For a second, I forget all the ugly shit surrounding us.
Then I blink and it all comes flooding back.
I want the easiness back. “You drove her instead of getting laid?”
“I don’t have a shortage of pussy.”
“You’re getting soft on me.”
He laughs. “Never had that problem. You’ll have to explain it.”
I laugh too. The familiarity of my brother’s teasing is comforting. Hell, his concern is comforting.
That hole in my gut is wide open.
I need Leigh. I need to make this right.
But there’s this freedom surrounding me.
I’m done with Penny.
I don’t give a fuck that she’s getting married tomorrow.
And not in that the lady doth protest too much kind of way.
It means nothing to me.
I’m letting go of my baggage.
I can have everything I want.
And I want Leigh.
“I gotta go, Dean.” I end the call before he can respond and I buy tomorrow’s first flight out of Maui.
Then I text Brendon to see if I can make the rest of this happen.
Of course it’s the middle of the night in California.
My phone stays quiet.
But I know he’s good for it.
Whether or not this works…
That’s anybody’s guess.
Chapter 49
Leighton
I sleep in fits. When I do, I dream about Ryan. When I press my eyelids together in an attempt to end my consciousness, I think about Ryan.
The hurt in his blue eyes.
The weight of his body on top of mine.
The feel of his palm against my lower back.