Whole Lot More

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Two

The moment Brynne opened her eyes, she knew something was wrong but couldn't put her finger on it. And that's when she felt the dip in the mattress on the other side of where she was laying.

"Shit," she swore, the previous night's activities flashing through her mind. What had she done and why had she done that?

She slipped out of bed and escaped into the bathroom wondering how things had gotten so out of control last night. One minute she had been pouring her guts out to Josh about Jake and Fusion and everything that had led up to where they were now, and then she had kissed him.

She had kissed him. Him. Martin's best friend. How could she? Did that make her a hypocrite?

No, she told herself, You slept with Josh once, Martin carried on somewhat of a relationship with Kaleen without telling you for months. And he probably wouldn't have told her if he wouldn't have been caught.

So no, it wasn't the same thing. She would just keep telling herself that.

On a sigh she started the water and jumped in the shower, determined to wash away the memories of last night and the possibility that she had hurt the person she loved just as much as he had hurt her.

*

As soon as Brynne had escaped into the bathroom, Josh sat up in her bed and ran his hands over his face. He was disappointed in himself for letting last night go as far as it had. Honestly, there wasn't any further it could have gone.

He had slept with his best friend's girl. Granted, she wasn't really his best friend's girl at the moment, but it was still the same thing.

But she had just looked so tortured as she was telling him the story of Jake, and then she had kissed him. But he should have stopped it right then and there. Then they both wouldn't have woken up regretting anything this morning.

And regret he did.

Walking out into the living room of Brynne's apartment, he grabbed Lucky's leash and turned towards the dog, "Want to go outside big man? God knows I could certainly use the air to clear my head." He hooked the leash on and they headed out into the fresh air, Lucky running as far ahead as he could and Josh just strolling along.

"What am I going to tell Martin?" he asked, "I certainly can't just walk up to him and be like, 'oh hey man, thanks for sending me to talk to Brynne, I enjoyed having sex with her too!'"

But he knew he had to tell his best friend, one way or another no matter what the outcome ended up being. He deserved to know.

*

Brynne was waiting out in the living room when Josh and Lucky came back, her hair down framing her face and wet, sitting in jeans and a t-shirt.

"I was waiting for you guys," she said, quietly.

"I figured, that's why we didn't stay gone long."

"I think we need to talk Josh."

"I agree," he sighed, "Because honestly Brynne, Martin sent me here because he couldn't make it and because he figured you would let me talk some sense in to you more than you would let him. He certainly didn't send me here to sleep with you."

"It's my fault. I told you about Jake and I was just very emotional, I needed comfort and I took it too far. You are a great friend Josh, both to Martin and me. But you and I, that's where we end, friendship. I am completely and utterly in love with Martin Truex, Jr. but I just am not ready to forgive him yet for deceiving me and not telling me what was going on with Kaleen. It honestly wouldn't have been a big deal to me if I would have found out from him and not her."

"I know Brynne, and I think he does too and that's why he sent me. I also consider you a great friend, and Martin is my best friend and last night, I did something that I know will hurt him. I don't know how he is going to take it, but it is what it is and you can't be completely at fault."

"So it's agreed then, we're friends. I love Martin. Martin loves me. But I am not ready to forgive him. And tell him that Josh. Tell him when I am ready, I will call him or pop up in North Carolina to see him. But he has to let me do it on my own terms and not on his, that's not how this works."

Josh nodded, "I know Brynne, but you don't understand. I have never seen Martin act the way he does when he's with and around you. No one else matters to him, except you. Even Kaleen and the baby, as bad as that sounds, but as of right now he is not even sure that baby is his and he does not want to lose you over something that may or may not be true."

"He's not going to lose me," she said, "I promise you right now Josh, I love him too much to let this come between us forever, but I need my time and he has to respect that."

"Well, I'll tell him that," Josh told her, "Which speaking of, I should probably hit the road. Martin is probably biting his nails off waiting for me to get back to let him know what you said, and as much as that is a conversation I do not want to have with my best friend, the longer I put it off, the worse it is going to be."

She stood and walked over to give him a hug, "Thanks for bringing me out of my shell Josh and being there when I needed someone. I'm sorry I took it as far as I did and I'm sorry if Martin gets pissed at you. You can just blame it all on me, if you want."

He shook his head, "It'll be okay between Martin and I Brynne, don't worry. He may be pissed at me for a couple weeks, but he'll get over it... I mean, he was the one that sent me here. It's his own fault."

Brynne chuckled, "Somehow I don't think he'll see it that way."

"Me neither, but that's okay. Take care of yourself Brynne, and I hope we'll see you in North Carolina or around soon."

"Bye Josh," she said as he walked out the door. He was halfway down the hall when she called him back, "Do you think you could keep Jake between you and I? I'd rather tell him myself and honestly, he deserves to sweat it out a little bit."

Josh nodded, "It's your business anyway. If you don't want me to tell him, I'll respect that and he can wait until he sees you next and you can tell him."

"Thanks Joshie, oh and good luck."

"Yeah," he laughed, "I may need it."

Once he had disappeared from sight Brynne looked down at Lucky, "I think I may head to the club today. It has been way too long since I have made an appearance there."

*

Josh pulled up outside of the shop and sighed. This conversation wasn't going to be a good one, he could already tell. On top of having to tell Martin he couldn't tell him what was wrong with Brynne, he also had to tell him he had slept with her.

Great, just great.

Martin was attempting to look busy in his office when Josh walked in, but it was obvious he had other things on his mind. He looked up when Josh walked through the door and immediately jumped to his feet, coming around to the other side of the desk, "What did she say?"

Might as well start with the good stuff, "That she loves you and misses you, but she's not ready to forgive you yet, but she did promise me that she would see me again."

"Well, that's great! Maybe I should call her or go see her or-"

Josh interrupted him, "Man, that's the point. She's not ready to forgive you yet. She said when she's ready she will call you or may just show up here. She said she needs her space, that's why she hasn't been answering your calls."

Martin sighed, "But that's so much easier said than done."

"I can't say I know, but I can understand. But at least you know she loves you and she intends to come back, she just needs a little bit of space right now."

Nodding, Martin clapped Josh on the back, "Thanks man for doing that for me. I'm glad I didn't do it myself, I feel like she wouldn't even have let me in the door."

"Before you say thanks Martin, there's something I need to tell you..."

Looking up, Martin looked uncertain, "What is it?"

"It didn't mean anything I swear, it just kind of happened, but I – I – Brynne and I slept together when I was there."

Without saying a word, Martin closed the distance between Josh and himself and threw his fist into Josh's face.

Josh fell to the floor and Martin walked out of the office without another word.

*

Was Martin right to react that way?