Page 27 of The Has-Been

Tears bead in my eyes. I know I have to. But that doesn’t mean I want to.

I release my hold on my knees, and I can tell June finally spots the grease stain. She opens her mouth to say something, but Reese gives her a pointed look that seems to say: “Don’t even think about it.”

I look over each of my cousins’ faces, Rory and Reese still sitting on my floor, studying me. June, her long, slim legs standing at the end of my bed, hands still on her hips. I’m so proud of the women they’ve become. How different each of them is, strong in their own right. I’ve seen myself as their older sister, the one they look up to. And I want to be an example, someone they are proud of.

And the way I’ve been acting...

Well, I wouldn’t want this to happen to any of them. I’ve waited far too long for Liam Anderson to suddenly come running back, to be the man I need. The man I needed.

But Liam lost me long before the night everything happened.

I take a deep breath. I’ve had a year to process my hurt, not only about Liam but⁠—

“Okay,” I announce, interrupting my own thoughts.

I watch as each of their faces pulls into a smile. And that alone makes whatever their little plan is worth it. Slowly, I hand my phone to them, still unsure what it has to do with their intervention.

June grabs it, walking around the room as her fingers fiercely fly across the screen.

“What are you—” but June raises a hand and silences me.

I look over to Reese, who remains sitting on the ground, staring up at me on my bed. When I mouth, “What are they doing?” she just shrugs and looks away.

Oh, she totally knows but isn’t telling me.

After a few minutes, June hands my phone back to me, and I look over the screen.

I suck in a sharp breath when I see what they’ve done.

“WHAT!” I yell. “YOU SIGNED ME UP FOR DELLETH DATING?!” My eyes bulge as I learn they haven’t just created an account…they’ve already matched me with several people.

“Wait—how long have you guys been planning this?”

Apparently, long enough to set up a date at seven o’clock.

Those sneaky little bitches.

Rory is skipping down the steps, fleeing to her room. She hates confrontation, so I know she’s hiding herself away to avoid an argument.

June sits back down on my floor next to Reese. I assumed when Reese said something about moving on, that they were scheming something. Maybe setting me up on a blind date. But Delleth’s dating app isn’t really known for setting up dates. It’s more of an ‘I want to get laid’ type of app, if you know what I mean.

And that...I’m not ready for.

I look over my profile, running my hands through my tangled hair.

I read over the description June wrote about me. “Fun and flirty?”

Reese covers her mouth, hiding her laughter because we all know that’s far from the truth when it comes to me.

More like sad and angry.

I scroll through the photos they posted of me. Our family went to Turks and Caicos in July, and I took a picture that was very unlike me. I’m in a bikini, not leaving much to the imagination as I’m spread out in the sand. Rory made me take the picture, and I’m starting to believe that was no coincidence.

I frown. “I’m going to kill you, Rory!” I yell as I storm from my bed and shout down the steps, knowing she can hear me.

“Actually…you should kill me,” Reese confesses quietly from her position on the floor.

I whip around. My mouth dropped open in evident shock.