Guy Hater (Fisher Brothers 2)

“That wasn’t at all what I was expecting,” Britney said, her mouth still agape like it had been during half of Frank’s last message.

Swallowing hard, I nodded. “Me either.”

Britney’s eyes looked suspiciously glassy as she cried out, “I can’t believe he made a promise to her dad, and then her dad died!”

“I know. Can you even imagine being in a situation like that?” I tried to put myself in Frank’s shoes, and all I could think of was how obligated I would feel. It made me sympathize with him, and feel sorry for his girlfriend.

Britney turned away and swiped at her face before facing me again, her expression all business. “So, what are you thinking?”

“Just that the whole thing is really sad, you know? I feel bad for him and for her,” I admitted with a small shrug.

I didn’t wish unhappiness on anyone, and knowing that two people were in a relationship that wasn’t filled with love made me physically ache. I knew I was projecting my own fears of being in a passionless relationship onto Frank’s situation. It was the last thing I wanted, for myself or for anyone else. And even though I knew that my feelings for Frank clouded my judgment, I still wanted him to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me.

I hated knowing that he wasn’t.

“It’s really messed up,” Britney said. “No wonder Ryan said it was complicated.”

I had almost forgotten all about Ryan chasing me out of the bar that night and the things he had said. He wasn’t lying or trying to cover up for his brother; he was being sincere when he told me that things weren’t black and white. I had been too devastated at the time to listen.

“What do I do?” I begged her, so conflicted I couldn’t think straight.

“What do you want to do? Does any of this change things for you? It would for me.”

“I don’t know. I understand the predicament that Frank’s in, but it also kind of pisses me off. Who settles and stays miserable for years? Why doesn’t he want more for himself? Or if not for him, then for her? It’s not like they’re married and have kids. He should be less selfish, or maybe more selfish. I just don’t know.”

I hated seeing Frank in a light that was anything but flattering, but right now all I could think about was his ability to settle. And while I understood his feelings of guilt and obligation, I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he would choose to stay in a relationship that didn’t bring him joy . . . for years. Or that he would do that to his girlfriend, as if he was doing her some kind of favor by staying for so long. They both deserved better.

“Jesus, Claudia, he just told you why. The dude’s racked with guilt. He’s a man, and in my experience, they tend to do a lot of stupid things for reasons they think are the right ones. They’re constantly making decisions based on their ego and pride instead of their hearts.”

“You’re right. I know that, but still.”

I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts and feelings into order, but they refused. One part of me wanted to run into Frank’s arms and tell him everything would be okay, while the other part warned me to keep my distance until he got his life in order, if he ever did. I refused to be in the middle of this sort of situation. I couldn’t—and wouldn’t—be the reason someone left their longtime partner.

“Think about how many people stay in their marriages ‘for the kids.’” Britney did air quotes with her fingers. “They think they’re doing their children a favor, but they’re actually doing the opposite. The kids know their parents hate each other, but Mom and Dad think they should win medals for hiding the truth. In the end, all they’ve done is given their kids a really screwed-up example of what love is supposed to look and sound like, and wasted years of their lives being miserable when they could have moved on and been happy.”

“I’ve never understood why people do that,” I said with a sigh. “Stay together fo

r the kids and stuff. It’s never made sense to me, but then again, I’ve never been married, and I don’t have kids.”

Britney rolled her eyes. “Well, as a product of two parents who could barely stand to be in the same room together but thought they hid it well, trust me when I tell you that it doesn’t work. I can’t tell you how many times my brother and I wished they would just get divorced already. Growing up in a house like that was exhausting, and it messed with my head.”

“I can’t imagine,” I said honestly.

“No, you can’t. But then again, I can’t imagine my dad walking out and never looking back. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted my dad to leave a hundred times, but I never wanted him to stay gone. I never wanted to not see him again.”

The mention of my dad’s abandonment still stung, and I felt myself physically recoil with her comparison. I sat on the couch in silence, thinking about everything and nothing, my mind spinning like a hamster wheel.

“Will you go see Frank and talk to him face-to-face?” Britney asked, her question bringing the wheel to a screeching halt.

I met her gaze. “Should I?”

“After that last voice mail, don’t you want to?” Her tone was almost incredulous, like my considering this was the most asinine idea ever.

“Yes and no. I’m a little afraid to see him in person.”

“Why?”

I let out a quick breath before biting at my lip, hating the ugly truth that I was about to reveal. “Because I know I’ll still want him. What’s between us is more than just attraction or lust. There’s something else there, and I don’t know that I could say no to him if I was looking him in the eye.”