CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
carter
I’m in the kitchen,pouring cups of coffee for the three Doll sisters, their aunt, and two men I can’t remember the names of. I think they’re Arden’s uncles. I’m not too sure. My exhaustion is catching up to me. Spending all night staring down at her and making sure she is okay is more taxing than playing three straight games of hockey.
I run a hand over my face, loading the tray like I’ve seen Serena do a hundred times this week. The girl doesn’t stop. It’s very clear that she ran this household while Arden was away. She turned into the caretaker for her dad, Anya, and their home. I’m trying to let her catch her breath here. I’m trying to take care of them.
The dynamic between the Doll sisters becomes clearer and clearer each day. Even with Anya. From one person who reacts to most emotional situations with anger to another, I understand that she’s not really pissed off at Arden. She’s just heartbroken. She’s devastated. Life hasn’t ever been fair, so neither will she.
Anya was also very young when they lost their mother.Arden has been her mother figure for longer than she had one at this point. It’s easy to resent a parental figure when you think they’ve let you down, when you feel like they weren’t there when you needed them. I wish the youngest Doll would realize the irony of that.
“No, that doesn’t make sense,” Arden argues. I hike the tray up and waltz back into the living room, past her as she paces over the carpet between the doorway and the living room, where everyone else is seated. “Doll. D-O-L-L. Check again.”
I smile gently at Serena, who gives me a look of relief as one of her uncles tells the same story about her dad for the third time this morning. It’s their way of grieving, too. But the sisters are exhausted and they just want to exist for a second. Without an audience.
I drop the tray on the coffee table and the men immediately jump for it. I resist the urge to slap their hands away until the girls go first.
“Okay, but whatyouaren’t understanding is that I’ve been taking care of these bills since he got sick,” Arden bites out. “I am well aware of how much we owe. You’re missing multiple numbers in front of that zero. Followed by one million more zeros.”
My back goes rigid. I pause, only momentarily, before I manage to slowly pull myself upright. I feel eyes burning into my face, so on instinct, I follow that feeling.
Anya is seated on the couch in sweatpants and an oversized sweater. Her knees are pulled up to her chest, blue eyes shooting me a very clear look from under her hood.
That’s a look that tells me she somehow knowsexactlywhat that phone call is about andexactlywhy I look like someone just kicked me in the ass.
“I’m sorry, I hate to be this person,” Arden says, droppingher hand against her leg. She lets out a long breath. “But please forward me to your manager.”
I tear my eyes from Anya and glance over my shoulder. Arden is facing the kitchen, her hand now in her hair, gazing down the hallway with a distant look in her eye. I swallow, risking a look down at the littlest Doll again. She crosses her arms on top of her knees and cocks a brow.
It’s like she’s saying:How are you going to get out of this one, Forkerro?
“That’s impossible,” Arden says, voice rising. “No. That’s incorrect. I’mtellingyouthat’s not ri—wait,what? What was that name? Say it again.”
The air sizzles and whooshes in my ears, but I keep my back to her. I might have done something that is about to come back to haunt me. Big time.
Anya, sensing my cowardice, looks back at her sister for me, gauging her reaction. When she slowly drags her eyes back to me, she winces a bit.
Not good.
“No,” Arden says quietly, sounding utterly defeated. I suck in a breath and slowly turn and face her. Only Anya and I are clued into what’s happening. Arden’s brown eyes are locked on my face, eyes full of anger and unshed tears. “No, the name rings a bell. Thank you.”
She drops the phone to her side and stares at me.
It’s because you needed help.
I was never going to end this arrangement without doing this, Red. You know that. I was hoping to address this earlier, but then everything came crashing down and it didn’t feel like the right time. I was never going to let you or your sisters drown. This wasalwaysgoing to happen.
I made a promise to Stinky the first night I met him that I’dkeep you safe.
“You paid off all his medical bills?” she asks me.
Anya lowers her chin to rest on her crossed arms, watching me carefully.
Serena’s head whips around, cutting off the conversation with her family. She holds up a hand to make her uncle stop talking. “What?”
Arden’s lip wobbles. She raises that phone like a weapon, pointing it at me. “Did you pay off my dad’s bills, Carter?”
I clear my throat, ignoring the curious eyes. “Yeah.”
