Free Changing Everything by Molly McAdams

there?”
    “Yeah. I tried to walk in and she closed the door a bit, but she was still standing in the doorway so I could see in. I don’t know how long he was there, but when Pay told me to go and was shutting the door, I looked up and he was a few feet behind her glaring at me.”
    Jason was quiet for a minute, but it was obvious he was trying to figure out if he should say what he was thinking. “He seems like a great guy and he’s nice, but not in a way that’s so perfect that you can hate him either. He even has an accent that Kristen can’t stop talking about. But he kept rubbing me the wrong way. Every time a guy hugged Paisley at her birthday party, swear to God I thought Brett was going to rip Paisley away from them.”
    My brow pinched together. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean he looked fucking pissed that she was touching another guy, but as soon as the look was there, it was gone again.”
    “Did you tell Kristen or Pay?”
    “Kristen. She thinks I’m seeing things because I’m trying to find something about Brett not to like. Which—I don’t know—might be true. We all wanted you with her, and I still do even though I’m not sure if you deserve her after how you treated her for all those years; but right now it doesn’t matter because the girls are acting like Brett walks on water. Which means you’re screwed.”
    I groaned into my hands and leaned the chair back so I was looking up at the ceiling when I moved my hands away. “Did you know?”
    “About Brett?”
    “No. Did you know she was in love with me?”
    He let out a long sigh. “To be honest, I think you’re the only one who didn’t know, Eli.”
    I sat down so I was facing him again and gave him a look. “Why didn’t you say something?”
    “Besides the fact that my wife is one of her best friends, and they both made me swear, and I don’t feel like sleeping on the couch? You should have seen it. I wanted to tell you a thousand times because I hated watching the way you crushed her with every girl you picked up, or dodged by using Paisley. But I kept telling myself if everyone else could see it in her, then surely her best friend would be able to see how much he was killing her.”
    “Twist that knife a little more,” I whispered, and rubbed at my chest.
    “Happy to. You’re fucking dumb. You should have noticed how much she meant to you a long time ago, and you deserve to go through this pain for a few weeks when she went through it for years.”
    I glared up at him. “Anything else?”
    “Are you letting her go?”
    “Fuck no. She’s mine,” I growled.
    He stood with a smile on his face. “Then I guess I’m done here. See you tonight.”
    September 20, 2013
    Paisley
    I ROLLED MY head to the side as Brett kissed my neck, and bit my lip when he nipped at the sensitive spot behind my ear.
    “Are you hearing anything I’m saying?”
    I shook my head at Kristen and smiled lazily. “Nope, what were . . . you . . . Kristen?” I took in her wide eyes and stiff posture, and turned to see what she was looking at.
    My entire body froze, and feeling the way I’d stiffened, Brett stopped whispering in my ear and turned to look as well.
    Eli was standing there across the table from us, his eyes glued to Brett and me.
    Jason broke the awkward tension as he clapped Eli’s shoulder. “Sit down, glad you could make it.”
    Eli didn’t sit, and Brett’s body seemed to get tighter and tighter. “Shit,” he whispered, and stood, extending his arm. “I’m Brett.” When Eli didn’t move or say anything, he continued, “You’re Eli. I’ve heard a lot about you from Paisley.”
    Eli finally tore his eyes from me to look at him, but his expression was unreadable. Shaking Brett’s hand firmly, he raised an eyebrow. “Sorry to say I haven’t heard much about you.”
    Brett smirked and cocked his head as he sat down. “Can’t imagine why,” he said dryly.
    This wasn’t happening.
    “This is awkward, we need