Page 76 of Closer

A little later Coop comes out of the building and sits down beside me. He glances at my shattered phone and raises his brows in question. I shake my head. “No word?”

“Nope.” He scrubs a hand over his face, looking much older than his years. “Fucking sucks not knowing what the hell is going on. Ash’s parents are on their way. Deb talked to them, already.”

“They know about this AIDS shit?”

“Nope, doctors called them because he’s listed them as next of kin, but they were just as in the dark about it as we were.”

I rest my head against the brick wall. “Why would he keep this shit from us? Why go through all of this alone?”

“I don’t know, man. You know him better than any of us. Why didn’t he tell you?”

“Maybe because I’m too caught up in my bullshit life.” I sigh. “He came to see me in France.”

“What?”

“Yeah, showed up on my doorstep. Tracked me down through my fucking lawyer.”

Ryan frowns. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“’Cause you’re not as smart as he is.”

He laughs, but it’s devoid of any real humour. “He didn’t tell you anything then?”

“Nope. I don’t know. Maybe he tried? I was too fucking blinded by misery.”

“So, no hope for Brie, then?”

I glance at him. “Why, you worried I’m gonna hit on your girl again?”

“My wife,” Coop corrects. “And no, but I would like to see you happy with someone else.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. Brie showed up at the chateau, and I told my housekeeper that I didn’t have time for her right now.”

“I still can’t believe you hooked up with her after ruining my fucking wedding.”

I laugh. “I paid her.”

“What?”

I shake my head. “I paid her to stay with me.”

Coop lets out an exasperated sigh. “Did you learn nothing from our experience with Ali?”

“Apparently not. I paid her to come play for me. Then I paid her to stay with me. Then I paid her to stay even longer. I knew money was an issue for her. She was just trying to take care of her dad. I didn’t expect to fall in love with her.” I pick up one of the two battery cells from my phone and toy with it before tossing it back on the pavement. “Anyway, her dad died. She left me, and I let her go.”

“You’re an even bigger idiot than I thought.”

“Gee, thanks, Coop.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. You need to go and beg for her forgiveness.”

I scoff. “That sounds like something you would do.”

“You’re right. It is something I would do, ’cause I’m not a fucking chump.”

“I’m not going anywhere. My best friend is sitting in a fucking hospital bed, and none of us know what the hell is wrong with him. I’m not moving from this spot.”

“You think he’s gonna be okay?” Coop asks, and his voice is quiet, too quiet.