"All done," Devin said, "Alright, you can head back now."
"Watch out for the roadworks on your way home," Austin said before leading Joy back to their place.
Joy looked back to see Devin standing still in the nearby streetlight, giving off an odd vibe.
She waved at Devin, who lazily waved back, waiting for them to walk away before he turned to leave.
...
Shortly after Leanne had moved into what they jokingly called Leanne's Castle, she found someone on her doorstep late one night after dinner with colleagues.
Scattered around him were empty beer bottles, his head buried in his arms, seemingly asleep.
As Leanne approached to wake him, Devin lifted his head and mumbled, "Leanne..."
His eyes were red, making him look like a lost puppy.
Leanne took him in, where Laura warmed up some milk for him. He refused to drink it, instead darting off to Curtis' liquor cabinet to grab a few whiskeys, chugging them down. After finishing, he collapsed on the couch, covering his eyes with his hand, and fell asleep.
Curtis was out for the evening and came home late, immediately noticing the strong smell of alcohol and the lean figure sprawled on the sofa.
Devin was out cold. Leanne covered him with a fleece blanket in case he caught a cold.
Suspicious of this alcohol-soaked stranger, the family cat perched on the back of the sofa, keeping a close watch.
Leanne was about to head to bed when she heard Curtis' car pull up. She exited the bedroom and whispered, "Did something upset him?" Loosening his tie, Curtis glanced over and guessed the situation, "Heartbreak, maybe?"
"Heartbreak?" Leanne asked, "Does he have a crush on someone?"
Curtis chuckled. "Can't you tell?"
Puzzled, Leanne responded, "Tell what?"
Curtis smiled. "He's got a thing for your friend."
The thought had never crossed Leanne's mind. Devin and Joy seemed to be at each other's throats all the time, and Selina was just a younger, slightly less confident version of Joy. Could it be a love-hate relationship with Joy? That would be a twist.
"Are you kidding me again?" she preferred to doubt Curtis.
Curtis pinched her lips together, smiling helplessly. "Why would I lie? You can't see it, but that's why he's hurting."
Leanne looked at Devin, passed out on the sofa, remembering how he once claimed he was chasing Joy just for fun, only to end up falling for her.
"But Joy and Austin are so good together. He..."
In her heart, Leanne knew she found Austin, stable and mature, to be a better match for Joy than Devin with his devil-may-care attitude. Yet, seeing Devin like that made her feel a twinge of sympathy.
First love ending in heartbreak.
Ever the pragmatic brother, Curtis said, "Don't worry about him. He was bound to face this sooner or later. Next time he falls for a girl, he¶ know to treasure her, not take her for granted."
"Should we move him to a bed?" Leanne asked.
Curtis spread his hands. "He's over six feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds. I can't lift him. You're strong. Why don't you give it a try?"
Leanne rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious."
Curtis wrapped an arm around her, kissing her gently on the cheek. "Let him be. We're already doing him a favor, not leaving him outside for the mosquitoes. With the amount of alcohol in him, he'd probably intoxicate them."
That night was a turning point in Devin's life.
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