your place to worry about it. Owen and me? We’ll work out our own shit. That has nothing to do with you. You and Owen? That’s between the two of you and none of my business.”
“There’s nothing between Owen and me. He lost the right to have any relationship with me when he walked out on me. It’s over, Jason. I need to make that clear to you.”
He wanted to believe that, but he didn’t. There were way too many unresolved issues between Erin and Owen. And until they truly ended things, Jason knew he couldn’t have a future with her. But the one thing he was afraid of was ruining the great friendship he had with Erin. The problem was, every step they took forward into having some kind of a relationship could potentially risk putting an end to their friendship.
Was he willing to risk that? Was he willing to have his heart broken?
He didn’t have an answer. All he knew was that she needed him right now. And he wouldn’t walk away from her.
He pulled her against him. “You don’t have to do anything about Owen right now. You know that, right?”
“I guess I didn’t. Until now. I just saw his name and thought . . . Oh, God. I have to talk to him
