Bro Code(21)

It's a little strange to barge right into her room, but she's already propped up in bed when I nudge the door open. She takes the tea between both her hands when I offer it, but surprise lights up her face when I set the soup on the bedside table.

“Well, aren't you handy?” She clears a rasp from her throat, then takes a slow sip of the tea. “Thank you.”

“My law degree had to be good for something, right?” I grin, not sure if she wants me to stay or get out of her space. “I push microwave buttons like a pro now.”

She rolls her eyes. “I don't know about that, but you're sweet.”

She takes a sip of her tea, and I want to kick my own ass for focusing on her lips as she drinks.

“Hey, Barrett.” Her voice is so soft, I wonder if what I was thinking showed on my face. “Can you check in that drawer for some tissues? I think my mom stashed some in there last time I was sick.”

“Yeah, of course,” I say, grateful for the distraction.

The dresser is a bit of a jumble, but I manage to unearth a box of tissues from under a dozen old magazines.

I'm about to push the top drawer shut when I spy three familiar faces peeking out from a photograph. I realize it's a picture of Ava, Nick, and me from an old football game. Nick and I look exhausted but happy, and Ava has both arms around our waists, her smile frozen in time. Her mom must have taken this years ago.

“Barrett?” Her voice prompts me to turn around, and she spies the photo held between my fingers. “Oh, that's a blast from the past. Bring it over.”

I do, sitting on the edge of the bed by her feet. She takes the tissues from me with a thank you, then leans over to get a better view of the photograph.

“Oh, dear God. Look at me,” she groans.

“What?”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “That was the year I got braces and everyone started calling me bear-trap.”

I look down at the photo and chuckle.

Then Ava smiles at me fondly. “You wouldn't let them tease me. You said true beauty was found within.”

“I still believe that, you know.”

She grins at me. “Is that a nice way of saying I never quite grew into my buck teeth and knobby knees?”

“Not at all. You grew into every part of your body. You're perfection.”

The moment the words leave my mouth, I want to stuff them back in but they hang between us. Ava's still watching me, with a curious expression on her face.

“Last night isn't happening again.” Getting the words out isn't as easy as I'd like, but I look her right in the eye when I say them. “We can only ever be friends.”

I put the picture down between the two of us, and Ava reaches down to touch the edge of it. “Just friends.”

“Friends who made a couple of mistakes together. But we're past it,” I insist, and reach to put the photograph away, not wanting it to get lost.

Our fingers brush, and even after all these years—and especially after what happened last night—it's that touch that makes me question every single thing in my life. I can feel it bone deep when our eyes meet.

She's perched on the bed beside me, and I lean in without thinking. If she had pulled away, I might have been able to stop, but her mouth meets mine without hesitation. The kiss deepens instantly, full of that hunger we shared last night in the cold.

No one else is here.

No one would know.

Just one more time … then I'll walk away.

These are the thoughts haunting me as I lean closer to Ava. One of her arms comes around my shoulder to pull me against her. My hands search across the softness of her robe to find the tie in the center, and I'm about to pull it loose when a heavy creak carries up the stairs. The sound is footsteps, and that realization sinks in just as Nick's voice calls out.

“Hey, Ava!” He's still walking up the stairs, getting closer by the second. “Where are you? I have a question.”

“Barrett, get...” Ava pushes against my chest. “Get in the closet. Just hide!”

I'm not even sure I can fit in the closet, but her panicked whisper is enough to send me scrambling off the bed and toward the sliding closet door. It rattles a little when I push it open, but I squeeze underneath the rack overhead and yank the door shut a second before I hear Nick walk into the room.

Fuck me. I shouldn't have kissed her, I shouldn't have...

“Nick. What's up?” Her voice has a subtle tremor in it, but not a noticeable one. I hope.

“I was going to bring some coffee back and realized I left my wallet.” His knuckles tap against his pocket. “But I saw everything in the kitchen and didn't know where you were. You sick or something?”

“Kind of. I woke up with a cough,” Ava says.

“Looks like a fever, too. Your face is all red.” Biting back a curse at Nick's words, I pray he doesn't press the issue. “Want me to pick up some meds?”

“That'd be great.” Ava sneezes afterwards; at least she doesn't have to fake it. “But for now, I just want to rest.”

“Okay, I'll leave you to it.” I hear the door creak as Nick steps back out, but then he hesitates. “Have you seen Barrett? Doesn't seem like he's in the house.”

“No, but I've been up here for a while, just went down to make myself some tea earlier.” Bless her for being able to lie through her teeth. “Maybe he went running or something?”