28. The Aftermath

TWENTY-EIGHT

THE AFTERMATH

Dessa

I throw my coat over my shoulders and grab my purse to head out the door for work, but a knock startles me. Peeking through the peephole, I see Tony's standing on the other side. My brows draw together, unsure why he's at my door, so I twist the knob and pull it open.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I was just about to head out to work."

"I tried calling you, but you didn't answer." He rubs the back of his neck.

"Sorry. I forgot my phone at my parents' last night." Something about his posture and expression is off, but I'm unsure what it could be. Maybe he's having issues with Georgia?

"Do you have a few minutes?"

I check the clock on the wall. " Yeah, I could spare a few. What's up?" I open the door wider and motion for him to come in. Once he's inside, I close the door behind him.

"I need to talk to you." His tone is serious.

I huff out a laugh. "That doesn't sound ominous or anything."

He turns around and pulls off his sunglasses. A dark shade of purple and blue covers the skin under his left eye.

"Oh my god! What happened?" Shock and disbelief flood my body as my hand flies over my mouth.

With a heavy sigh, he releases a long, weary breath. "Garrett."

My eyebrows knit in confusion as my hand drops to my side. "What does Garrett have to do with your black eye?"

"He's the reason I have it." He points to his face.

"What are you talking about? What did he do?"

"Last night, I was at Porter's with a friend. We were talking, minding our own business, and Garrett was there. He overheard us talking about how great it was seeing you at the wedding. How you and Georgia have become friends. He got toe to toe with me, jealous that you and me are friends again and have been hanging out. He told me to stay away from you. When I told him he can't pick my friends or yours, he punched me."

My jaw drops to the floor. He wasn't even alone for six hours, and something like this happens? I can't imagine Garrett would do this. He and his brother have a rocky relationship, but he wouldn't punch him. Would he? While we've rekindled our friendship, a person can change a lot in ten years. I'm certainly not the same person as I was then, so I can't imagine Garrett is too. But getting jealous and punching someone? Especially his brother?

"I… I just want to let you know he's unpredictable. Borderline dangerous. If he'll punch his own brother, who kn ows if he'd do anything to you?" He rests his hand on my bicep. "Now I have to go on my honeymoon with a black eye. At least it was after the wedding." He huffs out a laugh.

Garrett would never hurt me, but I never expected him to punch Tony either. For him to be jealous is absurd. He has no reason to be jealous. Yes, he can be a little protective. That's always been his personality. Would protective morph into possessive? At the wedding, when I was talking to Tony and Georgia, Garrett was always close by, watching. This seems so out of character for him.

"I'm so sorry, Tony."

"It's not your fault."

"This happened because of me, so I kind of feel like it is."

He pulls me in for a hug, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. My cheek rests against his chest. "I wanted to let you know. But it might be better to steer clear of him. Take anything he has to say with a grain of salt. He'll do whatever he can to pry apart our friendship."

I nod my head. "Thanks for telling me. Again, I'm sorry."

"I better get going." With one hand, he sets his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. "We'll chat later though."

"Yeah." I nod. "Text me or something."

Tony pulls open the front door and slowly closes it behind him. I take a few steps and peer out the peephole as he gets into his car. I turn around and sag against the door. What the hell? Garrett wouldn't do that, would he? Since this all happened at Porter's, it's time to get my ass to work.

When I enter through the door at Porter's, Lach and Jake are behind the bar .

Lach holds up my phone. "Your mom dropped this off."

I snatch it from his hands and quickly scan for any messages or phone calls from Garrett. Messages from Lach and Rylee litter my phone, and there is also a missed call from Tony. My heart sinks to the floor. Nothing. Why didn't he try to call me?

"What happened last night?" I ask Lach as I set my purse on the bar.

"Your Home Run Playboy is just as good at hitting faces as he is baseballs."

Jake shoots Lach a death glare. "Go make yourself useful over there." He points at the opposite end of the bar.

"What am I supposed to do?" He shrugs with his hands in the air.

"Figure it out," Jake deadpans.

Once Lach has retreated to the opposite end of the bar and is no longer a distraction, I ask Jake, "What happened?"

Jake stacks glasses under the bar. "Just like Lach said, Garrett punched Tony. I didn't hear the conversation, but I witnessed the aftermath."

"Why would he do that? Not only to Tony, but potentially to his career?"

"I've never known Garrett to do something without a solid reason. So, if you want answers, you need to ask him."

"Thanks, Jake." I stalk to the employee room and throw my purse into my locker. Grabbing my phone from my back pocket, I pull up Garrett's number and hit talk.

After a few rings, he answers. "Hey, what's up, Tates?"

I freeze. His nickname for me catches me off guard but I shake it off. I can't get distracted. "Did you punch Tony? "

A heavy sigh echoes through the phone. "He told you."

"Yes. He did." I spin around and lean against the lockers. "But I really think you should've been the one to tell me."

"Why would I tell you? He needed to be the one to tell you. This was all his fault."

"You punching Tony is his fault? Did he accidentally fall face-first into your fist?" My tone is defensive. "He now has to go on his honeymoon with a black eye."

"Wait. Did he tell you why I punched him?"

"Yes! I understand we're all navigating our relationships after not talking for several years. We're adults, and there's no need to be jealous."

He barks out a humorless laugh. "That's what he told you? He's such a piece of shit," he mumbles. "I guarantee you whatever he told you was a lie."

"But you punched him. That's not a lie." I pace back and forth, sidestepping a table and chair in the employee room.

He blows out a deep breath. "Yes. I punched him. Is that what you want to hear?"

I don't even know what I want to hear at this point. "But why? Things were going back to normal. The way they used to be. When we were all friends. I want our lives to go back to how they were. The three of us. That can't happen when people are punching other people."

"You're delusional if you think things will ever be like how they were. That ship has sailed, exploded into millions of tiny pieces, and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Too much time has passed for any amends to be made. As long as you're involved, it will never be how it was."

"So, this is my fault?"

"No. Technically yes. It started because of you, but it's been simmering for years. You were just the accelerant. Tony's and my relationship was going to implode either way. It was only a matter of time." He blows out a deep breath. "So, what? You believe him?"

"He didn't ghost me for ten years." As soon as the words are out, I pinch my eyes shut. I regret them as soon as they pass my lips.

"Yeah. I thought we moved passed that, but apparently not." His tone is dejected.

My head is a massive knot. I squeeze my temples, willing the throbbing to stop. Everything was going well, or so I thought. "I didn't mean that. I'm tired of being the rope in yours and Tony's game of tug of war. I need time to sort all of this out. Everything happened so fast. You're in Seattle and I'm here. And all the drama with you and Tony. I don't know. We dove headfirst into this… relationship. Maybe we should slow things down."

"Is that what you want?" His voice is low.

"I think it's for the best. At least right now."

"I'll give you space for now, but know that this thing between me and you isn't over. It's far from over. We both know it. But also, so you know the truth, the real truth, not the fabricated shit Tony gave you, I punched him because he cheated on you and only dated you so I couldn't."

The call goes silent.