Page 126 of Wrong For Me

I’m so surprised, I take a step back. Bodhi is the least violent person I’ve ever met. But he looks damn violent now, his hands in fists at his sides, eyes blazing.

“That’s what you think of me?” he asks, surprising me. I’d assumed he was going to go off on me for betraying Rose. But that doesn’t seem to be what’s bothering him.

“You’re my best friend, you asshole,” he snarls. “You really think I don’t know you better than that?” He gestures angrily at his phone, at the article still on the screen. “Of course I don’t believe you did this!”

When I only blink at him in confusion, he groans, running a hand through his hair. “Why the hell do you think I stuck around all these years, Leo?”

I let out a shaky breath. “Honestly? I have no idea. I kind of always thought you were just stubborn.”

He scoffs. “For such a smart guy, you sometimes act really dumb, Malone.”

“Well, thanks for cheering me up, Bodhi,” I say sarcastically.

He glares at me then points to the kitchen. “Go sit down. We’re having a beer and we’re going to talk.”

“I don’t want to talk, I want—”

“Go sit down, Leo!” he yells. “Now.”

I’m surprised enough by his anger to follow him into the kitchen, unsure of what he would do if I refused. When I sit, he replaces the untouched glass of water with a cold beer. Beer that Rose brought over earlier this week.

I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“I’m not going to let you give up,” he says, taking the seat across from me.

I run my hands through my hair, wishing I could go back to that night she showed up here with a six pack and a bag of tacos and challenged me to a video game tournament. I wish I could go back to this morning, when I’d climbed out of bed to go to my interview, leaving her sleepy and rumpled and so fucking beautiful it made my chest ache.

I wish I would have told her I loved her before it all went to shit.

“What’s the point?” I ask him, hopelessness curling around in my gut. “I’m a fuck up, Bodhi.”

“Give me a break,” he says. “Don’t be a drama queen.”

I glare at him. “Her dad had a background check done on me. Did she tell you that?”

He winces and shakes his head.

“He knows everything about me, about my mom and my past. Probably knows all about my shitty financial situation.” I shake my head. Even if Daltrey Ransome’s lawyer didn’t uncover that bit of information, it isn’t like Rose doesn’t already know how broke I am.

That hopelessness mixes with bitterness, turning sour and thick. “Of course they think I did this. Of course they’re not going to trust me.”

“Leo.” Bodhi’s voice is much quieter now, almost gentle, and I force myself to meet his familiar brown eyes. “I’m going to ask you the same question I asked before—why do you think I stuck with you all these years?”

I shrug, uncomfortable with how vulnerable the question makes me feel.

He sighs. “Do you know that you’re the most loyal person I’ve ever met?”

“Um…”

He shakes his head. “You are, man. You might keep your circle small, but you would do anything for the people you care about. Remember freshman year, you were working at that coffee place off-campus?” I’d worked at several coffee places over the years, but I think I have a feeling where he’s going with this.

“Bodhi—”

“I came in there to say hi and get some coffee. And that asshole manager of yours started making cracks about my skin color. What’d you do?”

I stare at him. “I told him he was a racist dick and I quit.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “Pretty sure your language was a little more colorful than that.”