by Nicky Shanks
He waves his hand through the air. “I’m a grown man, Julie. I am happy for you, that you’ve found the kind of love you never want to go away. That’s all I can wish for you. I’m not going to cry and kick and scream over this. There’s nothing I can do but tell you good luck, okay? I’m trying to be a good friend and be happy for you, no matter how it makes me feel in reality.”
I want to know how it makes him feel.
Why?
I have no idea.
“Let’s watch a movie.” He changes the subject and turns the TV on without looking at me. After flipping through several choices, he lands on a scary movie about a killer clown. I pretend to watch it while the thoughts are swirling around in my head.
Being married to Brandon without knowing it.
Hurting Casey on purpose.
Feeling so much love for Oliver that it sometimes hurts.
You know. Normal things.
Chapter Thirteen
Brandon
I’ll do anything for Julie.
Fact.
I’ll also do anything for Heather.
Fact.
For two different reasons, of course.
Julie deserves a better version of me and Heather gets to be with that version.
Even now, as Heather smacks her lips in the mirror behind the sun shade in my car, fluffs her shiny black hair, and winks over at me…I can’t help but be a different man. Heather brings out the good inside of me from deep down somewhere I thought I’d never see again. I was a good person once, before my anger soured my soul.
“Okay, so you’re going to be out here until we come out of class, right?” Heather looks nervously around and I know she’s looking for Oliver’s crazy ass mom. “I mean, just in case?”
I take her hand into mine and caress her fingers. “Nothing is going to happen to either of you.”
She chuckles. “I know that you won’t let Veronica get to me or Julie; it’s just crazy that you even have to secretly babysit her and keep an eye on me, is all.”
I know what she means. If I had it my way, Oliver’s crazy mother wouldn’t even be an issue. Why doesn’t he just give her what she wants to make her go away? If it were me—not that I was any better to Julie before—I wouldn’t risk her safety for anything.
In another life, perhaps.
“Try and have a good class, okay?” I wink at her and kiss her fingers before she gets out of the car. “I don’t want to deal with grumpy Heather all night long.”
She pouts. “Grumpy Heather? What does that mean?” My eyebrows rise and she understands just where I’m coming from now. “Fine.” Her voice is low and she shuts the door behind her. I didn’t park that far from the building because I wanted to be in a clear spot so I can see everyone and everything. So far, I haven’t seen Oliver’s mother, but when Heather disappears into the building, Julie shows up a few minutes later in a car with the guy she left with before Oliver’s accident.
That guy is just as annoying as Saint Jackson.
I lower myself down in my seat and watch them as he parks the car a few spaces from mine and hardly even notices anyone around him but Julie. They’re to my left, so I can see his face perfectly and he’s totally infatuated with her, which makes me laugh. Julie is turned to face him so I can’t make out what’s happening, but he doesn’t like what she’s saying to him at all. His face crinkles like he’s eating a sour lemon before he notices that I’m staring and it catches her attention.
“Shit.” I duck down further in my seat. I wait for a few minutes to make sure she doesn’t see me, but I have to make sure she gets into the building safe and sound. I wonder if I should call Oliver and tell him that she’s with another man, but I remember he said his friend Casey was also looking out for Julie while he’s away, so I keep my phone where it is.
A loud knock on my window startles me.
Julie doesn’t look pleased to see me.
I roll down my window and sit straight up. “Yeah?”
“Are you spying on me?” I can hear her foot tapping on the concrete.
I scoff. “Uh, Heather is in your class, you know that.”
Her eyes narrow. “I know she is. Are you waiting for her?”
I nod and don’t answer her. Julie has a way of seeing right through me—
“Is that the only reason you’re hanging around here?”
I open the door and slightly move her out of my way as I push my body outside and stand next to her. Casey—is that his name?—gets out of his car and puts his arms on the roof, watching us closely. She nods sweetly toward him to stand down and I chuckle. “I see you have a different guard dog today. Where’s Saint Jackson?”
She frowns when she looks back at me. Fuck, that hurts. Why does that guy get the sweet nod and smile and I get a frown? I can’t even look into her eyes…I’m that ashamed of myself.
“Oliver is out of town,” she tells me, “not that it’s any of your business. How are you coming along with the little problem we have?” She looks around to make sure no one can hear her. “Did you get the papers for the divorce yet?”
Casey is still eyeballing the two of us as I lean into her and whisper, “Why don’t you just go to class and let me worry about that, okay? Heather is already inside; you should try and talk to her. You might have more in common than you realize.”
When I pull away and finally look into her eyes, she’s amused. “What the hell can I possibly have in common with someone like Heather, other than being blindsided by you?”
Ouch.
“Just go to fucking class,” I groan as I start to get back into my car. “I don’t need you badmouthing my relationship or my girlfriend.” The door pushes her farther away from me, and I can tell that I’ve hit a chord. “I just want to put it all behind us and be a better person, Julie.”
She smiles. “You haven’t used my actual name in years.”
“Well I’m changing, if you haven’t noticed. I could’ve been a total fucking asshole and never told you about this marriage thing and let you find out on your own.” I can tell she’s thinking about the alternative scenario in her mind, and her nose crinkles in disgust. “Plus, you’re reading way too much into yourself if you think I’m here trying to spy on you anymore.”
“I saw you outside my house a few days ago.” The glare is back. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy. If Oliver hadn’t just gotten into that wreck, I would’ve let Randy kick your ass.”
I scoff. “Or that other annoying poster boy for men’s underwear you’ve got tagging along this time.”
“His name is Casey, and you know that. He’s a friend of Oliver’s…and mine too. Not that I have to explain anything to you. Just…get the paperwork done and text me where to go and sign it so we can get this over with and I don’t have to see you ever again.”
I slide fully into the car and don’t bother looking for her body parts as I slam the door closed. “You know what? You’ve become a real fucking bitch.” I press the window button and close it before she can swing inside and connect her fist with my jaw. I point toward the building and narrow my eyes at her so she’ll get the damn hint and go away.
My phone buzzes from the console, so I pick it up and notice an email I’ve been waiting on from an attorney friend of mine, Rafael. When I look up, Julie’s gone. I can breathe freely again as I skim the email and frown. Raf has bad news for me and I don’t want to accept it, so I opt for texting him instead of calling and biting his head off.
Brandon: Is the paperwork done?
Raf: Paperwork is done. But like I said, it’ll be three months before a judge will see it.
Brandon: Why is that? She wants it. I want it. It’s not that hard.
Raf: These things take time. You have to wait in line like everyone else. Maybe your boss can help you out, but I can’t do anything. Sorry, man.
I don’t answer him before I slam the phone back down in the console with anger. I hardly want to bother Vernon Trumbull, one of the hi
ghest-paid lawyers in New York, with my stupid marital issues. He sees me in a different light than other people—mainly because he has no idea that I was sleeping with his college-aged daughter—and the fact that he does business with Oliver rubs me the wrong way. That’s just asking to get Oliver involved somehow.
My stomach grumbles and I rummage around for a granola bar in the glove box before the hour-long class is over. I don’t see Veronica anywhere around and no one looks suspicious, but that’s okay. I don’t need any extra drama right now anyway. After shoving the food into my mouth and spotting a trash can a few feet from the car, I step out and head for it so I can discard my wrapper.
“You there,” I hear her scratchy voice. “Babysitting, are we?”
My shoulders tense before I turn to face her. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Veronica smiles and it grosses me out. “You know, just checking things out. Maybe I want to relive my youth and try to make something of myself.”
I laugh. “Lady, I don’t even know you and I know you’re a damn lost cause.”
This doesn’t make her feel good, but I don’t care. I look nervously at the door where Heather and Julie will be coming out any minute, and Veronica makes a clicking sound with her tongue. “You should take me up on my offer, you little shit. Did I mention that I’m offering up a big payout to whoever helps me get my money?”
Money is a motivator for me—okay, it’s a huge motivator. Still, I’m not quite sure that even money is going to make me keen on helping her. I made a promise to Oliver to help keep Julie safe, and I made another promise to Heather to try and be a better person. I don’t want to stray from that now.
Veronica can tell that I’m thinking about it, so she steps a few feet closer and rubs her index finger and thumb together, making the gesture for money.
“A fat paycheck, kid,” she repeats herself. “No one can pass that up.”
I snort. “I can. I don’t need your money, and Oliver sure as hell isn’t giving you any. Now scram.” Julie emerges from the double doors of the building, followed by a redhead who I assume is Lucy. Jesus, Lucy looks like a model, but I shake my head because I can’t be thinking about that right now. Heather’s shifty eyes look around when I see her come through the doors, and she locks eyes with me and then Veronica.
“Ah, my son’s old trailer trash.” She breathes in as deeply as she can with her damaged lungs. “Maybe I’ll talk to her—”
I grab her arm and squeeze tightly. “Don’t you fucking dare. You’re not to talk to either one of them, you understand? Now get out of here before I toss you back into the hole you crawled out of.” I can feel the heat slicing at my ears, but it doesn’t bother me. This is a time for the old Brandon to come out and play, but I’m afraid he’ll want to stay out forever and undo everything I’ve worked for these past few months.
Veronica doesn’t look scared. “You’ll take your fucking hands off me right now before my boyfriend takes care of you,” she snarls. “Julie has too many eyes watching her, anyway.” She jerks her head toward a point somewhere behind me, and when I turn, I see Casey walk over to Julie, take her backpack from her, put it over his shoulder, and escort her to another building before she slips inside and vanishes. Heather notices that Veronica is still lurking around, so she walks to me with hesitation, grabbing onto my arm once she reaches us.
“You need to get out of here,” she says to Veronica. Her voice is so shaky that it’s heartbreaking. I don’t like seeing her scared, especially when it has nothing to do with her.
“I’m going,” Veronica says with a cough, “but don’t think this is the last of me. I’m getting my money—you can relay that to my son. Or don’t. Either way, I’m going to get what I want.” Heather grips the back of my dress shirt so hard that her nails nearly rip the fabric. We watch Veronica disappear from the parking lot but don’t see her get into a car or meet up with anyone.
“Jesus,” I whisper. “She’s fucking nuts.”
Heather moves in front of me and nods. “I know. Are you sure you want to do this? What if she’s crazy enough to hurt you?”
I laugh. “She’s not after me, beautiful. She’s after…” I blink a few times and my stomach starts to hurt when I think about the reason I’m standing here guarding the parking lot. “Julie.” My eyes scan the quad and I spot Julie standing outside a different building with Casey, both of them laughing. Honestly, I thought it would piss me off. It’s weird, but I feel more protective over her now than I did when we were together. The heat that flushes my cheeks is noticeable, but I don’t give a shit…
…I don’t like that she’s giggling with someone who isn’t Oliver Jackson.
“What the fuck?” I mouth, and Heather doesn’t notice. After I clear my throat, she looks where my eyes are focused and frowns. “You’re done with classes, right?” My voice is gruff. “Let’s get out of here.”
“But…Julie still has another class. Maybe we should wait.”
I growl. “She has Casey to look after her, and they look like they’re doing just fine.” I nod toward the two of them. Julie waves at him as she disappears inside the building and he parks himself on the steps with his phone in his hands. “I guess Oliver was right: He’s got it bad for her.”
Heather scoffs. “How can you tell from this far away?”
“Trust me, I know that look. He’s fawning over her—she does that to people. It’s different with Julie…she’s like a butterfly you can’t even believe you’ve caught.” I know this isn’t what Heather wants to hear, but it’s true.
Julie Remington is a diamond in the rough.
“Well, don’t consider my feelings or anything,” she snaps, throwing her bag into the car and crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m just your girlfriend, is all.”
I find her arm and pull her into my body; she lands against me with a thump and a half-cocked smile on her face because she knows I only have eyes for her. “You know I’m into you—don’t act like you don’t.” I kiss her lips and she opens them for me to fit my tongue inside to slide against her bottom teeth. Before she can latch onto me, I tip her chin up and look into her eyes as deeply as I can manage. “Julie is naïve and tries to see good in people…that’s going to be her ultimate downfall. I can’t let her fuck up the best relationship she’s been in because of some other loser.”
“You mean Casey, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, that guy. He’s lurking around, wanting things he can’t have. I know what you mean about being friends with Oliver and Julie now; it’s hard not to like them.”
Heather blushes. “See? I want some of Julie’s goodness to rub off on me.”
I laugh and pull her closer. “Well, don’t look now, but Casey is headed over here to have an argument and you can see me be the better man.”
Just as I finish this, Casey reaches us and shoves his hands into his pockets while steaming from his ears. “What the hell are you two doing here?” he demands. “You’re like a stain that just won’t go away, aren’t you, Heather?”
My fists clench, ready to strike. “You better calm the hell down, man.”
Heather lets go of my arm so I can hit him.
But I don’t.
Instead, I shove my hands into my pockets too. “Listen…” I shake my head. “Julie and Heather have class together, so don’t worry about why we’re here. We can be wherever we damn well please.”
“Just stay away from Julie.” Casey clenches his jaw and turns to walk away. “She doesn’t need people like you messing up her fucking life again.”
“Oh, so she just needs pathetic losers drooling all over her while her boyfriend is out of town?” Heather speaks up, and I give her a hard look. He’s not supposed to know anything about that, and here she is, opening her big-ass mouth. She sees the look on my face and frowns.
He spins and looks like he’s about to kick my ass. “What the hell did you say?”
Dammit. Now I’m going to have to fight him.
I put my hands up to let him know I’m not willing to fight. He glares at her and takes a step forward. “You don’t know anything about it, do you? Julie and I are just friends, nothing more. Not that it’s any of your business, but really…I could do without someone like you judging me.”
“Someone like me?” she squeaks. “What does that mean?”
“Call it how you see it, Casey,” I warn him. “But just keep in mind that I’m within distance to properly punch your fucking lights out.”
He decides to take another step forward. “You two deserve each other. You’re both a waste of space, and I really can’t speak for you—” he darts his eyes toward me, “—since all I know about you is that you like to smack women around.”
My fists clench tighter. “Shut the fuck up—I’m warning you.”
He doesn’t heed my warning. “But you—” he looks at Heather and she starts to tear up, “—I wish Oliver never met you and brought you into our lives. The slime you leave behind after you’re done with people stays around way too long. You destroyed Nora, and she was your friend. I hate you, Oliver hates you…fuck, even Julie hates you. So maybe it’s time you left Rockford and went back to whatever dirty-ass trailer you came from.”
My fist hits his jaw so hard that I think I break a few fingers.
“Don’t fucking talk to her like that!” My voice rises. “Don’t say another fucking word!”
Casey spits out blood and rubs his jaw. “You deserve to be sucked in by her bullshit. I hope she ruins your fucking life like she’s done to ours.”
Dammit.
My fist hits his eye this time, and he falls to the ground. Heather squeals and clutches my arm so I won’t continue punching him. I’m thankful she does, because I want to kill this guy right now for the way he’s speaking of her. I don’t know what comes over me, but no one is going to fucking talk to her like that and live to tell about it.
“Calm down,” she whispers, looking down at Casey writhing on the ground and clutching his eye. “He’s going to have to explain to Julie why he’s got a black eye…you know that, right?”