Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,70
and I quickly shook my head and filled them in on what Phoenix had said afterward. I told them about Damon and the woman who'd broken up the scene just before I'd tucked tail and ran. By the end, they knew everything that had happened.
Silent tension swelled between the three of us, and I startled when my phone rang loud from my pocket.
"You gonna get that?" CJ asked when it continued to ring.
"No. It'll just be Phoenix again," I mumbled and relaxed slightly when my phone went silent.
"You think he's telling the truth?" Caleb asked as he moved back to the recliner. "Because I can see that actually happening. I've had some girls pull some crazy shit before."
The trust I had in Phoenix overpowered my doubts. But… "What if I'm just being naïve and end up looking stupid? It’s obvious Aiden was the one that messaged me, but I keep thinking what if he was trying to show me what was really going on between them. How was he able to get into his phone?"
Even as I spoke, the words sounded wrong. The things I was questioning didn’t sound like my Phoenix. And that’s why I wasn’t sure I could trust myself.
"I don’t have all the answers, but looking stupid? That's not going to happen, Arch," CJ said adamantly. "If he breaks your heart, then he's going to be the stupid one, not you. I guess you need to ask yourself how much you really do trust him."
"And revisit whether his job is going to be a problem," Caleb added. "You deserve to be happy, not just okay with it."
CJ nodded. "For once, I agree with him, Arch. For both you and Phoenix, you need to decide what you are really okay with. Otherwise, the relationship already has an expiration date."
Still drenched in heartache, I had no idea what I was okay with. I knew I couldn't handle Aiden being in any part of our lives. He was bent on destroying what Phoenix and I had, which was already being tested.
CJ reached across the couch and gripped my thigh, giving me a shake. "Do you love him?"
"Yeah," I said softly, and they both nodded as if they expected as much. And I did. I loved Phoenix with everything I had. I wasn’t sure when the transition from infatuation had bloomed into love, but it had, and it was the first time I admitted it to myself.
Caleb shifted in his chair and swiped his black hair from his forehead. "If you really do believe him, you should talk to him. But you need to be clear about what you can and can't deal with."
"Agreed," CJ said. "And if it does cost him his job…well, he needs to make a decision too. You don't need to just find a way to put up with it. I wouldn't."
"Neither would I, if I ever decided to date someone exclusively." Caleb made a face as if the idea of a girlfriend was repulsive.
"No danger of that," I quipped with only a slight tremor in my voice, feeling lighter after unburdening myself on my best friends.
They were both silent as they likely struggled to shift gears, according to my mood and tone, before they both burst out laughing.
"I'm wounded, Arch. That's fucked up." Caleb grabbed his chest.
CJ rolled his eyes at his twin before turning back to me. "You can just stay here tonight. Relax and kick it with us."
Before I could reply, he scrambled off the couch, turned on the console and retrieved two game controllers. He held one out to me.
My nose scrunched. "I hate video games."
"You're playing," he insisted, and I reluctantly accepted it with a huff.
It sounded much better than going home anyway. I wasn't ready to face Phoenix, and the stress had given me a slight headache. I switched my phone to silent and left it on the arm of the couch.
Caleb whistled. "I’ve got ten dollars on Arch."
"You already owe me fifty," CJ pointed out. "None of which I actually expect to see."
"And that right there is exactly why I love you. You know me well." Caleb manipulated his hands to shape a heart, and CJ groaned.
"He's so fucking annoying," he whispered as he pushed buttons to start the game.
My gaze turned to the screen, and I prepared to lose as a basketball game loaded.
"Let's do this!" CJ whooped as his competitive nature geared up. He flashed me a grin. "I apologize for kicking your ass in advance."