“Yes, she’s got a bit of a cold. I gave her some medicine right before dinner,” Brian told her.
I had to laugh at how just inside of ten minutes, Sarah had Brian answering to her. It was one of her many talents.
“So, I didn’t interrupt anything did I?” Sarah asked, feigning innocence.
Brian shook his head. “Not really. I was just going to ask Amanda if she was still willing to come to court with me tomorrow.”
I looked at him with something like mild shock coursing through my veins. “Of course. If you need me to be there for Lanie, then I will.”
“Great, now that that’s settled, it’s late and I’m tired. You coming Amanda?” Sarah asked, gathering her coat off of the hook by the front door.
I was about to say yes, when something in Brian’s eyes changed my mind. I could tell that there was more that he wanted to say, but I knew he wouldn’t with Sarah still here.
“Actually, I think I’m going to stay for a bit,” I said. “I’ll give you the key to my place, and you can get settled over there.”
Sarah crinkled her nose. “Oh hell no. Now that I’ve seen it in person, there’s no way I’m going in there before it’s been rebuilt, redecorated, and exorcised!” she said dramatically.
I laughed and shook my head.
“I reserved a room at the same hotel in town,” she said. “Are you sure you won’t come with me?” she asked.
I looked from her to Brian and back. “I’m sure. I’ll be ok,” I told her.
“She was crying when she called me yesterday,” Sarah said, swinging her eyes to Brian.
“Sarah. Can it,” I said curtly, heat rising to my cheeks.
“Whatever the hell your issue is, I highly suggest you fix it. Because I don’t tolerate my best friend crying that way,” Sarah said.
I felt Brian’s eyes on the top of my head as I gritted my teeth.
“Goodnight, Sarah,” I said.
She gave Brian one last hard look, before she turned to me and opened her arms. I hugged her fiercely and thanked her for coming to make sure I was alright. She told me to call her if I needed anything, that she had made arrangements to work remotely for a few days so she could be close to me.
I thanked her again and watched as she climbed back into her rental car and headed slowly down the mountain. Once she was out of sight, I closed the door but stayed facing it. I couldn’t believe she had shown up on Brian’s doorstep, and I wasn’t sure how he was going to react. “Amanda?”
I sighed as I turned my face up to find Brian’s eyes.
“If you’d like to stay here, you’re welcome. If I made you feel like you were unwelcome yesterday at all, I apologize. But if you want to go sleep in your own cabin, I understand,” he said.
“You did make me feel unwelcome. We have a lot to talk about, but I figured we could do it after everything was done tomorrow. We have enough on our plates for now,” I said.
“We?” Brian asked.
“Yes. We. Now, let’s go get some rest,” I said.
I backtracked into his room without a second thought, but Brian continued to stand at his door.
“Aren’t you coming to bed?” I asked.
“I’m just, well, yes. I am.”
“You’re what?” I asked.
Brian took a step into his room before he shut the door behind him.
“I’m surprised you’re not taking the guest bedroom,” he said.