6
Jett
Reece is quiet on the short drive back to his house.
My anxiety builds as he puts the truck in park, the four shots of liquor I had trying to make themselves known. Thankfully, Jace didn’t let me keep drinking. He learned his lesson the first time I stepped foot in Riley’s Bar and Grill. I hurled all over the freshly polished bar top.
“I know you’re hurting, sis, but you can’t keep running from the people who want what’s best for you.” Reece’s voice is gravelly with emotion. Emotion I try to lock in the darkest corners of my brain.
Like talking to our mom.
Or discussing failed relationships.
Or failed jobs.
Or life in general.
By the time I’ve registered his heavy sigh, he has already opened the truck door and stepped out. I groan. I’d been stuck in my head again and missed who knows what. I jump out of the truck and catch up to my brother.
“What did you say after the thing about running?”
“Nothing, Jett,” he mumbles, an air of frustration pouring off of him.
My stomach drops at the dismissal. Or is that the liquor again? On that note, I’m not sure the last time I ate except for the handful of fries.
“I’m sorry I tuned you out. What did you say?”
He shakes his head, the irritation that only I can trigger obvious in his posture and tone. “Don’t worry about it. Guest room has clean sheets. I already hid your keys, so no bright ideas about going home tonight. Guess I shouldn’t have cooked the Alfredo after all, since apparently Jace feeds you better,” he grumbles, motioning toward the takeout bag.
My shoulders sag, but before I can apologize, he stops me, palms raised by his stomach and voice dropping to a soothing tone.
“It’s okay, sis. It’ll heat fine tomorrow. Get some sleep. We can talk in the morning.” With that, he turns and walks to his room on the other side of the house.
I wait as his footsteps fade and the door to his room clicks shut before putting the food from the bar away and sitting in the armchair closest to the kitchen.
I shouldn’t let it get to me. Irritating Reece is at minimum a weekly occurrence; twenty-seven years hasn’t changed anything. But something about tonight has those tightly guarded emotions leaking through the cracks.
My mind spins, so many thoughts trying to take over, but none of them make enough of an impression to stick.
***
The buzz of something vibrating across the floor wakes me from a deep sleep. It takes a few minutes for me to realize it is my phone. Groaning, I stretch out the kinks in my spine. I moved to the guest room around midnight, but the mattress is too firm for comfort. Sleep didn’t find me until about two hours ago. Maybe I should convince Reece to get one of those eggcrate mattress toppers for when he has people over.
I snatch my phone off the floor when it vibrates again and glance at the screen, seeing three missed calls and two texts from my best friend.
The smell of coffee draws me out of my room; Reece must have started a pot while I was texting McKenna. I stand and make my way into the kitchen, set on apologizing for last night. He’s pouring creamer into a large coffee cup but looks up as I slide onto the stool at the breakfast bar.
“I’m sorry.” My voice shakes, almost breaking.
“I know telling you not to worry about it is pointless, because you’ll just worry more, but I mean it. It’s no big deal. There’s just a lot going on for both of us right now, emotions were high, and seeing you with Noah Slater threw me.”
“He hinted that you aren’t his biggest fan.” My eyebrows raise, curiosity getting the best of me as I fix my own mug. Mostly creamer and sugar.
Reese cuts his eyes at me over the rim of his mug. “I know it’s pointless to tell you what to do—I learned that lesson years ago—but stay away from Noah. Those elevator guys are all assholes.”
I choke on a laugh, thankful I haven’t taken a sip of the coffee in my hands yet. “I’m sorry, what?”
His lip twitches. “It’s true.”
“How would you even know that? How many elevator guys do you actually know?”
He shakes his head, fighting silent laughter. “Okay, I only know Noah and one other.”
It’s my turn to shake my head as he continues.
“But I’ve heard enough to know they are a different breed.”
“Are you sure you aren’t just saying that because Dad used to always say it about every trade other than electrical?”
At that, a real laugh finally rolls through my brother. Our dad was an electrician for nearly thirty years before retiring early. We heard the beef between union trades the entirety of our childhood.
“Okay, maybe his words contributed to my opinion. Slightly.”
“I still don’t understand your warning, though. Noah is just the guy that saved me from the stuck elevator. We just happened to run into each other. It’s not like—”
“Hold up, what?”
“What, what?” I snap, irritated by the interruption.
“Noah was the mechanic?”
I cock a brow at him, waiting on him to catch up with my thoughts.
“I’ll never understand how your brain works.”
“Join the club. I’ve lived twenty-seven years with it and still haven’t figured out how it works. Anyway, I already told him I wasn’t interested or worth his time, so no need for brother bear to come out and eat anyone. But McKenna is meeting me for lunch at Riley’s, and you should join us.”
Reece’s eyes harden. “I think I’ll pass.”
“I’ve had one of the worst months of my life and want my brother and my best friend to eat lunch with me. Can you guys pretend to get along for an hour or two to make that happen?” I pout. For a second, I think my brother will give an honest answer for once, but then a sarcastic grin lights his face.
“Because she hogs you, and I want you all to myself.”
“Ha ha ha. You are absolutely hilarious.”
When he says nothing more, I add, “I would really like to only admit to everything that has been going on once. Can you please just act like civilized human beings for one lunch?”
Reece groans. I don’t know what happened between them, but I hate that my two favorite people cannot stand to be in the same room as each other ninety-eight percent of the time.
I push away from the counter and head to the guest room’s connected bathroom to shower and get ready. “Riley’s at twelve thirty. It’d be really cool if you joined us.”
After a quick wash of the hair, I slip into some of my softest sweatpants and a bookish tee. It’s of a fictional hockey team from a book series, and I could not help myself when I saw it. I forego socks and slip my bare feet into my Sketchers. Instead of brushing and drying my hair, I secure it in a messy bun as exhaustion makes its existence known. And no, this is not some cutesy messy bun. This is an I’m tired and my hair is long so let us please get it out of the way without cutting it off messy bun. It’s typically my go-to hair style.
As I slip out of the guest room, I hear the water turn on across the hall.
Success . Brother is going to go after all.
***
Reece and I sit in tense silence in a booth at the back of Riley’s dining area.
My knee is bouncing so uncontrollably that I’m sure a hole is about to open under us from the vibrations. Reece keeps an eye on me as he scrolls through his phone. McKenna nearly skips through the tables, but then her eyes land on my brother and her steps falter briefly. She shoots daggers at me, and I send her serious please don’t hate me vibes. Her steps resume, but her entire aura has shifted to something much less enthusiastic as she slips into the spot next to me, across from Reece.
“Now that your keeper is here, can we get on with it?” Reece grunts without glancing away from his screen.
My teeth dig into the inside of my cheek at the dig at McKenna, but it hurts me, too. My hand comes up to rub at my temple, brushing a stray hair that escaped the nest on top of my head.
McKenna nudges my leg under the table but looks at Reece and says, “I’m not her keeper, and you know it. Your sister is a big girl. Treat her as such.”
“I know she is.”
“Then watch what you say and how it affects those around you.”
My brother’s jaw clenches as he looks away for a minute then raises a hand to flag down the waiter.
“Hey, guys. What can I get ya?”
As we rattle off orders, me copying McKenna’s and reaffirming Reece’s earlier claim, my mind spins around how true of a statement it is. I’d wanted to keep reaching for that stronger version of myself and tell the two most important people in my life about my decision to chase my bookstore dream. And yet, the inner pep talks I’d given myself all night about standing on my own, reaching my goals independently, opening the bookstore—they all mean nothing. A part of me is aware that the others are attempting to make amiable conversation, but I’ve zoned out, my mind spiraling as all the negatives creep back in.
When my thoughts finally settle, I look up at them and say, “Reece is right.”
Whatever conversation they were having halts as both sets of eyes dart to me.
“About?” Reece nudges.
I look everywhere but at them, feeling itchy under their scrutiny. “McKenna takes care of me, and I take advantage of it. It makes my life easier,” I mutter with a shrug.
McKenna turns her body so that she’s fully facing me. “You know how to take care of yourself, friend. And you do more than enough for me. For everyone, really. You’re always helping others take care of themselves.”
As she finishes, I’m already shaking my head in denial. “Our friendship is one-sided and you know it. Same with you,” I say to my brother. “I am a terrible friend. I am a terrible sister. There’s a reason my relationships don’t work out.”
“Hey,” Reece interrupts. “This will not turn into a self-deprecating lunch. All three of us do our best. I only said what I said to get a rise out of Blue Eyes.” He reaches a hand across the table and rests it on my forearm. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I nod but then hastily shake my head, my voice dropping low. “I know. But it is still true. My brain doesn’t function like yours, and I hate it. I wish I could have engaging conversations like you guys, or keep track of time or stay organized. Keep you guys from worrying all the time,” I say with another shrug, the way too familiar sting of tears at the back of my eyes. “God, I feel pathetic right now. I wanted to start fresh after Joey left me for Ella and try to do things on my own for once, but you guys are reminding me that maybe it’s impossible.”
“Whoa, what?”
“What’s going on, sweets?”
Both of them start talking over each other, and I hold up a hand. “I said I’d tell you what happened between us, but honestly, I don’t feel like going into too much detail when y’all are both acting ridiculous. Three weeks ago, I found Joey and his best friend in our living room together. They’ve been together for a few months. I don’t blame either of them. I’m a fun-sucker as proven by the two of you.”
“Like hell, you can’t blame them,” McKenna snaps.
Reece is quietly stewing, and I realize I can’t sit here. If Reece loses his cool about work or life, I can deal. But that look says he’s about to go off on me for not telling him sooner about the circumstances of Joey’s departure, and I can’t handle being the disappointment again.
Nudging McKenna, I stammer, “Please let me out.” The tears and fears and truths press in on me like walls.
“Jett, let’s talk—”
My eyes must hold enough desperation in them, because she slips out of the booth.
“Keep your phone on you.”
I nod at my brother’s terse request without looking at either of them. As quickly as I can without running, I slip out the front door and set out on the sidewalks of Havenwood.