Page 71 of Beyond the Stix
As the caffeine quickly filters into my system, I glance at my best friend and paste on a false smile. “Yeah. It wasn’t meant to be.” Then I drop my eyes to the cup and take another sip.
Danny laughs. “You can’t lie for shit. You’re in love with the man.”
My first genuine grin slides onto my face. “You know me well.”
“Things will work out, Con.”
Conflict wars within me at his comment. “We have too much friction between us—maybe I’m too much for him,” I confide in my friend. “At least I know we had chemistry.”
Danny snorts. “Chemistry isn’t the issue between you and John. It’s communication.”
I groan, and close my eyes. “You know me, I can’t be with someone who isn’t honest. Besides, I’ve had zerocommunicationfrom him. It just proves he doesn’t want me, or what’s between us.”
“I know you’re pissed that he didn’t come to the concert, but I have a feeling he would have, if he could,” he says earnestly. “Con, you have to give him the chance. Talk to him.”
The pressure in my chest is too much, and I have to get it through my best friend’s head that I tried. “That was my plan. He’d come here. I’d yell at him. We would talk, then we’d make up.”
“Well, you did kick him out.”
“Thanks for throwing that back in my face, asshole. How many times do I have to repeat myself and admit that I made a mistake?”
“Sorry.” Danny reaches for my hand.
“You’re not sorry at all.” I swat his hand away, but a smile curves both our faces. “Anyway, John’s the least of my concerns. I want to go home and see Mom. I don’t think she’s doing well.”
“Give her a hug for me,” Danny says before taking another sip of his coffee.
Good. At least Danny understands that John’s a sore subject for me right now, and will be until I manage to get over my ex-bodyguard.
Pen, on the other hand, he doesn’t know when to shut up. He tries to talk to me the entire ride to the airport, through pre-check, and inside the ambassador lounge while we wait to board our flight.
Instead of arguing with the man, I pop my buds into my ears and turn up the volume, letting the music drown out his voice.
Right before we board, Pen gets a text from Tobias, while I call my mother. She picks up immediately.
“I’m on my way home.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, her voice wobbly.
“Are you okay, Mom?”
With a quick sniffle she says, “Yes, Connor. Just missing your father. But I’m glad you’re coming home.”
“Me, too. But… I have some stuff I need to tell you.”
“Well, that sounds gloomy. What is it?”
“Not over the phone. Our flight lands around seven, so I should be there about eight,” I explain, feeling the knot in my sternum grow.
“I can pick?—”
“No, Mom. Pen got us a car.”
“Pen? John’s not coming?”
I inwardly wince. “No. He’s on a different job.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll set up the spare bedroom—and oh, I’ll make country fried steak. It’s your favorite,” she says sweetly.