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Minutes later, there’s a knock on the door and my subconscious is already convinced it’s Shay when I open it. Irritation washes over me when I see Derek standing at the front door with a bottle of beer in his hand holding it out for me. “Thought you could use this.”
I don’t take it from him because I’m not about to let him think we are friends when I’m not sure if he was in on Jeremy’s fucking ambush. I close the door behind me, as I sign that I’m not letting him in and stand on my porch with my arms crossed.
He’s shorter than Jeremy and therefore shorter than me and not as built but still looks like he’s spent some time in the gym. He has jet-black hair and hazel eyes and I remember Shay saying that he’s the heartthrob of the show despite Jeremy being her co-star.
“I had nothing to do with that,” he tells me.
“Why should I believe that?”
“Because Veronica would have my balls if I did anything to hurt Shay and believe me, she had Jeremy’s balls,” he says and I’m inclined to believe him because I do think he cares about Veronica. From my perspective, it seems the “off again” parts of their relationship are her idea and not his.
“Is she okay?” I nod towards the house. I’m not sure if she’s upset or angry, crying or yelling and it’s driving me crazy that there’s so much distance between us.
“I don’t know. Shay and Veronica are still in her office. I didn’t hear any crying but,” he shrugs, “you sure you’re ready for all this drama?” He chuckles.
“There wasn’t any until your friend caused it.”
“It would have come out.”
“I would have told her first. Cooper and her team aren’t even aware that we are together. We keep our relationship behind closed doors. Jeremy went digging because he’s jealous and he wanted to cause a problem.”
“I think he’s just worried about her.”
“You actually buy that? Tell me something. What wouldyoudo if Veronica started dating some other guy?”
“That’s different. Veronica and I are in a relationship.” He snorts. “Or whatever the fuck. You know what I’m saying. Jeremy and Shay have never been together in any capacity.”
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be or he doesn’t have feelings for her. I see everything, Derek. More specifically I see everything in regards toher.”
He scratches his jaw and looks towards the house. “I get what you’re saying, I do, and J was out of line for airing your dirty laundry like that.”
“It’s not even dirty laundry. I married my deceased best friend’s fiancée to give her health insurance. He died in combat, she got sick, that was it. We divorced when she got better and got her own coverage.”
“Well, fuck,” he says, taking a sip of his beer. “You really are that noble.”
“Did he even bother to find out the details when he was attempting to dig up dirt?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t even know if he knows all of that. Veronica didn’t ask for the details. She just called him an asshole for unleashing that on her and said he needed to leave.”
“I love her,” I tell him. “This is difficult enough to navigate right now without her feeling like her friends are turning on her or judging her.”
“I don’t judge her. We’ve been through a lot together. The four of us,” he says. “We’ve spent eighty percent of the last six years together. Long nights and vacations and all the ups and downs of life.”
“And I like that Shay has people that have her back but there’s a difference between that and what Jeremy just did today. She is still an adult capable of making her own decisions. And I’m not some random guy. I’ve been here. I’ve been through a lot with her too.”
I didn’t go back to the main house for the rest of the night. I stayed in my guesthouse to give Shay some space. She didn’t call or text me so I took that to mean she was fine with my decision. It’s nearing one in the morning and I’m sitting on my couch, having just gone through a new stack of mail when my phone beeps indicating someone opened her front door, and then a few moments later there is a knock on my door.
I open it and she’s standing there, dressed in one of my t-shirts and a pair of joggers. Her eyes are slightly hazy like maybe she’s cried or maybe she’s intoxicated. She walks by me without a word and I close the door. I follow behind her and watch as she pulls her pants off and slides under my covers.
I pull off my shirt and my pants and slide in next to her and pull her against my chest, pressing my mouth to her neck.
“You didn’t come back over,” she says sadly.
“I didn’t think you wanted me to.”
“I always want to be near you.”
Well, that’s a good sign. Maybe she’s not that angry.