"There's nothing to explain. You and your brother like to play games with innocent girls. No problem, I get it. I was just stupid enough to think you were my friend, and even more stupid to believe Joseph loved me. Good job," she said with sarcasm.
Katherine was barely hanging on to her anger. If she let it go, she'd internally combust and be nothing but a pile of ash. The temporary Band-Aid placed over her emotional wounds had been quickly ripped off, leaving her hurts fully exposed to the elements around her. Seeing Joseph, and then George, was almost unbearable. It was like looking at that coveted toy in a store window, only a thin piece of glass separating her from it, but having it be just out of reach. She knew the men were out of her reach. She couldn't ever trust George to be her friend again, and certainly couldn't trust Joseph with her heart anymore.
He'd abused it too badly.
"Katherine, I'm here to beg for forgiveness."
"Really? Do you and Joseph have another bet. Which of you will I forgive first? The lover or the friend?"
George leaned close to her, and took her uninjured hand in his. When she tugged, he refused to release it. Reluctantly, she finally looked up and met his pain filled eyes.
"I was a fool. You truly were my friend, really my best friend. I was arrogant and immature, and now Joseph and I barely speak. Everything's changed," he said, his voice filled with so much emotion, she couldn't pull away from him. Was he actually speaking the truth?
Katherine was silent as her gaze raked over him. Even though, he and Joseph were twin brothers, they weren't identical. Both men were superbly good-looking, but she'd never once felt desire toward George.
She'd felt love, the kind of love one would feel toward a sibling. He'd become her best friend, and the betrayal of the two men had wounded her to her very center. She'd not only lost the love of her life, but also the best friend she'd needed so badly to help her make it through.
Usually when you went through heartbreak, you at least had your friend to turn to. In her case she'd been doubly devastated because she'd lost both in one day.
"I don't deserve it, and if I was a better man, I'd stay out of your life, but I can't. I've missed you and I need you to know what happened," he said.
She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she'd missed him, too. Missed him so much it hurt to sit there with him in her tiny apartment and try to hold onto her resentment. Her fragile emotions were about to splinter into a million pieces. She had to let him say what he needed to so he'd leave and she could have a breakdown.
"Fine, George, go ahead and speak, but I'm telling you now that if I detect even the tiniest piece of deception in your story, I'm going to find something a lot stronger than my fist to hit you over the head with," Katherine warned.
George laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. She had to remind herself how he'd deceived her, because it would be too easy to fall back into her old routine with him. He'd always brought laughter and joy to the forefront, wherever they happened to be.
"I deserve your anger, Katherine. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that you somehow found out about the bet," he stated, cringing as he said the last word.
Katherine glared at him, not even bothering to respond to his statement. Of course she knew about the bet. It had nearly destroyed her.
"I'd like to explain … "
Katherine held up her hand, stopping him mid-sentence. It felt like she was back at that day, finding out all over again how little they thought of her. She didn't think she could listen to him, resurrecting those old feelings of hurt and betrayal. Her chest hurt as she looked at him, anger and humiliation seeping from every pore.
"Don't try and tell me you didn't have a bet. Don't even try and insult my intelligence like that, George."
"Sadly, I can't deny that. But, please listen. You promised to give me a few minutes. Let me explain what happened, though it will never excuse what I did," he pled.
Katherine sat back, her arms folded across her chest. She was on the verge of tears, only her shear will was keeping her from releasing them. It hurt so much worse to silently listen as he explained how little he'd thought of her. He needed to relieve his conscious, though, even if it meant tearing her apart.
"I was resentful of Joseph. There were a few years that I actually hated him. He made everything look so easy. He just seemed to have the Midas touch. If he decided he wanted to do something, then it was almost done before he even finished the thought. He was better at sports, academics, and women. Every single thing he set out to conquer, he conquered."
"What does any of that have to do with this?" she interrupted.