Feels Like Home (Southern Bride 5)

“Drake! Let him go.”

Drake pushed Josh, and he stumbled to the ground. Bristol leaned down and asked him if he was okay. He simply smiled and wiped the blood from his mouth.

“What is wrong with you?” she yelled at me.

I pointed to him and yelled, “You don’t know what he said.”

She shook her head. “I can’t imagine it was anything that warranted this type of reaction, Anson!”

“Bristol,” Drake started.

She whirled around and pushed him. “And you! What are you doing helping him? Are you insane!”

“Bristol, trust me when I say he had that coming and more,” Drake said as Josh stumbled up to his feet.

“I see some things never change,” Josh mused as he wiped more blood from his mouth.

I moved toward him again, and Bristol placed her hands on my chest.

“Stop this! This is insane. You need to stop.”

My eyes darted down to her. I could still hear his words replaying in my head.

“You want me to stop?”

“Yes! Of course I do!”

I scoffed and looked at Josh then back to Bristol. “I guess you don’t mind him going around saying you were a good fuck.”

Bristol flinched, and then took a step back.

“That it’s okay for him to tell me we should grab a beer and compare notes on you?”

She swallowed hard but didn’t say anything.

I shook my head, disappointed that she still stared at me like I was the one in the wrong.

“Drake,” I asked as I stared at Bristol. “You still feel like going for that beer?”

“Don’t do this,” Bristol whispered. “Please, Anson.”

I frowned. “Do what?” What in the hell did she think I was going to go do?

Drake slapped me on the shoulder and then gave me a shake. “Come on, let’s head over to the guest house and cool down.”

When I turned and looked behind me, I saw everyone standing there. My father looked disappointed. So did Granddad. I had no intention of telling them what the little prick said about Bristol. Unless they already heard my outburst.

“I’ve got the beers,” Nick said, holding up a six-pack as he walked by. “Let’s go, Anson.”

Drake pulled at me, which forced me to walk away from Bristol.

Once we got into the guest house, I scrubbed my hands down my face.

“Fuck!” I shouted as I let out a frustrated breath and stared up at the ceiling.

“Dude, sit and just calm the hell down,” Nick said.

I sat and then stared straight ahead. “He was my best friend. How could…how could he say that shit to me? Why would she defend him?”

Drake and Nick exchanged a quick glance. Then Drake trained his eyes on me.

“She was lonely and upset. Josh was the closest thing to you she had. He knew that, and he took advantage of it. Bristol realized she didn’t want to be with him. She broke up with him before he asked her to marry him, but he did buy a ring.”

I slowly shook my head. “It was that serious?”

“I don’t think it was,” Drake said. “At least, it wasn’t for Bristol. He was a means to try and forget you. To move on because everyone kept telling her that was what she should do. Honestly, I think he only wanted her because he knew it would eat at you. Ever since you made it big, he’s been so damn bitter about it.”

Nick tossed me a beer. “Dude, I honestly didn’t know he hadn’t actually proposed. He’s always bragged about it, the dick.”

“Don’t worry about it, you didn’t know.”

He nodded.

“What’s your story?” I asked him as I popped the beer open and took a drink. “I can’t decide if I like you or not.”

He laughed, looked at Drake and then me.

“Shit, do you both not like me?” he asked.

Drake shrugged. “I’ve got weird vibes about you, Dude, not gonna lie.”

Another laugh came out. “Well, hell. I get why Anson wouldn’t like me, but why you?”

“I don’t know. You’re mysterious.”

He raised his brows. “I don’t share much information about myself, so I guess that makes me come off that way.”

Drake pointed the neck of his beer at him. “You don’t share shit. You keep to yourself, and you spend a hell of a lot of time with Carl.”

Nick nodded and then rubbed his chin. “Let me get this straight. You don’t like me because I keep to myself, don’t share anything about my past, and I like my boss?”

Drake stared at him then said, “Pretty much. Yeah.”

Then Nick turned to me. “And you don’t like me because I’m close to your daddy. Well, let me tell you something about your daddy. If my father had just an ounce of the pride and love that your daddy has for you, I’d have never left home at sixteen. That’s a story for another night, gentlemen. For now…” he stood, “I’m going to find Carl and head on home.”