Brad chuckles, an eerie, almost nauseating sound. “Is that what she told you happened? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shakes his head.
“Either way, I’m not going to tell her to answer your call. That’s up to her.” He recoils like I’ve slapped him, though maybe my denial and lack of bending over backwards to give him what he wants isn’t something he’s used to.
“Fine. I expect you’ll tell her of this… altercation, so you can tell her to anticipate my call. I’ve been keeping tabs on her through social media, but her privacy settings didn’t allow me to message her. You’ll tell her it’s in her best interest to answer.” He turns his face away from me, effectively ending whatever this interaction was. All the better. I need to get out of here before I punch him straight in the nose.
I stride back into my office, shutting the door behind me. I kick my chair, sending it rolling across the floor and into the wall with a thud. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to figure out how I’m going to bring this up to Fallon. I don’t want to do it in front of the girls, but she needs to know what happened.
I pull out my phone to call her. She’s off today, spending the day with Marley and the twins. She answers on the second ring. “Hey, sunshine,” I greet. I’m gathering my keys and anything else I need to head to my car.
“Hi,” she responds. “I was about to call you, are we still on for tonight?”
“We are,” I state. “But I need to talk to you first.”
“Jase…” Her voice is tight and anxious, obviously picking up on the tone of my voice.
“Is Presley with you?”
“Yes, I picked her up from school, and then came back so she could see the babies. Your mom and Lennie are here too. That’s what I was going to call you about. I was going to offer to bring Lennie straight from here so you don’t have to run to your mom’s. Then your mom can stay here for a bit. Beau has a later showing this evening.”
I sigh. “That works out well, but I need to talk to you. I’ll be there in fifteen, okay? Come out to the car when I get there.” I head out the back entrance of the brewery, avoiding any more confrontation with Brad.
“Um, yeah, okay,” she replies, and I can hear the anxiety in her voice.
“It’s going to be fine, sunshine. This isn’t something I wanted to tell you over the phone.”
“Okay,” she says. I climb into my car as we say goodbyes, and then I’m heading off to Marley and Beau’s house.
I don’t know how I’m going to tell her this. How do I tell her that him being at the wedding the other night more than likely wasn’t a coincidence like we thought? No matter what, I’ll figure it out. She needs to know.
38
FALLON
Isit on the couch at Marley and Beau’s house, listening to my daughter and Lennie coo over the babies. I stopped paying attention to the conversation between Nikki and Marley a few minutes ago. I wasn’t able to provide any insight or information, and besides, I’m spiraling.
What could Jason need to talk about that is so important he had to come right here? I was going to be at his house in an hour anyway. Something deep in my brain tells me it has to do with seeing Brad at the wedding last weekend, but until I know, I’m going to pretend it’s not. Jason pulls up the driveway a few minutes later, and I’m standing from the couch as soon as his car is in view.
“Nikki, can you watch Presley for a few minutes? I need to talk to Jason quickly.” I told her he was coming, but didn’t tell her anything else.
“Sure,” she replies with a smile. I do my best to smile my thanks in response, though it probably comes out as a grimace.
I rush down the stairs and out the front door quickly. Jason is waiting for me in front of his car.
“Hey sunshine.” He opens up his arms for me, and I throw myself into his comforting embrace. My anxiety lightens at his touch, but I can sense how tense he is, and it doesn’t take long before I’m as anxious as I was before.
“Tell me.” I pull back from his embrace.
Jason sighs, running his hand through his hair. When his brown eyes meet mine, I can see the look of anguish there. “Brad came by the brewery. Called me by name.”
My heart drops into my stomach. I'd hoped it was a freaky coincidence. “What did he say?”
Jason pulls me tighter against him. “He asked about you. Said he remembered us being friends in college. He asked me where you were, and if I knew anything about you. I didn’t tell him anything, but he wanted me to tell you to expect a call from him.”
I drop my head to Jason’s chest. I thought I was done with him. Done with that chapter of my life. Why is he back now? It’s like he sensed I was happy and couldn’t accept it. Couldn’t let me live my life in peace.
“Why is he doing this?” I mumble. “Why now? It’s been three years, Jase. I don’t get it.”
Jason cups the back of my head, holding me to him as he rubs a hand up and down my back. “I don’t know. He was insistent. You have no idea how hard it was not to punch him in the face.”
