Intertwined

Twenty Two

Houston

The bar was the loudest and biggest crowd I had seen in the six months I have lived in Plainview. Balloons were tied to every flat surface in the room, and the colored Christmas lights that were never put away hung from the menus, windows, and walls. Cassidy led me through the room with her small hand intertwined with my fingers, searching for her friend, surrounded by dozens of people.

The blonde birthday girl broke away from her group of friends, and her face broke out in a wide smile as the shadows on her shoulders ceased to reappear. I related to that feeling.

"Cassidy, I'm so glad you came," Avery exclaimed, embracing Cassidy in her hug and squeezing her eyes shut. "You did the best with planning my party. I'm so lucky that you're my best friend!"

Cassidy smiled back in reply as I watched in awe of her selflessness. She asked curiously, "Where's Josh? I told him the party was today three times."

Avery pulled back and scanned the room, dark gray storms appearing in her glares and the color of her face went gray. Her brown eyes softened at a figure behind me, and I felt the shadow over my shoulder.

I spun around to find my brother walking through the door, as Avery answered the question, "Josh got busy at work. He said he'll be here soon."

Her reply was devoid of hopefulness, and I was reminded of when all my previous relationships lost their plain old spark. I never wanted the spark to fade with Cassidy; those three words were on the tip of my tongue. If I told her how I truly felt about us, then there would be no more anxiety and I wouldn't be biting my nails down every day.

I let go of Cassidy's hand and walked over to my brother, guiding him towards the bar's entrance. As the commotion of the birthday party amplified in the small bar area, I questioned Dallas, "What are you still doing here, Dallas? I told you, that you can go home now."

Dallas shrugged his shoulders in reply as he never took his eyes off the blonde behind me, "I thought I might spend a couple of days here. It won't hurt."

I ground my teeth down and crossed my arms, moving to block my brother's view of Avery. There wasn't a specific reason why I felt more protective over Cassidy and her best friend; I didn't want my brother fucking things up for me again. There was so much I had to lose now, and I was afraid that someone in my past could hurt the ones I loved now.

"Are you really upset that I'm here?" Dallas questioned, breaking my gaze from the girls who were taking shots at the bar. "Fine, I'll just be here for the first few hours, then I can-"

I cut him off shortly, "I don't trust you. You can drive back to Fort Worth."

"We apologized," Dallas exclaimed, sighing in exhaustion, and grabbed the nearest support beam to right himself. "You're being a stubborn ass, Houston. I'm staying in Plainview for a couple of days. Is that all I have to explain?"

I clenched my jaw, knowing I was in the wrong for once, and swallowed my pride and huge ego all at once. "Fine, you're staying in Plainview. Why aren't you going back to Fort Worth?"

I watched my brother's green eyes shoot in every direction except my way, sensing the uneasiness that the question brought. Dallas finally exhaled, "I moved out of Fort Worth two months after you did. It wasn't working out, anyway. I've been living with Mariah and Isabelle in Oklahoma."

"You're not getting back together with Mariah, right?"

Dallas shook his head and replied, "No, Mariah and I... are not getting back together. We- She's too focused on the inn, and we want what's best for Isabelle."