Jefferson waits until his sister and that asshole he has for a future brother-in-law are out of view and earshot. He then stands up to address us all on what’s so goddamn important that it couldn’t be said in front of them.
“I know Tom is a dick, but he’s Kennedy’s fiancé. If you love her as I do, then you have got to get over your wounded pride. He’s important to her, which means you have to cut him some slack. You three feel me?”
The question is aimed at all of us, but Jefferson’s eyes are fixed only on Linc, demonstrating who he’s really concerned about.
“Whatever you say, Jeff. We’ll be good little boys from now on. Pinky promise,” Easton replies sarcastically, crossing his heart with his middle finger.
Jefferson just shakes his head and leaves without adding anything further to his diatribe. He said what he needed to say, and it was enough.
“What does Kennedy see in that douche anyway?” East belts out once the door closes behind Jeff. “Are you really going to let her marry that dickwad?” he queries the friend at my side.
Linc leans his head back on the headrest, looking exhausted all of a sudden.
This new split personality that Linc’s got going still takes a little getting used to. When he’s with anyone but us three, he acts as the same carefree guy with no worries—the one he used to be before it happened. Now, the scars and damage of what we’ve done are only visible on his face when we are alone and away from prying eyes.
But then again, aren’t we all leading a double life? Aren’t we acting like we’ve got our shit together and everything is above board when, in reality, we are slowly drowning in a sea of despair? We are all wearing masks. Lincoln, Easton, Colt. Even me. We are pretending to be something we will never be again—innocent.
“Well, don’t just gawk at the sky, dude. Answer me! Are you going to sit back and do nothing? Just hand over your girl to that fucking prick?”
“She’s not my girl, East. She never was and never will be, so just drop it,” Lincoln replies in defeat.
“The fuck are you—”
“I said, DROP IT!” Linc yells this time, slamming his fists onto the table for good measure.
The eerie silence that transpires has me sweating bullets. East should know by now that Kennedy is a sore subject for Linc. Not that I understand his reasoning behind not pursuing the only girl he ever cared for. But hey, that’s Linc’s prerogative, not mine. And certainly not East’s.
As a distraction, I order some sweet tea, entirely disregarding the coffee in front of me. Easton just slumps in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest like a spoiled child, scowling around the coffee shop rather than looking at either of us.
I sip on my tea, trying hard not to get too lost in my head, waiting for one of them to set aside their differences and call a truce so we can get back to normal. That’s the thing about our little band of brothers—we can be swinging punches at each other one minute, and by the next, we’re joking around, not even remembering why we were pissed off in the first place.
“So, things with Stone aren’t going as The Society would have liked it, huh?” Lincoln asks, being the first one to break the silence.
He has always been the pacifist in our foursome, so I’m not surprised he’s the one to drop the olive branch to get us back to our norm.
“Honestly, I’m not sure what they want. They told me to befriend her, and in a way, I have. I just hope it’s enough for them.”
“Is it enough for you?” he asks cryptically.
“Just say what you mean, Linc.”
“If you’re starting to care for this girl, I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to,” he replies, sincere apprehension to his tone.
My brows furrow tightly, trying to decipher the right words that he wants to hear from me, but to be honest, I don’t know what they are.
“He’s fine, Linc. I mean, have you ever seen Finn like any girl in all of the time you’ve known him?” East interjects with a scoff, as if the idea I might fall for a girl was utterly preposterous. However, Linc’s expression tells me he’s not as easily convinced.
“Just because it’s never happened before doesn’t mean it can’t.”