Stronger With Her (21 page)

W
hen the noise outside my condo finally stops, I take a deep breath and wipe my tears. I can’t believe I’m crying over a guy I practically just met. I hear my phone ring in my purse and I take my time finding it, knowing it’s him.

I see a missed call from Becca. I decide to call her back, I could use a friend right now.

“Hey, babe! How was your date?” she asks cheerfully. I can’t do cheerful.

“Great until I found out he has another girlfriend,” I reply, the tears returning.

“Are you at home?”

“Yes, I just had security remove him from my doorstep.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t move,” she says as she hangs up. I drag myself to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. My eyes are swollen and my face is blotchy, makeup running everywhere.

How in the hell did things go from so good to so horrible? How is someone so great related to a douche bag like Jake?

I’ve just opened my Diet Mt. Dew when I hear Becca knocking. She likes to pretend she’s Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory when she’s trying to cheer me up. I open the door and find her standing with Christin, both of them holding coffees and wearing sympathetic smiles.

“Tell me what that asshole did to you and how we can chop off his balls,” Christin says as she pushes past me into my living room.

“We don’t know that we need to castrate him yet,” Becca says rolling her eyes at me.

“Men need to be reminded that they’re not in charge,” she says. “If he hurt Stephanie enough to make her cry then he needs to fucking pay with his balls.”

“Okay, let’s calm down and hear what happened. Oh, I forgot to give these to you, Steph,” Becca says pulling a bag of my favorite mints out of her purse.

“You know me so well,” I say ripping into it and peeling the wrappers off of two, shoving both in my mouth at the same time.

“Now, start at the beginning and tell us what happened,” Becca says sitting down on the couch next to me.

I give all the details about meeting James and the contract, leaving out how we actually first met, up to what happened this morning. I’m just not ready to disclose that part of my life to anyone. I don’t think the girls will judge me, but it’s something that I don’t want to try to explain for now.

“So, let me get this straight,” Christin says. “You fixed his computer system, he’s fucking hot as hell, he asks you out and you go. You have a great time, you fuck, twice, and then he takes you to meet his mom? Who does that?”

“Apparently he lives with her. I don’t know why.”

“Okay, let’s assume that it’s not because he’s a loser because he’s obviously doing well in the financial department. Who is Jake?”

“He’s a prick that works in the building where Soklov is. He’s a security guard and he’s always given me the creeps. He’d ask me out all the time and do things to lock up his computer just so I’d have to come down and fix it. I did everything I could to avoid him and now I find out he’s James’ brother.”

“And he’s the one who mentioned Danielle and a child?” Becca asks quietly.

“Yes, first he was pissed that I was there with James and then he mentioned her,” my cheeks heat with embarrassment.

“Is it possible he made that up to keep you and James apart?” Becca asks.

“I asked him several times about her and he never gave me an answer. He just stared at me like he didn’t know how to explain himself. If she’s nothing, why didn’t he just say that?” I open more mints and eat them quickly.

“I agree, it’s a dick move. If he has nothing to hide, he should just come out and tell you what you want to know.” Christin says.

“How did you leave things with him?” Becca asks.

“I told him to tell me who she was or I was done. He didn’t answer so I walked in here and shut the door. He knocked and pounded and begged me to answer for about twenty minutes, so I called security and had them take care of it,” I say as tears build up again thinking about the sound of desperation in his voice.

“Well, it seems to me that he wants to explain himself. Maybe she’s an old girlfriend from years ago, it’s nothing and the jerk brother was just trying to cause problems. Not sure how to explain the child, though,” Becca says sympathetically. “Do you think this thing between you two is worth trying to save?”

I stare at my hands unwrapping more chocolate mint goodness, thinking about that question but my thoughts are interrupted.

“More importantly, is the sex worth it? Because if he’s a bad lay, then maybe it’s best to move on,” Christin says with a shrug.

“That’s horrible,” Becca says, but I can’t help the laugh that bursts out of me. Only Christin would think like that.

“Actually,” I say once I’ve caught my breath, “It was the best sex I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Well, that complicates things even more, doesn’t it?” Christin replies and we all laugh again.

“It sounds to me like he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t give up very easily. Maybe there’s a logical explanation and he’s figuring out how best to give that to you,” Becca says patting my shoulder. I give her a doubtful look, but inside I hope that she’s right.

I’
m pulling my truck out of the parking lot, not sure what the fuck just happened. The only thing that makes sense is that Jacob had something to do with the one-eighty that happened between Stephanie and me. That fucker has always been an asshole.

There’s only one person who can help me with this problem. So I pull up the hands-free calling and place the call.

“Hey, Runt, what’s up?” John answers.

“I have two words for you. Fucking. Jacob.”

“Are you on your way over? I’m headed home now so I can meet you in twenty.”

“I’ll be there and just so you know, that fucker has to pay for this one.”

“I hear ya, see you soon.”

I drive as quickly and legally as I can, trying to keep my anger at bay. This isn’t the first time my brother has done something to screw with my life. He’s been a jealous little bitch for as long as I can remember.

I pull up to John’s house, but he’s not home yet. I scroll through my phone while I wait. There’s a text from Joe.

How did last night go?

I want to answer him honestly, but I’m going to need his help too.

Great until Jacob. At John’s. Get here ASAP.

It takes less than a minute to get his reply.

Jason and I are on our way.

I wait another fifteen minutes and the three of them pull up at the same time. I get out of my truck and see my biggest support system walking toward me. I would die for these guys, and I know they feel the same about me.

“Let’s go inside, get a beer, and figure out what we’re going to do about the little shit,” John says.

“It’s time he learns his lesson,” Jason adds. “I’m so sick of his bullshit.” The rest of us nod and follow John into his house.

Once we have our drinks and we’re sitting on the back porch, John starts the conversation.

“What happened, Runt? All I know is that you were going on a date with that computer girl and now we’re here. Fill me in.”

I look at my other brothers and they’re all wearing the same look of concern.

“Last night was fucking amazing. Stephanie is a great girl, you know? I haven’t been able to get her out of my head since I met her and it’s worse now. She’s the first since…”

“You’ve got to be able to say her name if you want to move on, you know?” Jason says sympathetically.

“I know, but it’s not that easy. I’m feeling things that I didn’t think would ever come back and now it’s shot to shit. Fucking Jacob.”

“How does he fit into all this?” Joe asks.

“Stephanie and I were going to spend the day together so we ran by the house so I could change,” I start.

“Uh, what? You took her to the house? After your first date, you took her to meet Ma? Have you lost your fucking mind?” John says as he shakes his head.

“I had to change clothes and I didn’t really think about it. They got along great. While I was upstairs, apparently Jacob stopped by looking for me. He must have said some shit to Stephanie. Apparently he knows her because they worked in the same building. Judging by the look on Ma’s face he did or said something to upset her. When I got back downstairs, she wasn’t speaking to me and demanded that I take her home. I couldn’t get anything out of her so I did as she asked. I had tried one more time before she went in her apartment and she asked me who Danielle was. I was so shocked I couldn’t answer her and she slammed the door in my face. I pounded on her door until she called security and had me removed.”

I look up and all three of them are staring at me, mouths open, eyes wide.

“What?” I ask irritatedly.

John is the first to snap out of it.

“She’s the one, isn’t she?” he asks, and I feel like he’s punched me in the gut. I look at the other two and they’re nodding and smiling.

“I’m not sure, but she could be. I haven’t felt like this for years,” I admit quietly.

“Don’t bullshit us,” Joe says. “It was obvious at the office that this girl is different and she’s got you wrapped around her little finger. I couldn’t be happier about it because I’m tired of you being a dick all the time. Since she’s been around, you’ve been much more pleasant.”