Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Tyler
“Why would she return to that place?” Lewis shakes his head. “Her mother—” He utters an oath and growls in frustration. “Never mind. I can’t get Mira to see reason where her mom is concerned.”
Lewis takes two steps, then turns and strides in the opposite direction.
Cali’s chalet, as she refers to her dinky cabin rental, isn’t ideal for pacing. Not for a guy Lewis’s size. I’m larger than average at six foot two, but Gen’s new boyfriend and my buddy Jaeg are so tall, they make me look like a little guy.
“How did you know where to find her?”
I’m sitting on the edge of the recliner, my hands dangling between my knees as Jaeg and Lewis discuss the situation.
They seem surprised Mira is in trouble, but either Lewis isn’t very bright—which I know isn’t true, since he was valedictorian the year we graduated from high school—or Mira has him fooled.
It takes me a minute to realize Lewis addressed me.
I clear my throat. “I saw her. A couple of weeks ago. I was riding on an isolated trail and found a cabin that looked like it had been abandoned. Mira was sitting on the porch.”
“Her mother was there?” Lewis asks.
I nod. “Mira said it was her mom’s cabin. I saw a woman there tonight along with some guy. Not sure if Mira made it to the place, or if she was on her way back when…” I unclench the hands I’m fisting. “I don’t know what happened, man. Mira wouldn’t talk to me.”
Nothing has changed between Mira and me. Our relationship was reduced to avoidance those last few weeks before I graduated. I burned up the trails on my bike until I could leave Lake Tahoe and forget about Mira Frasier. But not before I took Holly Walker up on her offer.
I went to prom with Holly and slept with her. I was so drunk I barely remember it. It was one of the worst nights of my life. I puked my guts out the next day from the alcohol—and from what I’d done.
“That’ll teach you to drink, son. Good lesson for ya,” my mom had said when she found me hugging the porcelain.
My mom was right, and she was wrong. I didn’t hit the keg as hard as some of the kids I went to college with, but that didn’t mean I was an angel. I was indiscriminate and gratuitous with my hookups. And I never let anyone in the way I did with Mira.
I shake my head, willing those memories gone, along with the fucked-up emotions they induce. I don’t need this right now. I’ve got enough history I’m trying to work through.
“The hospital isn’t necessary,” Mira says a little while later, after exiting the bathroom with Cali and Gen.
“We’re going.” Lewis grabs his keys and gently urges Mira to the door.
She glances up before she walks out, and our eyes clash for an instant. Vulnerability and something else flashes in hers.
The urge to go with her burns through me.
I make myself stay.
No matter what we had or didn’t have in the past, I’ll never want anything bad to happen to Mira. Finding her in the woods hurt and alone fucked with my head. I feel connected to her again.
I squeeze the tops of my thighs, a pulse pounding at my temple. I don’t want to see Mira in pain, but I also don’t want her in my life. I’ve moved on from all that.
After they leave, Cali sits on the couch across from me while Jaeger rustles around in the fridge. “So what do you think?”
She must have said something, but I’m spacing. “About what?”
“What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting strange ever since Lewis got the call that Mira was missing. How well do you know Mira? Is there something going on between you two?”
“Fuck no.” Her brows rise. Whoa. I need to tone down the angst. Unfortunately, running into Mira isn’t the only thing that has me on edge. “There’s nothing going on. I barely know her.”
Mostly true, if you ignore carnal knowledge.
“Oka-ay. Well then, what do you think?”
Seriously, what is she talking about? “Cali, it’s been a crazy night. I’m tired. Get to the point.”
Her mouth compresses. “Your attitude sucks, Tyler. You’ve been an ass ever since you returned. And on that note, why did you come back? You still haven’t said. I thought you loved Boulder.”
I quit my job as a biology teacher in Colorado and returned to Lake Tahoe. It’s not really home anymore, since our mom moved to Carson City a couple of months ago. But Tahoe is the place I associate with home.
My mom isn’t pleased that I have no prospects…and leech off my sister. Put that way, it sounds bad. I just couldn’t remain in Colorado. Not after things happened with Anna.
I envy my sister. She went through heavy stuff recently, but she’s put her life to rights. Meanwhile, my head’s so fucked up with guilt and anger, I can’t see straight. That’s why I returned. Not that I’m explaining any of this to my sister.
“I missed you. Isn’t that enough?” I say, feigning sincerity.
Her eyes narrow. “Fine. Don’t tell me. Just make sure you keep your drinking in check. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how many beers you’re going through and how often you’ve come home hammered—when you’re not being antisocial on your computer.”
Christ, I gotta get my own place. So I’ve been going out, and burying myself in a writing project to keep my mind off things. I don’t need my baby sister mothering me.
After Mira, I resolved never to get screwed over by a girl. I did the screwing. That’s the problem. I was blind, insensitive. I ended up hurting someone I cared about. Anna deserved so much better than me.
Cali punches me on the arm.
“Hey.” I rub my shoulder. Jesus, she’s feisty. “Was that necessary?”
“Get your head out of your ass. Jaeger and I talked. We think Mira should move in for a little while. It’s not safe for her alone in her apartment after what happened.”
Correction. Make that new living space an emergency.
No way am I sticking around if Mira moves in.
That’s the last thing I need. But Cali’s right, Mira shouldn’t live on her own.
It’s not safe. Lewis’s place is out. Gen moved in with him recently, and from what I understand, his place is small.
That could get awkward. Cali says Lewis’s relationship with Gen put a strain on his friendship with Mira.
Not that I care. Why am I even thinking about this? I’ve been around my sister too long. I’m getting dragged into chick drama.
“Yeah, sure. It’s your place. Do what you want. I’ll stay with a buddy. Mira can have the loft.”
Gen and Cali rented a one-bedroom with a low loft above the kitchen. They shared the bedroom, until Gen moved in with Lewis a couple of weeks ago.
Cali sighs, exasperated. “That’s what I’m talking about. If you were listening, you would know this. I’ll stay with Jaeger so Mira can have my bedroom. You don’t need to move out.”
Whoa, what? “You want me to live here? With Mira?”
Hell no.
“Yes, jackass. Someone needs to look out for her. Gen and Lewis are finally getting some much-needed space from Mira. If we don’t set something up so Lewis is convinced Mira is safe, he’ll move her in with him and Gen.”
“And I should care about this why?”
Cali throws up her hands, her face turning a bright shade of pink to match her strawberry blonde hair. Cali missed out on our mom’s bright red crop, but only just. “Because you’ve been living here rent free for weeks, hogging the remote and behaving like an overall ass.”
“You can stop busting my balls any time now, Calzone. This isn’t my problem. It’s yours. You fix it.”
“Oh, my fucking…” Cali lets out a frustrated screech.
She hates it when I call her Calzone, but I have a feeling she’s more angry I’ve put a wrench in her plans to save Mira.
Jaeger enters the living room. “Dude, help your sister out.”
I glare at Jaeg. “What happened to bros coming first?”
He shakes his head as if I’ve missed something crucial. “Not with Cali, man. She comes first.”
Fuck. I can’t argue that logic. Cali is a pain in the ass, but she is my sister.
Still, this is Mira we’re talking about. No way can I do what Cali asks. I spent a couple of hours in Mira’s presence tonight and already I’m feeling things I don’t want to.
“Why doesn’t she move in with Lewis’s parents?” I suggest.
Cali shrugs. “Mira won’t move home. I’m not sure why.”
And here we go again. Mira causing trouble. I escaped this; I won’t step back into the fire.
“Sorry, Cali. No can do.”
“Why not? What did Mira ever do to you?”
“She’s done enough.”