My Brother's Best Friend (Crazy in Love Book 1) (18 page)

As I pull into a space at the diner, I jump out and race inside as all the emotions and fear of the unknown are pumping through me from the ride. As I look around, I don’t see Anna but feel a soft hand on my shoulder. Startled, I turn around and see Decker standing behind me. How he can look good in plain jeans and a white t-shirt, I don’t know. But I’ve always understood why Colin felt threatened and frustrated with Decker’s obvious interest. I’ve only ever been able to see Colin since the first day I met him, but it’s hard for him to believe me on that.

“Hey,” he says quietly, “you looking for Anna?” “I was, but you’ll do.” He gestures to a booth closer to the back of the restaurant and not knowing what else to do I follow him and slide in on the opposite side.

“Were you ever going to tell me what the hell happened that night?” I ask harshly before sliding my phone with the picture that was texted to me showing. He lets out a “Oh, fuck,” before studying the picture closely.

Finally, he looks up and rushes to explain. “A guy showed up that wanted to start something really bad at the party. He had a soft spot for Anna so she came outside to help. She left you inside with some of our school’s rougher girls, and I think they drugged you. I don’t know why exactly, but I’d assume out of jealousy. Anna and I came back in and you were really messed up.

And somehow you were topless with only underwear on.” Inside I cringe at how vulnerable I must have appeared. I trusted the two of them, Anna especially, and they kept this from me. Shaking with anger at this point, I get out, “Tell me what else happened. I’d like to be able to explain all this to my poor boyfriend so I need all the details you have.”

With guilty eyes, Decker continues, “I picked you up carefully without touching anything inappropriate and ordered everyone to leave and not say a word about this to anyone. My guys checked everyone’s phones before letting them leave, but the girls must have snuck a picture without us realizing it. I’m so sorry we didn’t tell you, Reagan. We both felt so guilty that it happened to you in our house. And we thought that if you didn’t have to deal with it all the better.”

Pissed off, I hiss out, “Well, now I am having to deal with it. And it looks a hell of a lot worse for me now, then if I would have told Colin all that happened a week ago. I can’t believe you both decided to keep me in the dark. Who the hell do the two of you think you are? You can’t play with people’s lives.”

Looking defeated, Decker gently says, “We weren’t trying to play with your life, Reagan. We were just trying to protect you. Anna and I care about you very much, and I hope you’ll be able to see that. My sister has been a much happier person with you in her life.”

“How am I supposed to be able to trust her now? She’s my best friend, but she kept this shit from me for a week, a whole damn week.” With that, I slide out of the booth and march out of the diner, determined to confront my supposed best friend and see if I can understand why the hell she would do this to me.

Colin

Something was off with Reagan, I could sense it, but I was hoping that she was worried about Anna and whenever she found out what was wrong, she’d help Anna fix it and feel better. Trying to shrug it off, I walked into Wallace and Reagan’s house and saw Wallace sitting there staring at his beer with a miserable look on his face.

“Hey, man, what going on. Aren’t we getting ready for a party here in a few hours?” He continues to stare at his beer but says, “Nah, I had Blaine move it to his house. Anna won’t return my calls, and I don’t know what the hell is going on with her. I couldn’t handle people here all night, but now, I just want to fucking drink. Why won’t she pick up the damn phone or call me back?”

Man, Anna is really upsetting this family. Reagan will find out what’s wrong and help her fix it. My girl is smart and efficient. She’ll bring her to the party tonight, and Wallace will be all happy. It’ll all be fine.

“Man, why don’t we go grab some dinner before heading to Blaine’s. Let’s text Reagan and ask her if she can bring Anna along. Then you can see if she’s alright and why she won’t return your calls.”

For the first time since I got there, Wallace looks at me, “Do you think I’m in over my head with this girl, man? I mean, I think I love her and don’t know how to even go about telling her this shit. She’s so smart and pretty, and I feel like I’ve got nothing to offer except I’m good at football.”

“Uh, well, uh,” Wallace is not one to share his feelings or doubts, and I’m too shocked to make a good response to his questions. But before I can get out a word, he answers himself, “I need to stop being an asshole and tell her how I feel. I want her to know.”

In support, I tell him, “That’s a good idea, man. Reagan always likes to know exactly how I feel, the more details the better.” With that, Wallace stands up and slaps me on the back. “I’m going to tell her tonight. Now, let’s go get some dinner before the party. I’m starving.”

After dinner, we head over to Blaine’s, I motion for Wallace to leave me outside. I’ve already texted Reagan twice and got nothing in return. Hitting the call button, her phone goes straight to voicemail, and I leave a message, “Hey, baby, I hope you’re getting everything straight with Anna. Please come to Blaine’s after you’re done. And your brother would really appreciate if you brought Anna with you too. Let me know if you need me to come get you. Love you.”

Just as I’m about to put my phone away, it vibrates and a text comes through. I look at it and my stomach drops as a picture of Decker holding a topless Reagan greets me with the message under it
Bet you didn’t know who your girlfriend did last weekend?
No number comes up with it so I know someone blocked it out.

What the hell is this? When did this fucking happen. Was this when I was at camp last weekend? How long has this been going on? My girl, my sweet beautiful girl did this. She did this with someone else and pretended with me all week that nothing happened. What the fucking hell is going on?

I sink down to the ground and try to breathe. My heart is pumping, and I don’t even know how to go on from here. What the hell happened to us? I knew she was distant, but I thought it had to do with dad, not that mother fucker Decker, never him.

After a long time of just sitting on the ground, I force myself up and make my way slowly inside. Nothing feels real, my world’s tilted on its axis, and I don’t know where to even go from here. Reagan was the only person I’d ever given my heart to and sadly the only one that had ever wanted it. Every dream or thought had her in the center of it. What the hell did I do from here? Could I ever forgive her for doing this to us and not telling me? How could I not and not have her?

Eventually, I make my way inside. I get a lot of pats on the backs and half hugs, but I don’t say a word. Just make my way through the house until I see Wallace. He’s got a beer in his hand and is leaning against the wall lazily watching everyone around him. But I know him too well. Inside he’s worried about what’s wrong with Anna and why the hell she’s not talking to him.

“Hey, man,” I say when I get up to him. He grins slightly at me before asking, “You heard from Reagan yet? Is she bringing Anna here tonight? I really want to see her. I’ve missed her so damn much.” Shaking my head, I tell him, “Nah, man, I haven’t heard from Reagan, but I got a text that was really fucking bad.” I get out my phone and show him the damn picture, and he looks at it before yelling, “What the hell is that, Colin? Why the hell is Decker holding my damn sister without her having clothes on.”

Not able to look at him, I say quietly, “I don’t know, Wall. But she won’t call me back, and I don’t know how she couldn’t tell me about this. And by the way you’re acting I don’t think she told you anything either. I don’t know what the hell to think right now. But I’m losing my damn mind.”

Finally, I look up and see Wallace with his head in his hands. He mutters, “She knew, she fucking knew something happened to my sister, and she didn’t say a damn word. Anna knew that this happened. She’s a disloyal bitch.”

Putting my hand on his shoulder to calm him down, I say, “Listen, Wall, neither of us needs to jump to any conclusions right now. Let’s wait till the girls call us back and see what happened. I’m fucking pissed right now, but I still want to find out the truth from Reagan. What the hell happened and why she hid it from me. But for now we don’t need to assume anything without hearing their explanations.”

With pain shining in his eyes, Wallace replies, “Well, they won’t answer their damn phones to explain, Colin. So I guess we can drink until they call or arrive.” Not thinking that’s a good idea, I shake my head no. But Wallace puts a beer in my hand, and I drink it down quickly. After three, I start to feel a little more relaxed and not so anxious that my whole life is falling apart. Reagan will come, and we’ll get it all sorted out then. My girl can do anything, even pull us out of this hellish mess.

Chapter 12

Reagan

I know I’ve got to talk to Anna. Not even knowing how to begin trusting her again, I don’t want to freak out on her and ruin it for my brother. I know he loves her, and I can’t hurt him. As I’m driving to her house, I see a petite figure with blond hair walking along the road.

As I get closer, I recognize the sweater and know that it’s Anna. I pull up beside her and roll down my window. “Get in,” I order her in my sternest tone. She doesn’t protest but climbs in and glances over at me with the most apologetic look in her eyes. Her lashes are wet with tears, and I can tell that she’s been crying for a while with how blotchy her skin is.

In spite of how angry I am, I still feel sympathy for her. Anna never wants anyone to hurt. Covering it up so I wouldn’t have to deal with it at all probably sounded like the best situation for her, but now I was having to deal with it. And it might ruin Colin and I. I couldn’t handle that. I knew that I had to have him in my life.

Driving, I don’t say anything and wait for Anna to break the silence. “Reagan,” she says in a timid voice, “I never wanted any of this to hurt you. I was embarrassed that something like this happened to you at my house. And I didn’t want Wallace to know I had let him down. I’m so sorry for all of this!”

“Anna, I’m so pissed off at you right now. I don’t even know how to talk to you about it. But before I can deal with you and me, I’ve got to have you tell Colin exactly what happened. I can’t deal with him thinking that I hid this from him.”

She starts crying softly and tells me, “Wallace is going to know that I kept this from him, and he’s never going to forgive me. He’s never going to be okay with what I let happen to you.”

Trying to comfort her, I pat her shoulder and say, “All you can do is tell him the truth, Anna. That’s the only way to go on.” But inside I don’t know what Wallace will do. I know that he loves her, but I don’t know if he could ever forgive someone for lying to him. We both grew up on stories of lying and betrayal.

“You know he won’t forgive me, Reagan. He’s straight down the line and not swayed by emotion. I know it’s over. That why I’ve been avoiding him all week. I didn’t want to have to suffer by pretending it wasn’t ending.”

Feeling guilty, I don’t know what to do. I need Colin to hear the entire truth about what happened, but I don’t want to ruin Wallace and her. “Look after you tell Colin, maybe Wallace never has to know what happened. It didn’t have anything to do with him.”

She looks over at me with tears shining in her eyes before explaining, “I’ve got to tell him everything. Holding back anything from the people you love isn’t right. He needs to know what happened last weekend and that I tried to hide it. Hiding it from you two has made me miserable.”

Colin had messaged me that the party had moved to Blaine’s house, and as I pull up, my heart starts to pump out of my chest. I don’t know how the hell I was going to explain to my boyfriend how I’d gotten naked and was being held by a guy that constantly hit on me. The situation was ludicrous and unbelievable. But I was praying that somehow Colin would believe it.

I step out of the car and walk in with Anna. The music and sounds from the party are at odds with my night and mood, and I can tell by Anna’s face that she feels the same. As I walk in and people start greeting me, I nod and make my way through the crowd as fast as possible.

Anna follows, and we make our way through all the rooms without finding Colin or Wallace, but I see Stanson dancing with a pretty girl by the pool. I walk out to him and ask, “Hey, don’t want to interrupt, but have you seen Colin or Wallace?”

He stops dancing and says, “I’ll be right back, Casey.” Before grabbing my arm and walking me a few feet away. “Hey, beautiful, they both were here earlier, but they’d both been downing drinks for the last few hours. I don’t know if Colin can even stand up at this point. I’ve never seen either of them so determined to get hammered. They were out by the back of the pool where it gets dark last time I saw them.”