Page 270 of Sorrow & Strangers

Rafe follows along, getting even more flustered. “Did I do something wrong?”

Fucking idiots. All of them.

“You know, why don’t we ask Max?” Though I’m not sure that’ll help. Max is also an idiot.

When we walk into the gym, Max looks at me, assessing me with slight concern. “Feeling better?” he asks, and it takes me a moment to remember my lie from last night. A wave of guilt wiggles through me, but it’s about to be eclipsed by the fuckery that is Rafe’s situation.

“Yes, thank you.” I look at Rafe. “Tell him.”

Max frowns, crossing his arms over his chest and looking between us.

“Mira is here,” Rafe starts.

“Hey, that’s great!” Max says, breaking out into a genuine smile. “How is sh⁠—”

“Tell him the rest, Rafael.”

“The rest?” Max frowns.

Rafe clears his throat. “I broke up with Annabeth.”

Max nods. “You did what I told you, right?”

I roll my eyes. It still blows my mind that Max thinks he’s qualified in the art of gently letting down females, but anyway.

“Yeah, I did. She cried,” Rafe says.

Max nods and pats him on the shoulder. “Hopefully, the words will come as comfort one day.”

“So then I went after Mira.”

Max blinks. “Okay, a bit fast but⁠—”

“Just wait,” I interrupt again, gesturing for Rafe to continue.

Rafe exhales heavily. “So, I went to Mira’s place and we . . .” He flushes. “Were intimate.”

“Okay, is this information I need?” Max grimaces and glances at me, but I’m still glaring at Rafe. “What is your sister getting at, Rafe?”

“Mira is sharing a suite with Annabeth,” Rafe says, looking away from both of us.

Max blinks once, twice, three times, as dumbfounded as I am.

“Yup,” I say, popping the p, happy that I’m being vindicated by someone who is also a stupid male.

“I don’t see what the issue is. I broke up with her.”

“Wait,” Max says, shaking his head. “How long was the length of time between the two events?”

“A few hours?” Rafe says, though I can tell he’s still calculating when he answers.

Max groans. “Rafe. You have brothers. This should be obvious to you.”

I cross my arms. “Too much time with dumb and dumber and not enough with Con and Luke, apparently.”

Rafe scowls at me. “I don’t see what I did wrong!”

Max hits him across the back of the head in a move that is so brotherly that it makes my chest ache a little.