Indestructible: Reinforced

Chapter 49

Chapter Forty-Nine

     February 2012

     The Wait is Over.

     “I don’t know if I can do that, Josh.”

     Josh looked at me over the brim of his Budweiser can as he gulped down some beer. “Why not?”

     I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. “Well, she’s still processing the fact that she’s pregnant.” I said, referring to Avy, who was now pregnant with Drake’s kid. Even I was still wrapping my head around it. “I can’t ask her to name her kid after you if it’s a boy. And I don’t think Drake would want that. No offense, but you’re Jake’s brother.”

     “But I like them!” He scowled. “I mean, I want them to be together. I want Jake out of the picture even though he’s my brother and he’s still in love with her!”

     “Have you actually told Jake that?” I asked as I sipped on my beer as well. For now, the butterflies in my stomach were resting. “Does he know you’re rooting for the other guy?”

     “He senses it.” Josh walked around his kitchen table and sat down next to me. “I haven’t actually said it, but he senses it.”

    I twisted in my seat to face him. “How?”

    “Well, I don’t try and tell him what to do to get her.” He sipped on his beer and put the can on the table. “And I don’t really talk about it. So I think he knows I don’t like it.”

     “I don’t think anyone’s rooting for Jake and Avy right now.” I sighed. “I mean, she’s having Drake’s kid. This changes everything.”

     “And he’s the only one who doesn’t see it that way.” Josh shook his head and drained his beer. “I mean, how the hell does he still think it can work?”

     “He loves her, Josh.” I replied. “He doesn’t want to give her up. He’s still processing the whole pregnancy thing.”

     “And it could’ve been his!” Josh slapped his hand onto the tabletop. “It could’ve so easily been his.”

     “It would’ve been much easier.”

     “But if she hadn’t gotten pregnant in the first place she could’ve kept both hookups a secret.” Josh said. “If she’d gotten pregnant with Jake’s kid, imagine what the conversation would’ve been like. Between her and Drake, I mean.”

     “Do you think she’s going to tell him she went to Jake the next day?” I asked. “Do you think she’ll mention it?”

     “I don’t know.” He shook his head and drained my beer. “It’ll be ugly if she does. And Jake won’t hesitate to rub it in.”

     “Yeah, he’s an ass that way.” I smiled sheepishly. “No offense.”

     “None taken.” He shrugged. “It’s the most polite thing you could say about Jake.”

     “You know, he might actually need some support from you.” I watched his face. I didn’t want to upset him. Not tonight. “Might need his brother by his side.”

     “Don’t make me feel guilty, please.” He groaned. “Come on, Gaby. You can’t expect me to approve of his ways, do you?”

     “Just be there for him.”

     “I took him away for a while!” He exclaimed. “I took him to the beach house and tried to help him sort his shit out. But he wants to mess things up, he just loves it.”