I gave him a dry look. “I lived it. Trust me, I remember it all very well. This is different.”
“Why? Because you’ve been through it before and you think you can handle it better the second time around?”
“Maybe, or maybe it doesn’t end that way. I’m not saying we’re committed to anything. We’ve spent some time together and we’ve realized there are still some feelings there. I would like to explore those feelings. He is different. I’m different. We’ve both grown up a lot. We’re both more confident in who we are and what we want.”
“He’s not all that different.” Rich snorted. “Again, you are back with him because he made a mess of his life. How is that any different than before?”
“It is,” I said. “I feel more confident about this. Before, I was young and naïve. I had my head in the clouds. I’ve lived a little. I have my own life with the shelter. Back then, I was all about Reese. I probably smothered him a little. I was needy and he was trying to get his career off the ground. In a way, the breakup worked out to be the best thing. I had all kinds of free time to devote to getting my shelter up and running. He was able to climb the corporate ladder. We both had our lives and now we are in a different place.”
“Wow,” he said. “You’ve really sold yourself on this. Do you really believe any of that?”
“It’s not a story,” I said. “It’s real. We have come a long way. I like where I am, and he likes where he is”
He shook his head. “He dumped you on your ass after he convinced his daddy to buy you that warehouse. Don’t you realize why he did that?”
“He knew how important it was to me,” I said.
“You don’t think the timing was a little odd?” he said. “He dumped you the minute you got the keys in your hand. He bought your kindness.”
“I’m not going to say he didn’t set it up that way to lessen the blow and assuage his guilty conscience,” I said. “I’m not an idiot. I know exactly what happened back then. I was there. I’m the one who told you what happened.”
“I don’t like it,” he said.
“I’m sorry, but it’s really not up to you,” I said. “I’m doing the adult thing now. I haven’t had to run things by you in a long time.”
“He’s my best friend. I know him better than you do. He’s not this knight in shining armor you’re making him out to be. He’s still cocky and immature. He hasn’t changed. Trust me on this.”
“I believe he has,” I said. “At least when it comes to me. Our relationship is different than the relationship you have with him.”
“That doesn’t change who he is,” he argued.
“Back when we broke up, things were different. He was going through a hard time. He lost his friend. He was fighting with his brothers. His dad wasn’t taking him seriously. I knew how much pressure he was under. I tried to help the best way I knew how, but I was too young to do much of anything. He had to find his own way. He needed to get through it on his own. Now he’s taking over the business and is going to start a nonprofit for homeless vets.”
“A what?”
“He met someone who builds tiny home communities in New York,” I explained while leaving out who the someone was. “He wants to do that here. I think it’s a good way for him to honor his friend’s memory.”
“I didn’t know about that, but I agree. It’s very noble.”
“It is,” I said. “Which is just another way he’s changed. I think you and I know different sides of Reese. He’s still the same guy you’re best friends with. But that doesn’t mean I can’t know another part of him. I’m going into this with my eyes wide open. I only told you because I didn’t want to keep it from you. I didn’t want you to think we were sneaking around. I care about him. We are going to see each other, and I would like you to be okay with that.”
“I don’t like it,” he said. “I don’t trust him not to hurt you.”
“I understand, but it’s not for you to decide what I do in my life,” I said.
“I’m going to talk to him,” he replied. “I told him I wasn’t okay with you guys getting together. I warned him you were off limits. It pisses me off he disrespected me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like your opinion is really the thing that matters here.”
“Whatever,” he said. “I’m going to try and see Dad this weekend.”
“They said they were leaving this week,” I reminded him.
He shook his head. “There is no way Dad is going to up and leave without saying anything. I’m going down there and I’m going to try like hell to make him see reason. I’m considering dragging him out of there.”
“Oh, I might pay to see that,” I teased.
“We have to do something,” he said. “I called him twice today. He doesn’t answer the phone.”