Repeat(35)

“Mentally and emotionally you are avoiding me. Not that I blame you.” I hold up a hand. “I do not blame you. But ever since you made me coffee this morning and I asked you a question about us and you answered it honestly and openly, which I really appreciated, by the way. But, well, ever since then, things have been a little weird again.”

Ed looks at me.

“Not that we’re in a relationship. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Ed just looks at me some more. He’s really not happy.

“It’s just that I thought we were going to be friends. If you’ve changed your mind about that, then I guess I’d like to know,” I say. “Promise I won’t get upset or anything.”

Nothing from Ed.

“I’ve annoyed you again. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. He’ll get over it,” says Leif. “In the meantime, I’ll be your friend.”

“Leif,” growls Ed.

His brother, however, does not take the warning. “Why don’t I share the futon with you, Clem? You’ll be extra safe and we can be as friendly as you like. I like the short hair, by the way. Very cool and edgy.”

My hand goes to my fringe, checking it’s still in place hiding the scar. “Ed said it was punk rock.”

“Totally.”

Meanwhile, Ed’s lips disappear into a fine pissed-off line, then he gulps down the rest of his whiskey.

“Lucky I’m back,” his brother continues. “Since you two are broken up and not getting along particularly well, why don’t I start taking Clem to work and picking her up on the bike?”

“A motorcycle?” I ask with interest. “I’ve never been on one of those. Well, not that I remember, anyway.”

“It’s great. You’ll love it.” He frowns. “Wait a minute. Would you have forgotten ever having sex as well? Hell, you must be like an emotional virgin. All I can say is that it’s a good thing for you I have a particular specialty—”

“You are not putting a woman recovering from a recent head injury on the back of your bike, dickhead.” Ed’s still growling. “It’s not safe. And stop flirting with her.”

“Shouldn’t that be her choice?” asks Leif. “The bike and the flirting?”

I sigh. “He probably has a point about the bike and I’m not actually interested in you that way. Thanks, though.”

Ed just looks to heaven. No help, however, appears to be forthcoming.

“C’mon, what about at least sharing the futon?” Leif winks at me, not the least bit put off. “Seriously, if you’ve sat on that couch for more than an hour you know it’s impossible to sleep on. You don’t mind, do you, Clem?”

“Whatever’s easiest,” I answer honestly. But it’s apparently the wrong answer because Ed’s jaw starts doing the tensing thing times about a thousand. Much more pressure and his teeth are going to break. My bad, again. “I’ll take the sofa.”

“Enough of this,” says Ed. “You’re sleeping with me and I’m still taking you to work.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I’ll keep taking you to work.”

“Um. Can we please revisit the first bit again, please?”

“We can share my room. That’ll be easiest.” Ed fills up his glass once more. I’m not sure if it’s me or his brother driving him to drink. Both, maybe?

“I guess the mattress is really big,” I say, tone most dubious. Me and Ed in the same bed. I pick up my glass and down the lot, letting it burn my throat out. Whoa. Tears of whiskey joy leak down my cheeks. Alcoholic courage come to me. Fill me with your faux bravery.

“Take it easy,” says Ed. “Just sip it.”

I nod. “Okay. Good idea.”

He refills both his glass and mine. His brother, however, he very much ignores. “You said I wasn’t talking to you, so what do you want to talk about?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine for now. Thanks. I kind of just used up all of my words for the time being. You two should catch up, though, you haven’t seen each other in a while.”

Meanwhile, Leif is hiding a smile behind his own glass of liquor. “Fuck this is bizarre. She’s so different to how she used to be.”

“She’s right here.” I wave. “Why do people do that, talk about you as if you’re not there? It’s so rude.”

“I figure you’re about fifty-three percent different,” says Ed with a softer smile.

“Really?”

“Yep. I did the math. You only react the way I expect you to about half of the time, so . . .”

“Huh.” I don’t say anything else, instead pondering the ramifications of his statement. It could possibly mean I’m still horrible, but best not to take it that way. All in all, I think I’m okay with who I am so far. Most of the time.

“She’s a shitload more fun than she used to be,” continues Leif.

“So glad I can entertain you,” I say. “Is there just the two of you or do you have other siblings?”

“We’ve also got an older brother, Niels. He’s the strong silent type.”

My gaze moves tellingly to Ed.

“Nah,” says Leif. “Eddy’s actually pretty happy and easygoing most of the time. But I’m guessing the breakup kind of messed with his whole joie de vivre. I mean, you and he were—”