Page 20 of The Bad Brother
“She fucked him over— hard ,” Sera says, her tone more than a little angry. “She cheated on him with his brother.”
“ Sera .” The way River whispers her friend’s name makes it clear that she just crossed a line and told me something Jensen would absolutely not want me to know.
Pulling the cork free, I decide to bypass the standard letting it breathe stage and divide the wine equally between the three glasses. Handing Sera her glass, I shake my head.
“I don’t have my diploma,” I tell her, the admission stinging more than I’d like. “It’s on the list of things my ex kept when he kicked me out.”
Glaring at me suspiciously, Sera shakes her head. “Why would your ex want to keep your med school diploma? ”
“For the same reason he kept the necklace my mother gave me for high school graduation, or the condo I bought with my own hard-earned money. Because he’s an asshole,” I tell her with a shrug. When I offer River her glass of wine, she holds up her hand like a traffic cop and shakes her head.
“I can’t,” She tells me with a tight smile. “Addict, remember?”
Shit.
“Shit.” Saying it out loud, I shake my head while I yank it back. “I’m sorry, River. That was?—”
“It’s okay.” Giving me a smile, she takes another bite of pizza. “I’ll take a glass of water, though.”
“Of course.” Turning away from the pair of them, I get River a glass and fill it with ice and water from the tap. Handing it to her, I look at Sera who’s still studying me like she’s looking for ways to punch holes in my story.
“You work at Barrett County, right?” she asks, taking a sip of her own wine. “They have a website?”
“Yes.” Already knowing where she’s going with it, I shake my head. “You’ll find my name and credentials but not my picture. The hospital doesn’t post them for any of the staff for security reasons.” Saying it triggers an idea.
“I can show you my badge,” I say reaching for my bag. Digging through it, I pull out the ID card I use to get into the parking garage and other secure areas of the hospital.
Looking at it, Sera frowns before handing it back. “Still doesn’t have your picture on it.”
Picture.
Digging into my bag again, I pull out my cell phone.
Flipping through my photos while River eats her pizza and Sera watches me intently, I let out a small whoop when I find it.
Handing my phone to Sera, I wait for her reaction to the photo of me on my graduation day from Duke, still wearing my cap and gown, my diploma in hand and proudly on display.
Gaze flipping between me and my phone screen, she even goes so far as to zoom in on the photograph, presumably to read the name on the diploma.
“Huh.” Looking up at me, Sera offers my phone back with a sheepish grin. “Cade and I had a bet going,” she says before taking a bite of pizza. “He believed you. My money was on stripper. I guess I owe him a month of free babysitting.”
“You thought I was a stripper?” Instead of being offended, I find it funny for some reason. “And Cade believed me.”
“He says prison time makes it easier to read people.” Turning the pizza box in my direction, she finally offers me a slice.
Lifting a piece from the box I take a bite before setting it on my plate.
Chewing enough to clear my mouth, I look at the two women sitting in front of me.
“Cade’s been to prison?” Saying it, I expect to feel apprehensive or maybe even a little afraid at the thought of being around him but I don’t. All I feel is curious.
“Yeah.” Sera nods her head on another sip. “He killed someone. Did five years in the Texas State Correctional—same as Jen.”
“Jesus…” River mutters it on a holy shit head shake.
“ What ?” Sera throws up her hands, green eyes wide. “ Cade’s my brother. I can tell her if I want and besides, if she’s going to live here, she has a right to know.”
River looks at me on a sigh. “Jen only did eighteen months. He was in juvenile corrections, not regular prison like Cade.”
“But he did hurt someone.” It’s supposed to be a question but it doesn’t come out sounding like one. Regardless, River nods her head.
“That’s what they said.”
Cade the smirky bartender went to prison for murder.
Jensen did time as a minor for an undisclosed, violent crime.
Oddly enough, still not scared.
Looking at River, I know that if I ask what Jensen did do to get himself locked up, she’ll shut our impromptu pizza party down, take her pizza, and drag her big mouth friend out of here without another word.
So I don’t ask.
Instead, I take another bite of pizza, washing it down with a healthy gulp of wine. “So… what did River tell you that she was right about?”
“I told her she was going to like you.” Obviously relieved that I’ve decided to let it go, River reaches for slice number two. “She didn’t believe me.”
Looking at Sera, I get that feeling again—that I should be offended but I’m not. I like her—she’s fierce and outspoken and I very much want her to like me back. “And?”
Grinning at me, Sera gives me a shrug. “I guess I was wrong about that too.”