Only You by Jerry Cole (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

again, there was nothing. He gave it a third knock, the loudest one yet but was again greeted by crickets.

For some reason that Bradley could not fathom, Sherman wasn’t home. But why? It was Thursday night for God’s sake, and Sherman hated going out. So, where was he? On a date? Drinking? Having fun now that he was single? All these possibilities and more swirled through Bradley’s head like a cavalcade of madness.

Depression sunk in and Bradley matched it by sinking to the floor. He was so sure that Sherman was going to be home, that he’d be there ready to accept him with open arms. And now that he wasn’t? Bradley was at a loss for what to do next.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sherman hoped he had the right house. He’d never been to Bradley’s home before, and although he managed to find the address tucked away in his phone somewhere, he still wasn’t one hundred percent confident that this was the right one. And where ordinarily he wouldn’t mind so much if he did knock on the wrong door and had to try again, the fact that it was 6:30am made the whole thing a little more precarious.

Yes, Sherman was at Bradley’s house in Melbourne. He had landed less than an hour ago in the Victorian capital and come straight here. He hadn’t called Bradley in advance either to let him know that he was coming... but that was sort of the point.

It was after Nick left him alone that Sherman realized how truly desperate and pathetic his situation was. He’d had the worst week of his life, and for what? Because he was too stubborn to call his boyfriend and apologize? Because he had created some sort of ludicrous scenario in his head where his boyfriend thought that he was better than him?! He was insane!

So, he decided it was time to be the bigger man and call Bradley and say he was sorry... but when he picked up the phone to make that call, something didn’t seem right. It had been too long. An entire week of zero contact and he was going to break that with a phone call? No, what was needed was a face-to-face conversation.

There was however one small issue, and it was one that didn’t come to light until thirty minutes later when Sherman walked up to Bradley’s apartment, flowers in hand, ‘forgive me eyes’ tried and tested and his heart ready to be lain bare. Bradley wasn’t home. And not only was he not home, but a quick look through his apartment suggested he hadn’t been home for a while.

There was a moment of extreme panic, followed by rationalization as Sherman told himself that this wasn’t a big deal. Really, Bradley was probably just at a friend’s house or something. Better than being alone. He didn’t know many of Bradley’s friends, but there was one number he could call.

“Well, well, well,” Isabelle drawled on the other end of the line. “Look who has come crawling back —”

“Isabelle,” Sherman cut her off. “It’s Sherman Haas, Bradley’s boyfriend.”

Isabelle sighed. “Yes, I know who it is – why do you think I answered the phone that way?”

“I honestly have no idea. I thought maybe you thought it was someone else... like an ex or —”

“No, I have your number saved,” she snapped. “Although now it’s been changed to ‘That Asshole that Broke Poor Bradley’s Heart in Two.’”

“Really?” Sherman frowned. “That seems a little long for a phone contact.”

“I was being sarcastic!”

It took a little while after that for Sherman to get out of Isabelle where Bradley had gone. First, he had to apologize. Then he had to promise not to do it again. Then he had to agree to go to the opening night of a play she was starring in, in a month’s time. And then, finally, she told him that Bradley had flown to Melbourne to visit his mother for the week.

“Thank you,” he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’ll see you at opening night,” she followed up.

“Yes, yes.” He hung the phone up and then got his ass to the airport.

It was a long night, but only because Sherman had been forced to spend it at the airport. The first flight out of the city left at 5am, and where Sherman could have just gone home and come back in the following morning, he didn’t want to risk it. He wanted to be there at the gate the second that it opened for boarding. So, he spent the night trying to sleep on one of the airport lounges which was an infinitely uncomfortable experience.

But it was worth it. Or rather it would be. And as Sherman knocked three times on Bradley’s front door – what he hoped to be Bradley’s front door – Sherman began to feel vindicated in his decision. Soon, this horrid nightmare would be over.

There were footsteps coming from behind the door. Then the sound of a chain rattling. A lock unclicking. The door flew open and standing on the other side was who could only be Bradley’s mother.

“Hellooooo!” she bellowed at the sight of him. Her eyes were wide, her smile large and her body language was open and welcoming. At least she wasn’t mad. “If it isn’t Mr. Sherman Haas!”

Bradley’s mother was one of the largest women Sherman had ever seen. That wasn’t to say that she was fat, just big, almost in the same way that Nick was. She was tall. Her shoulders and back were wide. Her chest and stomach were bulbous. Even her hair-do was big and over the top. Everything about her seemed exaggerated, and that included the way she suddenly grabbed at Sherman and pulled him into the tightest, most crushing hug he’d ever had.

“I’ve heard so much about you,” she carried on as Sherman struggled