He looks at her as though she’s the most precious fucking thing in the world. In that instant, I let all the anger and hate toward him dissipate. Leah deserves love. Max is clearly completely in love with her. He stares at her the same way Cope stares at me.
“I’m not telling anyone,” he assures her. “I don’t want to watch you kiss him, but I get why you two are doing this.”
“Leah is one of my best friends,” I tell him. “I’d die before I let anyone hurt her. You have my word that I’ll always look after her. Truce?”
The animosity in his stare is gone. “Truce.”
Surprising me, he reaches out to shake my hand, while not releasing his girlfriend. I shake his hand with my casted one and he lets out a laugh.
“Sorry about your hand.” He winces.
“You breaking my hand was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
At his confused stare, I let go and give them a wave.
Him breaking my hand brought Cope back to me.
And yes, I’ll definitely owe Max a solid for that one.
I pull into my driveway and shut off my Jeep, making a fist with my hand. It feels so weird to not have the cast on anymore. Maybe a little sore, but I’m happy as hell to have it gone. I glance next door. Cope’s Camaro isn’t at his house, which makes disappointment flood through me. He’s the only one who fills the giant, gaping hole in my chest. I’m fully aware of how dependent I am of his presence to make me happy. It’s probably unhealthy as hell, but I don’t care.
I love him.
I’m just climbing out when Dad’s Porsche 911 Carrera S Model rolls into the spot beside me. The garage door opens and I pray he’ll just drive inside, leaving me be. But when I make the mistake of looking over at him, I realize he’s shutting off his car and climbing out. I hop out and sling my backpack over my shoulder before making my way toward the open garage bay.
“Penn,” Dad says, halting me.
I turn to regard him. He’s leaned up against the side of his shiny silver sports car that put him out a hundred and twenty grand. My dad thinks he’s the shit. Handsome. Rich. Powerful. But behind his back, people hate him. They talk about how he’s going through a midlife crisis when he bought that car or how his wife is the town pill head. He constantly needs his ego stroked, though, so I wouldn’t be shocked if he paid an army of people to follow him around and tell him how fucking amazing he is to drown out all the ones talking bad about him.
“How’s Leah?” he asks.
I shrug. “Same as always. Fine.”
When a loud engine rumbles, we both turn to watch Cope’s black Camaro pull into the neighboring driveway. Cope climbs out, his brows furrowed as he regards us. He starts for us and I give him a slight shake of the head. His eyes flicker with understanding. As soon as he’s disappeared into the house, Dad starts in on me.
“I want you to stop hanging out with that loser,” Dad grumbles.
Irritation spikes up my chest. “He’s my best friend,” I grit out. And my boyfriend. My lover. My fucking everything.
“His father was once my best friend, too. Things change. People change.” He waves a hand at his new car. “We outgrow certain people.”
So this is a pissing match between him and Bryan? Who makes the most money?
“Whatever,” I utter.
He storms over to me and grabs the front of my hoodie. Eyes flare with anger as his spittle sprays my face. “He’ll use you. Furthermore, his dad will use you.”
Bryan loves me. Unfortunately, more than his son.
“You’re way outta line, Dad.”
He releases my hoodie and runs his fingers through his dark hair. “You always were soft. Don’t you see? Bryan is still bitter because I let his fucking wife blow me a few times.”
I recoil at his words. “You what? W-What about Mom?”
He laughs, cruel and mocking. “What about your mother? She knows she was a marriage of convenience. You don’t think you’ll be balls deep in Heidi or that skank Ivy before your first wedding anniversary? Don’t try to act like you’re better than me, son. Leah is your mother. A tool.”
I fist my hands. My mom may be a pill stealing drunk who can’t remember shit, but she’s still my mother. I’d probably be fucked up all the time too if I were married to Jason McAlister.
“My point is, Bryan is still pissed that Halle and I fucked around. It was purely sex, though. Ever since I told him about our affair, he’s taken it quite personally. And while I do enjoy having the upper hand, knowing it pisses him off and was the ultimate demise of his marriage, I don’t like how he thinks he can toy with my son now.”