Finding Our Course (Finding our Way 3)

“Well, apparently, my brother punched the shit out of Bryce and told him I was on the verge of a meltdown here. Once Bryce found out, he took off and came to me.

“When they left the house that morning, Nate promising to protect Bryce’s career, they went straight to Tommy’s house. The party was dying down. Bryce confronted the girls, wanting to know exactly what was said. He didn’t give them a chance to talk at the bar. Nicole had loose lips and spilled. Then she said she was sorry things happened the way they did. Liza was too drunk to comprehend his anger and tried to crawl up his body. His public rejection from earlier didn’t deter her. He physically removed her and handed her to Nate. Dani spoke up and told everyone what she witnessed. My brother had to restrain Liza as she attempted to go after Dani, screaming that she was a traitor.

“According to Bryce, Dani begged to come to me directly, but he stopped her. Told her she’d have her chance to tell the truth. Then Nicole started to back track, but it was too late. Bryce told them that no one fucks with me or us. He also told Liza to forget all the things he ever told her because she’d fucked with the wrong person.”

“That’s despicable. What kind of person does that? And what kind of people support it?”

“The kind of people who are out of our lives.”

“Really?”

“Yes, we both feel betrayed in different ways. Maybe we’re being stuck up or judgmental in our own right, but where we’re from, this doesn’t happen. Friends truly support each other and wish for the best. They don’t sit back and let the backstabbing happen right under their noses. The guys will still work together, but the social aspect is over. From what we can tell, Rick and Dani are decent people.

“But Tommy’s comment to Nicole about it being none of her business where Bryce ‘slips his dick’ was unacceptable.”

“I can see that. The trust is broken,” she agrees.

“In our lives, we hold people accountable for their actions. So, in reality, if Bryce wanted Liza, it’s fine. But you do it after cutting things off with your fiancée. That’s our style. It’s not for everyone, but it’s for us.

“One example is a few years ago when Bryce was going through a break-up. The relationship was over, but the woman had some problems and depended on him a little too much. Nate knew Bryce wanted to patch up our severed friendship, but he stayed neutral until Bryce handled the shit. Then he supported us. It may have been a brotherly thing, but it was also a respect thing.

“I think it’s noble.”

“Nate was smart to keep you away. He saw the disaster for what is was.”

“Why is that? Does he have a sixth sense?”

“Bryce and I talked to him for a while last night. He explained that the parties started to get wilder and wilder at Tommy and Nicole’s. There wasn’t one incident, but he backed off. Then he met you and started to spend time away from the whole gang, so he dropped it. New Year’s Eve, he had a bad feeling. That?

?s why y’all came back to the house to check on me.”

“Like I said, the whole brotherly protection thing is sexy. It shows loyalty and love.” She licks her lips and wiggles her eyebrows.

“STOP.” I throw my hand in her face. “I do not need to know anything about Nate that is sexy.”

She laughs openly at me for a few minutes while I try my best to ignore her. It’s my turn to drain my glass and refill.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop, but the look on your face is priceless. Know it or not, your brother is fucking hot.”

“Good looking, handsome, cute… but never hot! Ssstttoooppp!”

She drops her head to the table to hide her face, but her shoulders still jiggle.

By the time Bryce and Nate come to check on us, we’re almost done with the second bottle of wine. Bryce announces I’m going to bed and picks me up as I try to object. Jamie gives me a little wave and a knowing look before Nate picks her up as well. I decide that Jamie is definitely going to make a great addition to our group.

Chapter 29

“Another delivery.” Quinn walks into the kitchen and sets a box of my favorite chocolates on the counter.

“I’m really curious how much money he’s paying you to keep me supplied with gifts.”

“None of your business.”

“You’re doing an excellent job.” I surprise her with a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.

Bryce’s ship went underway the second week of January. I was nervous, but he was a wreck. Each day after I left Norfolk, and leading up to their departure, he was overly protective and possessive. Even though we were one-hundred percent solid when I came back to Charlottesville, he still worried about my confidence in us.

Finally, with the help of a very drunk Quinn, I found a way to reassure him. She and I worked hard, but when I sent him the final version of our ‘Save The Date’ announcement, he calmed down. I used a picture from last year in Aspen when I was in Bryce’s arms. It’s one of my favorites; neither of us is looking at the camera but at each other. To him and me, this is the day that we became an ‘us’.