“You know my company takes care of the entire building,” he said. “Half the block, actually. I’ve gotten to know everyone who owns property there.”
“Well, aren’t you just something special,” I said. “What’s next, bro? A career in politics?”
Aaron snorted. “Not a fucking chance. I’m good with what I do. But enough about me. What happened to you?”
“With what?”
“Come on, man. I’m your best friend. Shit went sideways last night. And fast.”
“After your girl tore me apart…”
Aaron swallowed hard. “That’s not fair.”
“What isn’t?” I asked. “I was showing the kid some stuff and he bumped his head.”
“Thought you and Rae worked that out?”
“When she woke up ready to dump hot coffee on me?”
“Trust me, she’d love to hurt you, Josh, but she’d never waste coffee. Not on you.”
“I feel even more welcome,” I said.
“That’s the thing… you’re sort of not. You showed up last night around one in the morning.”
“Shit. Did I wake Toby?”
“No. You woke me. And Rae.”
“And she didn’t kill me?”
“You’re lucky she was comfortable,” he said.
I grinned. “You two really have something special together.”
“Yeah. Special.”
“Hey.” I put the coffee mug down on the counter. “I’m sorry. Last night got the best of me.”
“Thought it was a big night for you.”
“It gets old, fast,” I said. “Everyone talking, questioning, most of the people full of shit.”
“Then why do it?”
“Who knows,” I said.
I reached for the flask and Aaron swatted it away. Next thing I knew he had my arm and was twisting it behind my back. I felt like I was getting arrested. He put his right shoulder against my left shoulder and tried to pin me against the counter. In all fairness, if things were to get violent between myself and Aaron, it was a pretty even fight. He was stronger than he looked and the same size as me.
“Don’t fuck around, Josh,” he said. “Last time you wandered around drunk… blacking out… showing up here…”
I swallowed hard.
“Should I give you two some alone time?”
Aaron released his hold instantly as Rae walked through the kitchen.
She was now dressed for the day. No more comfy PJ’s and messy bed head for her.
“You look ready to take on the day,” I said with a smart-ass undertone.
“First things first,” Rae said, “getting your ass out of my house.”
“Blame him,” I said and nodded to Aaron. “He gave me coffee. Now I’m just waiting for breakfast. What are you cooking?”
Rae laughed. “He think he’s funny?”
“I’m trying to be serious for a second here,” Aaron said. He shoved me against the counter. “Look at me, Josh.”
“Oh, Christ,” I said. “What’s with you?”
“What you did last night was bullshit,” Aaron spat in my face.
My eyes moved left, and I saw the look of surprise on Rae’s face.
Aaron was the only person in the world who could yell at me and push me around like that and not get a fist to the mouth.
“You remember Amelia?” I asked.
“Who?” Aaron asked.
“That’s right. You were too good to be bad.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I used to run with Murph,” I said. “And his crew.”
“Those assholes?” he asked.
“Who’s Murph?” Rae asked.
“Hey, sweetheart, can you-”
“It’s cool,” I said, cutting Aaron off. “She can hear it. I don’t care.” I looked at Rae. “I wasn’t always the honest and upstanding man I am now.”
Rae rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“He used to get himself into trouble all the time,” Aaron said.
“And you were there to bail me out,” I said, grabbed Aaron’s shoulder and shook him. “But seriously, there was this girl. Amelia. I only ran into her a few times. But when I did…”
“Aw, are you in love?” Rae asked.
“No,” I said. “She was always in trouble too. A different kind of trouble. Anyway, she was there last night. Trying to interview me for some story she was writing. That’s why I took off. The entire night was a joke. I felt like a spectacle to everyone there. And seeing her…”
“I don’t remember Amelia,” Aaron said. “You never talked about her. I do remember De-”
“That’s what happened last night,” I said. “Okay? I had a few drinks. I stole Azor’s flask.”
“Azor?” Rae asked.
“Long story. An artist friend. I drank what was in his flask. I wandered around the event and the mindless conversation just got the best of me. Then Amelia… well, to be fair, I saw her when I was holding Toby. She was the one he was trying to point to