Page 55 of Drowning Erin

“What’s up?” I ask.

His eyes assess me as always. He looks as if he knows everything I’ve thought in the past 24 hours, and I blush reflexively.

“You tell me.”

“I don’t know what happened last night,” I say.

“I could draw you a diagram.”

“I mean I don’t know why it happened and why it went so far. But we were drinking.” A lame excuse. And one that doesn’t exactly explain why it’s all I’m thinking about now. “And we stopped before it went too far. So it doesn’t count.”

“Doesn’t count? Erin, we didn’t stop. Matthew stopped us.”

I blow out a frustrated exhale. “What do you want me to say, Brendan?”

He steps closer. He is too close, again. “I want to know what you’re thinking.” His voice is low and husky, sending a shiver up my spine—one I need to kill, stat.

“I’m thinking it was just a tiny drunk mistake, and we pretend it never happened, and everyone’s fine.”

He nods, his shoulders sagging with either relief or disappointment, I’m not sure which. “Neither of us mentions it to Rob, right?”

“Right.” I confirm.

I look up at him and forget everything I’ve just said. His eyes have darkened and now dip to my mouth, as if he’s just come across something he’s starved for. It’s probably how I’m looking at him too.

I hop off the tailgate, and we close the back doors.

“Do me a favor,” he says. “Stay away from Lee.”

I roll my eyes. “He’s harmless.”

“Yeah, he is,” Brendan agrees. “But I’m not. So stay away from him.”

38

Erin

Present

Late in the afternoon I change into a singlet and shorts to run my ten miles with Olivia, and as soon as she’s gotten her blisters dealt with for the thousandth time we take off.

The pace is punishing, though not nearly as punishing as the conversation.

“So according to my son,” she begins, “you and Brendan are in love and probably having a baby.”

Oh God. “Oh God.”

“What the hell? Why didn’t you tell me you two were together? I just asked you yesterday, and you totally lied!”

“We’re not together,” I groan. “It was a misunderstanding.”

“Yes,” she says with a serious nod, “so many misunderstandings involve someone accidentally putting his tongue in your mouth.”

“We just made a mistake.” I sigh. “Shit. Who did he tell?”

“Everyone who will listen. He wants to know how soon the baby is coming, and he wants you to name it Rubble—that’s his favorite Paw Patrol character.”

I groan. “It’s not funny, Olivia. I almost cheated on Rob last night. It’s not funny at all.”