AllFreeNovel
Share Us
At about noon, I heard him stumble downstairs from where I’d set up my workstation in the kitchen and poked my head out to greet him.
“Hey,” I said, smiling at him. “You want some coffee or tea? If you’re up for some lunch, I can take a break from work, and we can head out for a bit.”
“Thanks,” he said, clearing his throat. “I think I’ll just grab some water. Not really up for going anywhere right now.”
“Sure,” I said, getting up from my stool and grabbing him a glass. “How’d you sleep?”
“Like a rock, for a while at least. Then I woke up at three in the morning and couldn’t fall back asleep until like eight.”
“Yeah. Jet lag is a bitch.” I handed him the water. “You hungry? The leftover Chinese is all yours if you want it.”
He smiled at me as he chugged the water. “Not really, actually,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I just wanted something to drink and maybe get some more sleep.”
“Sure,” I said. “Just let me know if you need anything, okay? I’m around all day today.”
He saluted me as he refilled his glass and headed back for the stairs. “If it’s okay, I think I’ll take advantage of that big-ass bathtub in the guest bathroom.”
“It’s all yours, buddy,” I said. “Your sister dragged me to Lush the other day, so if you want a fancy-ass bath bomb, you’re all set,” I finished with an eye roll and a soft laugh.
He laughed. “Thanks, but I know better than to go digging in my sister’s bathroom amenities. That stuff is sacred.”
“Right,” I said with a smile, then turned back to my computer as he left the kitchen.
The rest of the day passed quietly, and I couldn’t help checking my phone compulsively as I waited for Nat to come home. I hoped she’d talk to me about what was happening once she got here—or just speak to me in general. But the longer I waited, the more she seemed to stay away, and the pit in my stomach grew until I finally ate cold Chinese food in despair and went to bed.
I was thankful to have fallen straight to sleep but was pissed when I woke up an hour later. I checked the phone, but no word from Natalia since she texted earlier in the evening, saying she would be late. I couldn’t fucking sleep, so I grabbed a book and started to read.
When Nat finally came home, I was in the process of rereading the same damn paragraph for the millionth time.
“Did you have a good day?” I asked, setting my book aside.
“Mm-hmm,” she said, putting her purse on the vanity without looking at me. “Sorry if I made you worry. Some friends and I decided to go for drinks after work.”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t worried.”
Holy fuck, we’re having a conversation. Progress.
“How was Shane today?” she asked. “Did he come out of his room to make some mayhem in Mayfair?”
“Cute,” I said. “No, he didn’t. He’s been sleeping all day. I’m not sure if he’s really slept a full night since the beatdown.”
She turned back to look at me with her eyes growing wide. “Is he okay? Should I check on him?” She stood up and bit her lip. “I went by his room but thought he was asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him.”
“He’s fine,” I said, getting off the bed and walking over to her. “I promise. He surfaced twice today for water and food. He threw down some cold noodles with me at dinner.”
She blinked at me a few times as if unsure whether to trust me and my assessment of her little brother.
I reached out, rubbing her arm to reassure her. Her breathing slowed, and I saw the sudden worry quieting down.
What the hell is wrong with her? I thought, not expecting her to nearly go into a panic attack.
I wished I could just pull her in, wrap my arms around her, and show her how much I loved her, and for a second, I wondered what was stopping me. After all, I’d already committed myself to her, hadn’t I? I’d already decided I wanted this life with her, which meant I needed her at my side regardless of the moods she fell into.
This was all so foreign to me, though. Instead of reading a book about the history of Ghengis Khan, I should’ve been downloading something like What to Expect When You Finally Find Your Sorry Ass in a Relationship so I would know what the fuck to do.
As I stood there hoping I was doing this part right, Nat dropped her hands, turned away from me, and then headed into the bathroom, leaving me to stare after her.
* * *
