"You three sort it out?" he asks with a nod towards the back door.
"Yeah, we did. Seems everyone knew Austin was gay but me. Also seems everyone knew you've been havin' an affair with my sister."
Kyle inhales sharply, glancing away. "It's not that simple, man."
"Alright," I step up to the table, he flinches a bit, but I pull out a chair and swing it around so I can sit on it backwards, my arms leaning over the back. "Explain it to me."
Shocked, wide eyes dart back up to me. I notice a new stud in his nose and wonder when he got that done, along with the bandage-covered fresh ink I can see peeking out from his open collar. I swear, every time I see the boy, he's got a new hole in his face or someone's done drawn another picture on his skin.
One hand runs up through his gelled, spiked black hair and back across his neck, a denim covered leg bouncing. I watch the thoughts gather in his eyes and wait for him ta' start talkin'. Kyle is the smartest person I know, I.Q. wise, but sometimes he can do the stupidest shit, like what happened with Emma. Despite being so damn smart, sometimes he don't rightly think things through all the way before acting.
"I love your sister. I've been in love with her since that day at the park, when I fell off the swing and she gave me a band-aid. I... I've tried to move on, man... But, I love her."
His first admission is probably a good place to start. It has me relaxing instead of balling up a fist, because I can hear the honesty of his words on his voice. "You should'a just told me."
"Maybe, but I was afraid it'd ruin things, or that you wouldn't approve."
"We was kids, Kyle. I may've hit you, 'cause she's my baby sissy, but I sure as hell would'a rather known the truth all this time than find out now. Plus, we aint kids no more, and you sneakin' 'round with her aint right."
"I know. I don't..." He exhales harshly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck again. "You think I want her living with that jackass? It's her choice, though. If it was mine..." He shakes his head. "But it's not. She doesn't want me enough to call it quits with Rob."
"She's only staying because of the kids."
"Maybe, but she defends him, too. It's not like Rob was ever a nice guy. I... I just don't get it. You're her brother. Do you get it? Of all the men she had to choose, she picked him after tossin' me aside?"
My hand instinctively reaches out to his arm. This isn't the cold, fuck-'em an' chuck-'em Kyle Masterson talkin'. This is Kyle - my friend Kyle, who's in love with my little sister and can't figure out why she broke his heart; why she keeps breaking his heart.
Damn. Brandon was right about this, too. There are two sides to the story, and I can't figure out the whyfor of either.
"Sorry," he leans back in the chair but doesn't move away from my touch. The emotion is gone, though, his mask securely back in place. "She's your sister, and I respect that. I'm sorry I've been lying to you. I promise to keep my distance, but the moment Rob trips up or threatens her and the kids in any way, I won't hesitate to step in."
"I appreciate that."
He leans forward again, one dark, pierced eyebrow raised high. "Really?"
"Kyle, you may be a right sneaky bastard, but yer my friend. I appreciate you lookin' out for Sarah and the kids. You know I aint got no love for that man, and I aint been able ta' figure out why she's married to him, neither, 'sides the obvious that he got her pregnant."
The scowl returns to Kyle's face instantly as I inadvertently rip that old wound wide open. My hand squeezes his arm as I share a bit 'a his pain. "Sorry. Guess now I know why you went so bat-shit crazy freshman year at U.T."
"Yeah," he states dryly through a thin line then stands. "Well, I just... I wanted to apologize, and... I'm glad things worked out for you and Victoria... and Austin," he ends with a smart-ass smirk.
"Thanks," I stand and follow him to the door. "You'll call if you need anything?"
"I will. See ya tomorrow?"
"Damn, we got that job out in Arlington tomorrow, don't we?"
"Ye-up."
"Well, don't stay parked outside 'a Sarah's house all night."
"No promises," he shrugs then heads out the door without another word.
I get the uneasy feeling, deep in my gut, that this is far from settled. No, I think now that it's all out in the open, it's only a matter 'a time 'fore it explodes an' takes half us with it. Rob needs help. Sarah needs ta' see the truth that's right in front 'a her, burnin' so bright even I know how close she is ta' catchin' fire. Kyle needs ta' stop enabling her an' find his own way, even it means burying his heart down in a place so dark his love for my sister sputters into smoke.
I prefer believin' in happy endings, but how much can a heart take 'fore it forgets how ta' love? 'Fore all it can feel is spite? 'Fore it turns hard and black, like a rock in yer chest that continues ta' beat, only 'cause it don't know how ta' stop...
Damn...
Vickie warned me 'bout takin' all those philosophy classes...
But, sometimes, I do wonder...
"¿Saúl?"
"Amigo," I smile, leaning into Austin's chest and tryin' ta' push away my unpleasant thoughts.
"Kyle looked better as he left."
"Yeah. We worked things out, I think."
"Good." Austin's fingers thread into my hair, holding me close. "Anger is fleeting, but good friends are forever, yes?"
Leaning back, I stare down in absolute adoration at my best friend. My lover. My love. "Te amo, Austin."
"Te amo," he says back before kissing me in a way so perfect, all my cares vanish for one beautiful moment. Stepping slightly away, his grip tightens on my hair and I can see the command in his eyes. "Why don't we go find Victoria and get ourselves cleaned up."
Austin. Victoria. Suds, and me. "Hell, yeah!"
A smack to my ass puts me in motion. We leave the kitchen and my conversation with Kyle behind for now. I know I'll have ta' come back to that place eventually and help my sister and my friend get their lives sorted. For now, though, I'm gonna let love carry me and hold me between my girl an' my best friend. For now, I'm gonna be happy, 'cause I think we've all earned it.
This love. This joy. This peace.
~ The End ~
Look for book 4, Pierce The Heart, coming soon!
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C. E. Kilgore, If You Still Want Me
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