I chuckle as she pushes out of my arms. “Well, since you two seem to have the idea of getting shit-faced. I’ll go make some dinner.”
A few hours later, we are sitting inside their living room. I’ve told them everything. The article, the fight, Owen. Hell, I even broke down and told them the truth of everything I’ve done to get to where I am. I’m nearly three sheets to the wind, and Noah isn’t too far behind me. At least he’s supportive. I got to give him that.
“It’s ironic that her name is Grace. I thought I was falling for her. But I should have known she would cause me to fall.” I snort, my drunkenness getting the best of me. “My fall from grace. I guess I’ll finally find out what it’s like in prison.”
“You aren’t gonna go to prison,” Anna says. “We’ll figure it out.”
“What is there to figure out? I told her to do the article. I encouraged her. Granted, I had no idea that it was going to link back to me in some minuscule way. But it’s enough. That tie between Williams and me is enough to send me away for a long time. Fuck, I should just take the decision away from her and publish it myself.”
“You can’t do that, Car,” Noah states.
“And why the fuck not, Noah?” I slur.
“I don’t want to lose my brother.”
“I deserve it, you know. After everything I’ve done. The guilty men I’ve let walk the streets. I’m deserving of this. This life I built for myself is all based on lies. Fallacies. The talent I have for bending the truth. I deserved to lose her. Because I never should have had her.”
Anna has a look of sympathy on her face. “Maybe you should just get some sleep.”
“I’m fine. I need to go home.”
“Well, I’m not driving you,” Anna says. “It’s late. Go sleep it off in the guest bedroom.”
“Don’t make another foolish mistake.” Noah gives me his big brother stare.
“Foolish.” I laugh. “That’s what I am. A goddamn fool.”
* * *
I wake up with clarity and another terrible hangover. But the clarity is just what I need. I need to do the right thing. For everyone but me. Because everyone deserves happiness.
For the first time since I became a lawyer, I call out of work. I avoid Anna and Noah and sneak out of the house a little after nine in the morning.
I tap my hands against the steering wheel. Anticipation and anxiety flowing through my body. I know I need to do this. It’s the right thing.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I only see one car in the driveway. I get out of my car and walk the cobblestone path and up the two stairs of the front porch and ring the bell.
Chelsi opens the front door and talks to me through the screen door. “What are you doing here, Carson?”
“Look, I’m sure you know what’s going on—”
“Did he do that to you?” she asks with a frown.
“What?” I ask dumbly.
“Don’t play coy with me, Car.” She points to my face.
“That doesn’t really matter.”
She sighs and pushes open the screen door. “I told him not to hit you. I said to yell at you and scream but not to lay his hands on you.”
“Well he didn’t listen.”
“I’m sorry.”
My brow creases. “Why are you sorry?”
“Between Owen’s screaming and Grace’s crying, I know what happened. I know that you loved her. Well, okay, I don’t know for sure about that but I can tell by looking at you that I think you do. And you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t. And I know she loves you. Because she wouldn’t be so torn up if she didn’t.”