The Love I Need

Chapter 53

NOW

The three of us sit on the porch step while the sun descends beyond the horizon and the birds quiet their chirping for the night.

Justin is sitting in the middle. His arm is wrapped around my waist, and he keeps lightly squeezing my hip. It's as if he needs the physical proof that I'm right next to him and that I'm doing okay.

The closeness almost makes me uncomfortable. I don't want to give him the wrong idea... Except, I know Justin.

He's always been a touchy-feely guy. If I need any more proof of that characteristic, all I have to do is glance over at his other arm which is wrapped around Cal's shoulders.

He alternates which one of us he's leaning into, and the three of us even manage to share a couple of chuckles while we reminisce about old times and the happier moments we've experienced together.

"I gotta ask something though," Justin starts, and I begin to become uneasy until he finishes with, "What the hell are you wearing, Lia?"

I look down at April's dress that I've yet to change out of, and a loud laugh bursts out of Cal.

"Ugh, don't even ask," I mutter to Justin even as I start to laugh too. "It's a long story."

"So that's not like, your new style or something?" Justin inquires almost nervously.

"No way. This is a one-time thing," I answer quickly.

"Wow. Thank fuck!" Justin replies, not even trying to hide his distaste for the outfit.

Cal laughs louder and grins over at me. "I wasn't going to say anything... But yah, it's really not you, Emy. No offense."

"Believe me, no offence taken. I mean, look at me." I pick up the long skirt of the dress and pull it away from my knees before letting it drop down again. "I look like a twelve-year-old girl playing dress up."

My description has the two men laughing even harder, and the sound of their combined laughter has me joining them. I know it's not really that funny, but I think we're all just happy to be laughing together.

"Feels good," Justin comments once we've quieted down, "This right here. The two of us sitting with our girl again."

The air shifts and tension settles over us.

"She's not our girl, Justin," Cal corrects in a calm voice.

Fuck. Here we go again...

"And I was wrong earlier," Cal continues, surprising me and keeping his voice quiet, "She's not my girl either." He looks past Justin to give me a soft smile with an apologetic look on his face.

"My girl is sleeping after a really long day. And my woman is probably stress cleaning the kitchen when she should be fast asleep next to me..." He glances over his shoulder at the door to his house before he meets Justin's eyes. "I gotta go inside, man."

Justin's face falls, and he tightens his hold on me. I'm sure he's doing the same with his grip on Cal. "Nooo," he protests, "Stay. It's been fucking five years, man. At least have another smoke with me."