Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
I smiled. “Atta lad.”
JJ snorted. “I asked her if she’d like to have a drink with me, and she took me up on the offer. We went to the nearest pub, and when we talked a lot, I’d found out that she’d walked in on her ex shaggin’ her sister earlier that night.”
“Christ.”
The word was spoken by every male in the car.
“Yeah, she was devastated and rightly angry. She rang her parents for support, but they sided with the sister, which just broke her heart altogether. She wasn’t much of a drinker. She nursed the same vodka and Coke for hours. I had a few pints, and for once in my life, I needed the alcohol to give me some Dutch courage. I kissed her, and thank God, she kissed me back.”
We all stared.
“We went back to her place and had the best sex of me life. I slept in her bed with her that night and was woken up the next mornin’ to bangin’ and shoutin’. I got me jeans on before I stumbled into the sittin’ room. Her ex was there, and he lost his fuckin’ mind when he saw me.”
I wasn’t sure about the others, but I was all but sitting on the edge of my seat waitin’ for him to continue.
“James was cryin’ and shoutin’ too, and I was prepared to stand beside her against him, but she looked at me and asked me to leave. I felt like I’d been sucker-punched, but I went and got dressed without an argument. She followed me and wordlessly watched me. I told her I wouldn’t leave if she didn’t want me to, but she said she wanted me to and that what happened between us was a mistake.”
I felt sick for my brother.
“I knew she was gonna take the cheatin’ prick back even after what he’d did to her, and it pissed me off, so I just left. I was miserable for the next couple of weeks because I missed her. I didn’t understand how I could miss someone after just one night together, but I did. I missed her. I didn’t want to just throw away somethin’ I knew could have been great, so I went back to her apartment to talk to her, but it was empty. A neighbour told me she’d moved out the week before when her lease was up and didn’t leave a forwardin’ address. She kept to herself, so he didn’t know her surname either. She was just gone.”
Well, fuck.
“Jaysus, JJ,” Harley said. “I’m sorry, bro.”
JJ nodded. “I tried to pull a few women after that, but I couldn’t bring meself to fuck them. I felt just sick inside, so I steered clear of women altogether. I don’t know if it’s helped or made it worse. All I know is I think about her all of the time.”
“Have ye tried social media?” Gavin quizzed. “How many women have the name James? It shouldn’t be hard to find her.”
“Already tried,” JJ said. “No luck.”
“Fuck.”
“Yep.”
I stared at JJ. “That’s why ye don’t pull when we go to the pub and brush off women who approach ye. I’ve been wonderin’ what’s goin’ on with ye.”
“Well, now ye know.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry, James.”
I hadn’t called him by his given name in years.
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll get over it. Plenty more fish in the sea, right?”
He smiled, but I saw right through it, and so did the others.
“Right.” I nodded.
Things were silent for a moment until Gavin blurted, “I like me baby’s mother.”
JJ looked in the rear-view mirror, and I twisted in my seat to look at my little brother.
“Ye have a child with the woman. I fuckin’ hope ye like her.”
My father snorted as Gavin’s cheeks reddened.
“I mean, I like her,” he said. “I’m into her.”
Harley stared at him. “Are ye fuckin’ her?”
“No.” Gavin’s shoulders slumped. “She won’t let me unless we’re in a relationship, and she won’t get with me while I work for Brandy.”
“Smart girl,” Da said.
We all nodded in agreement.
“I’m workin’ on things with Brandy,” Gavin said. “After what happened to me and what almost happened to me son, I want out.”
My heart thudded. I hadn’t heard him ever say he wanted out of the life he was tangled up in before.
“Have ye talked to Brandy?”
“Of course,” Gavin answered JJ. “We’re still figurin’ things out, but it’s a start.”
That was more than he’d ever done before so I was beyond pleased.
“Since we’re all sharin’…” Da cleared his throat. “I’ve somethin’ to say.”
We all went quiet.
“I have a girlfriend.”
JJ nearly crashed my fucking truck.
“What?”
The word was shouted in unison.
“Raise your voices at me again,” Da growled. “Go ahead.”
We all became meek and mumbled, “Sorry.”
Da nodded. “As I said, I have a girlfriend. Her name is Amy. I’ve been seein’ her for a while, and I’m very much in love with her. Before any of ye say it, she absolutely doesn’t replace your mother. Your mammy still is the love of me life, and I’ll love her until the day I die, but I’ve made room in me heart for Amy. I love her dearly.”