The Better Brother

“I saw his phone this morning. There was a call from another girl. I asked him about it, and he tried to tell me it was nothing.” She raked her hand through her long hair, and I stepped up and put my arm around her.

“It’s okay. Are you sure he’s messing around with her? You have to give him the benefit of the doubt. She could be someone trying to start trouble, or she could be someone who just wants him back.”

“He said he hardly knew her, but she had his number. Her picture was on his phone too, and I know she’s called before. I looked at the log.”

“I’m so sorry, Kayla. What do you want to do?”

“I’m going home. I want to leave as soon as possible.”

I thought about Reed, and my heart broke. I didn’t want to leave him, and I surely didn’t want to cut my vacation short and go back to where Gavin was. But I had to go with her. She was not a good flyer, and she needed me to see her home.

“Okay, I’ll tell Reed and gather my things. Get your bags together. But make sure you’re sure you want to leave, Kayla. This is a big decision. Make sure it’s what you really want before you go.”

“I need to go home. I’m not going to sit around and let him talk to other women right under my nose.”

Rick and Reed came up the stairs, and Reed walked over and put his arm around me as Rick tried to talk to Kayla. She, in turn, locked herself in the bathroom. Rick glanced back at Reed who nodded like something had been communicated between them.

Then Rick turned around and popped the lock on the door and pushed it open. I started forward to protest him going in on her, but Reed tugged my hand. “Stay out of it, trust me.”

“She needs her space!” I felt his arm tighten around me.

“She needs to listen to him. He’s not seeing anyone else. I’d know. He’s head over heels for her. Besides, if she leaves, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going where she goes. I’m not letting her go home all alone. She was with me when I ended things with Gavin, I owe it to her to be there.”

“So, you’re just going to leave and go back home? What about us? I have a company to look after. You could take her home and come back. Maybe you could stay here with me from now on.”

“I have a job back home, and friends. I wasn’t planning on relocating my entire life.”

“Bella. Tell me you’ll stay.” He wasn’t asking. He was demanding that I give him his way, and now that I think about it, it was how he’d managed to get me to do everything he’d wanted. Staying with him, sleeping with him, and now he was doing it again.

“No, Reed. If she leaves, I’m going with her. I’m sorry.”

He turned and stormed away, and Kayla came out and left Rick standing in the doorway.

“I swear it, Kayla. I love you!” She stopped, her back him as she faced me and her eyes sparkled with tears.

“I want to believe that, Rick. If it’s true, you’ll let me go. You’ll realize I need some space to figure this out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out. I love you, and we have another whole week together. Don’t go!”

I turned to see Reed in the doorway, his eyes pleading with mine. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - REED

Rick was my best friend, and I knew him better than I’d known anyone in my life, so I took some time to talk to Kayla to try and convince her to give him another chance.

“I’m not leaving him for good, Reed. Things have been amazing, but I want to be his only. I need him to give me a little time is all. And I understand that you don’t

want Bella to leave. I’ve tried to convince her to stay, but she’s dead set on going with me. For that I’m sorry, but I’m not staying.”

She’d been adamant about their departure, and I was reluctant to ride to the airport with them because I didn’t want to be around for any emotional goodbyes.

I kept a dark expression the entire time, but Bella took my hand for a final goodbye. “I’ll call you the minute I land, and since I’m going back to work, I’ll still have an extra week off. We’ll make plans, I promise.” I leaned in and kissed her, and Kayla turned around and gave me a sad expression.

“I’m sorry, guys. I hope you don’t hate me, Reed. I know that this was a bit sudden.” I didn’t hate Kayla, but I wished that she’d been able to trust Rick for who he was and not what she was afraid of him being.

“It’s okay, I’ll add it to the list of things you owe me for.” I gave her a wink, and she turned around and faced the front as Rick gave me a dirty look in the rearview mirror.