Page 89 of Miss Treated

“I’m not sure. Your father and I need to talk about it, but it won’t be tonight. Tonight we drink and order pizza.”

Sounded like a plan which would take all of our minds off of everything. “You got it.”

Two hours later, or maybe three—I’d lost all track of time—I sat outside on the lanai with my two brothers. We’d blown past the vodka and bourbon and were now entering the sure-to-be-regretful-tequila phase of the evening. My mom had taken my bed, and my cousin the guest room. At this rate, we’d all have hangovers in the morning. But it’s what family did. They stuck together. Hangovers and all.

I suddenly thought about Kelsey’s family. Growing up with a narcissist mother, she’d never had this sort of bond. She’d deserved to have people in her corner who’d loved her and supported her. Who’d do anything for her.

Shit. Had I given up too easily? Had I bowed out the moment things got hard like I always did?

“I let her go without a fight.”

“What?” Leo questioned before downing another shot of Patron.

I sat up, not believing my own actions. I’d been so upset at her rejection my brain had shut down.

“I let Kelsey go without a fight even knowing her history. I should have known what it meant when she said I was better off without her. But I took the easy way out and let her walk away.” I’d spent my whole life quitting things before they got hard. That was easier than taking a chance on a future over which I had no control.

“What did she say?” Gabe inquired.

“She said she was too broken.” God, here she’d been pushing me away, expressing her deepest insecurities, and I hadn’t reassured her. Hadn’t asked why she thought she was too broken. Instead I’d focused on how she’d broken me.

“What are you going to do?” Leo looked at the now-empty bottle.

“I need to find her.” I stood up too fast, causing the world to sway. Or maybe I was the one swaying, judging by the way Gabe stood up to keep me from falling over.

“Not tonight. And not drunk.” My oldest brother was always practical to the point of being annoying.

“But I love her,” I protested.

“Believe me when I say nothing good will come of you attempting to find her drunk. Or texting or calling her while in this condition.”

Leo confiscated my phone from the table. “Gabe is right. Call her in the morning after a good night’s sleep.”

I let Gabe lead me into the living room where I collapsed on the loveseat. “Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite?”

Leo’s voice carried in from the screen door. “I heard that.” Causing us all to laugh.

Brothers. They were the best.

The horrible pounding woke me. I slowly extricated myself from the loveseat, already feeling the aches and pains from sleeping on the small sofa. I stepped over Leo, who was passed out on the living room rug, and glanced over at Gabe, who had racked out on the couch at some point.

“Make it stop,” Leo grumbled, shoving a pillow over his head.

The noise was coming from my front door. I opened it to reveal my father. I’d never seen him look quite so disheveled. He wore a somber expression and a five o’clock shadow.

“I’ve come to see your mother.”

“What time is it?”

“Six o’clock.”

Way too early. “She’s asleep. Come back later.”

He blocked the door I tried to shut. “I’m not leaving. I’ll wait.”

“You might rethink that,” I murmured as he walked inside and my two older brothers sat up. Holding their heads, they glared at him. There was absolutely no defense for my aunt embezzling funds from my father’s company, but there was also no excuse for the way he’d bungled the entire thing at the party yesterday. He’d put Kelsey on the spot and upset everyone.

He took in the scene. “What did you guys do? All get drunk?”