Rebel Roommate: A Brother's Best Friend Romance

by Jeannine Colette

  Laura laughs, and the vibration rumbles through the phone. I find myself laughing too.

  “She hated me from the moment we met.”

  “She loved you from that moment you met. The two of you got five hundred signatures that week. It couldn’t save the wetlands because they were built on years later, but you found a similar desire to do what was right.” With a pause, she lowers her voice and declares, “Wes, I, too, loved you from that moment because I saw a decent, wonderful young man who had the same conviction as my Stacey. When you and Chad became friends, it was easy to welcome you into our family. You were a good kid.”

  I smile while disagreeing, “I have a set of parents and some teachers from back in the day who would disagree with you.”

  “You’re a good man,” she says firmly, and I sit up straighter. “Wesley, you can come home.”

  “I am home. I’m literally sitting in my parents’ house right now.”

  “No, sweetie. Your home, the place where you grew up—125 Hickory Lane, Manhattan Beach,” I hear her recite her address, Chad and Stacey’s home. “And not just for Christmas. Anytime. All the time. You always have a seat at this table. The reason I never saw it as taking you in was because you always belonged with us. Any day or night, I was happy to open the door to you.

  “Now, I’ve heard the way your father speaks to you, and I’ve never agreed. I can’t change the things he says or does, but I can make right something Shane and I feel but have never said. We have always been proud of you.”

  Fuck. I didn’t call her for this. I wasn’t expecting to have my fucking eyes burn as she tells me the words I wish my parents had said to me just once. This isn’t what I wanted.

  It’s better.

  My heart, the one that’s thumping beneath the surface under my palm, is alive for the first time in years. I can breathe. Gasping big breaths, I take in her perfect words.

  “Thank you, Laura. I have to say, I might have messed things up though. Your children aren’t speaking to me.”

  She makes a hmm sound, which is laced in disappointment. Maybe she does know the whole story.

  “I have to admit, I’m not happy with any of this. My daughter going off to college with her brother was supposed to be a sure thing to tame my anxiety.”

  “Led the lamb to the wolf’s den.”

  “I could say the same in reverse. My daughter is a bulldozer. When she wants something, she gets it. And she’s always wanted you.” Her quiet chuckle makes me smile. “I had to pay close attention, but I noticed it. Same as I always thought you saw something special in her. I’m glad you finally dropped that wall you’d held up so high.”

  “Yeah, but look where it got us.”

  “Do you still feel strongly for my daughter?”

  “I do. I really do.”

  “She’s growing up, and she needs to make her own decisions. And Chad … well, he’s never going to stop having high standards for himself, his family, his friends …”

  Her words bring tears to my eyes that I let slowly slip out. All these years, I’ve harbored feelings of abandonment because I disappoint my parents and they don’t deserve my love. Chad and the Brightmores have been everything to me. I hurt them, and in turn, I’m more alone than ever.

  “You have no idea what you guys meant to me, growing up. I don’t know what I would have done without you. I feel like I’ve let everyone down.”

  “Wesley, you could never let us down. I understand what you’re going through, especially with your parents. But don’t forget; you were here just as much as you were there. You’ve been a part of our family since the first day you and Chad jumped on that trampoline together. Just because that’s where you came from doesn’t mean that’s where you’re going. And if you start to stray, hopefully, we’ve taught Stacey enough to reel you back in.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the sting that sits behind my lids still before more tears fall. We sit in silence as I gather my thoughts.

  “Don’t let anyone stand in your way of happiness. Why don’t you reach out to them and talk it out? I know feelings have been hurt, but everyone can mend and find happiness again. Just don’t give up.”

  “I can’t do that. They won’t speak to me.”

  “Sometimes, the hardest part is picking up the phone.”

  Her suggestion has me falling back against the chair and grinning. That’s exactly what I just did. I need to feel everything that’s going through me. I can’t suppress my feelings anymore. It’s time to face them head-on and go after what I want in my life.

  If only it were that easy.

  “I’m glad you called me. You know I’m here for you whenever you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Laura.”

  “Anytime, Wesley.”

  We hang up, and I grab the box of my grandma’s stuff and head to my car. Knowing exactly what needs to be done.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Stacey

  Christmas was very interesting around the Brightmore house. Of course, I told Mom everything, and I know her heart broke for both Wes and me. She loves him like a son, and I know she would have loved to have him by my side. Having no clue where Wes was or who he was celebrating Christmas with made it even harder.

  I broke down on Christmas Eve and sent him a text. When he never responded, my heart broke all over again.

  Spring semester started a week ago, and I’ve been a mess every day. I keep finding myself searching for him on campus and then getting pissed off that I am.

  Yes, I’m still living with Chad even though we’re down one roommate. I know he misses Wes just as much as I do, but for him, the hate is still very much there, so he can push through it more than I can.

  I’ve been trying to keep my head down and my focus on my studies. Since Chad is busy with baseball, I’ve been spending more time alone in the apartment. I’ve tried to redecorate and remove any remembrance of Wes, but it’s no use. Everywhere I look, I see him or am reminded of us being together.

  I’m making lunch when Chad and Nicole walk through the door.

  Nicole smiles in my direction when she sees how red and puffy my eyes are. “You doing okay, girl?”

  I shrug and close the fridge. “Just another day.”

  “Come on, Stacey. It’s time to move on. I hate seeing you mope around here all day,” Chad says as he reaches for a glass and pours some water.

  “Move on?” I ask in disbelief. “Maybe if you weren’t such an ass, I wouldn’t have to move on. This is all your fault, so how dare you tell me how I should be feeling.”

  He sighs. “I told you, Stacey, I did you a favor.”

  “Well, next time, keep your favors to yourself. I don’t need you doing any favors for me. It’s my life.”

  “But you’re my sister. And I’ve said this a thousand times. He’s not a good guy when it comes to girls. I couldn’t watch him hurt you the way I’d seen him do to all the girls before you.”

  I place my hands on my hips. “Oh, but it’s okay for you to hurt me? How does that make sense?”

  “I’m not the one who hurt you!”

  A sharp laugh escapes my lips. “Yes, you are! You’re the one who kicked him out!”

  He points in my face. “Yeah, but he left. Don’t forget that.”

  Nicole jumps in between us, trying to calm us both down. “Okay, Chad, that’s enough.”

  “Are you still on their side?”

  “I’m on both your sides. Trying to keep the peace here, remember?” She opens her eyes wide, silently saying, Don’t say another word.

  He huffs and turns to leave the room. I instantly burst into tears, and she wraps me in her arms. Something she’s done many times since that fateful night.

  “I’m sorry I keep putting you in the middle. That’s not fair to you.” I step back and take a deep breath, looking up to the ceiling to stop the tears from falling. “He’s right about one thing, you know?”

  “Who? Chad?” she asks, ti
lting her head slightly to the side.

  “Wes did walk away. He didn’t even try to fight for me.”

  She places her hands on my shoulders. “Wes has been through a lot. Chad’s told me all about it. I think he was in shock. I don’t think it’s over between you two, and I know it’s not over between him and Chad. Friends like that just don’t stop one day and never look back. Everyone just needs time. Things will calm down soon. Don’t give up hope.”

  Hope.

  I don’t know what to hope for.

  To hope that this pain will go away?

  To hope that he’ll come back to me?

  To hope that he and my brother will go back to the way they were and we’ll pretend all of this never happened? That I didn’t love him? That he didn’t love me?

  There’s a knock on the door, so I quickly wipe my eyes, not wanting whoever is here to see me cry.

  Chad exits his room and answers it. When I hear Chad yell, my eyes instantly shoot up, and I know in my gut who it is.

  “What are you doing here?” Chad shouts out.

  “We need to talk,” Wes says.

  “I’ve said everything there is to say to you. I’ve spoken to Coach, and I told him I’ll do my best to be a teammate with you. But that’s all. You’re not welcome here or in my life.”

  I stand just as I see Chad try to shut the door, but Wes stops him. “Please, Chad. You can’t do this. Please, just hear me out.”

  “I’ve heard you out. I know exactly what was going on inside your head as you broke the one thing I trusted you with.”

  There’s a pause, and I come around the corner to see Wes standing there with his hands buried deep in his pockets and his head down. When he looks up, his eyes instantly meet mine. I see his are red-rimmed and puffy. It pulls on my heartstrings, but I stay back.

  He keeps his sight glued to mine as he speaks to Chad, “Please. Just hear me out. Then, I’ll leave. I’ll even quit the baseball team if you want me to. Just give me a chance. I know I’m not perfect. I’ve heard that my whole life. I just never thought I’d hear it from you.”

  I watch as Chad struggles with what he just heard. Wes has been his best friend for most of his life. I know he misses having that connection, no matter what tore them apart.

  To my surprise, his stubborn wall starts to fall, but he stands firmly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “You have five minutes.”

  Wes motions to enter our apartment, but Chad stops him. “I told you, you aren’t welcome here. Say what you have to say right here.”

  Wes licks his lips and takes a deep breath before saying, “I know I fucked up.”

  “Damn right you did,” Chad intervenes.

  Wes pauses and nods, knowing he’s in for the battle of his life. “But I only fucked up when I walked away from this apartment without saying anything. Without standing up for what was going on.”

  Chad aggressively steps a little closer to him. Wes doesn’t back down.

  “I shouldn’t have lied to you.” Wes stands tall and holds his head high as he admits, “I had been seeing your sister for over a month. We wanted to tell you, but we were afraid you would act like this. We didn’t want you to find out the way you did, and I truly apologize for that.”

  Chad steps even closer to him, getting in his face. “So, you’re apologizing for hiding it from me but not for—”

  “No, Chad. I won’t apologize for it happening because that would mean it was a mistake. It wasn’t a mistake.” Wes’s eyes meet mine again. “Stacey was never a mistake.”

  Chad pulls back and punches Wes across the face with no warning at all. I leap toward him, holding him back to make sure he doesn’t do it again.

  Wes holds his face as he recovers and then starts again, “I know I’ve said and thought a lot of things over the years about girls and relationships. But you of all people should understand what it means when people say, things change. You found Nicole. And I found Stacey.”

  I feel Chad tense up, and I hold him back even more.

  “The only thing is, I never had to find her. It was always her. I just ignored what I felt because I’d made you a promise. But can you imagine someone telling you that you couldn’t be with Nicole just because of some silly rule that was made when you were a kid? I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t have a say in that. What would you do if Nicole’s brother tried to stop you?”

  “You know this is different. Don’t even try to think it’s not.”

  “You’re right. It is different. I didn’t just meet Stacey. I met her years ago and have had to fight these feelings for over half of my life. And I did that for you. I …” He pauses and closes his eyes briefly, like he’s fighting back emotions about to spill over. “I did that for you.”

  Chad can see the sincerity written all over his face, and I feel when his body starts to loosen as he takes in his words.

  “I’m not here to beg for your friendship back. I know that ship has sailed. I just want you to know that I’m truly sorry. I hope, one day, you’ll forgive me and understand that I never meant to hurt either one of you. You both are family to me, and I’ll never forget all that you’ve done for me.”

  Wes turns to leave. I glance at Chad as his head falls back.

  He closes his eyes and shouts out more to himself than anyone else, “Fuck!” He takes a big inhale and opens his eyes again to see Wes disappearing around the corner. “GodDammit,” he says to himself. “Hold on, Wes,” he calls out as he runs after him.

  I stand there, waiting for them to come back but they don’t. When I go to the window, I see them standing by Wes’s car. It’s obvious the tension is still high, but without being able to hear them, I can’t tell what’s going on.

  My heart pounds as my stomach turns. I’ve never felt so helpless. I feel like I ruined their friendship. I know I’m responsible for it. Wes warned me this would happen, and I didn’t believe him. But I also could have never thought that Wes would just walk away like he did.

  After a few minutes, their body language changes, and hope starts to build within me. To my surprise, they point to the car, and Chad hops in the passenger seat. Where they’re going, I have no clue, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a long, sleepless night if they don’t come back soon.

  Nicole stays with me for a while but chooses to leave around midnight. A little past two in the morning, there’s a knock on my bedroom door.

  “Are you awake? Can we talk?” Chad says.

  I stop the Netflix movie I was watching on my laptop and hop up in bed, dying to know what happened. “Yes, come in. Where have you been?”

  Chad pulls out my desk chair and sits. “We went to the corner bar and talked that whole time. He told me everything. About Spin the Bottle, the kiss after graduation, and how things progressed here.”

  I curl my blanket in my hand, nervous about what he might say. “And?”

  “And I think I understand it a little more now. I can’t say I like it, but he said it was different with you. It always has been.”

  “And you’re okay with that?”

  He leans back in the chair, thinking. “When he compared it to Nicole, I understood more. It’s not fair for me to say you can’t date him. But”—he takes a deep breath—“I’ll also be the first to tell you, as your brother, that guy has issues. Big ones.”

  The day he walked out of our place races through my mind, and I feel it like a knife to the chest.

  My expression must show it, too, because he holds up his hands.

  “I’m not saying I’ll give you my blessing, but I also won’t stand in your way. If you want to date Wes, then that’s your prerogative. Just know, he doesn’t date. He will hurt you.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  He lets out a long sigh. “Because I’m not sure if he’s capable of love.”

  “But he loves you.”

  He nods, pursing his lips together. “Yep, and look how that ended. But”—he stands, pushing the chair back in—“I
told him if you ever forgave him for the shit he pulled and leaving like he did instead of fighting for you, then I wouldn’t stop it. But if he truly felt the way he said he did, then he never should have left in the first place. Dad taught us—shit, taught him—you have to fight for the things you love, and he just walked away. Don’t forget that.” He points his finger at me. “That’s only my opinion though. And he wanted me to give you this.”

  He hands me a piece of paper while giving me a closed-lip smile and exits my room, leaving me even more confused than I ever was before.

  As I look at the note, I try to make up my mind on him before I see what it says because no matter what he wrote, I need to make sure I’m okay with talking to him again.

  I made him promise to not do exactly what he did, and the very next opportunity, he did just that.

  Is that the kind of man I want to be with?

  Then, all the good memories flash through my mind. The moments we shared. The way he made the butterflies swarm in my belly when he spoke or the chills he sent throughout me with just his touch.

  Deep down, he is a good guy. My brother wouldn’t have been his best friend for all these years if he wasn’t. Obviously, he’s working on forgiving Wes since they spent the past few hours talking.

  I decide if Chad can forgive him, then I can at least open Wes’s letter and see what he has to say.

  Dear Stacey,

  I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings. I’ve never had to be until you. I know I’ve said the wrong things, and you’ll probably never forgive me, but just know, I meant every word, every touch, and every kiss I’ve ever given you.