AllFreeNovel
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“Fuck if I can tell. He’s good at playing sober now.”
“Dammit.” Levi kicks something, the sound vibrating through the video call. “Don’t fucking tell me he’s drinking again.”
“I don’t know for sure, but something’s off. It’s hard to tell. He’s miserable sober and when he’s drunk. Works in his favor but not ours.”
“When will he learn? I’m not perfect myself, but fuck if I don’t actively try every day.”
“Maybe you can talk some sense into him. He won’t listen to me.”
“I doubt he’ll listen to me, either. But I’ll try.”
“Thanks. I gotta run. My shift at the garage starts soon. Talk to you later.”
“I’m so proud of my little bro, working a good job, fixing cars and shit. Didn’t expect you to figure shit out so quickly, but you did. Good job.”
I laugh. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. But yeah, I didn’t expect it either.”
“If only Mom could see her boys,” Levi says with sadness in his voice.
She would be so proud…
* * *
“You’re looking a lot less lobster-y today,” Lo says as she gets out of her car and walks over to hand me the key. “Feeling better?”
She looks gorgeous this morning. I mean, she always does, but today, she looks happier, more radiant, as if her skin is glowing. Freckles play across her nose, and she’s tan, her skin looking sun-kissed.
“Yes. Skin still hurts like a bitch, though.”
“Have you been using the cream and doing the soak?” She raises her eyebrows, her questions so very mom-like. I can’t help but chuckle. She’s cute.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s the few popped blisters that hurt the worst.”
Lo scrunches her face in the most adorable way. “Ew, they popped?”
“What did you think would happen?” I tease. “But anyway, thanks for helping me out the other day. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Friends do favors for each other, right?”
Friends? We’re friends now? Looks like we’ve leveled up…
I mean, I don’t really know what we are. We sort of aren’t anything, but I definitely didn’t think we were friends.
I like it. “Yes, they do.”
I meet her gaze, and we stand frozen, neither one saying anything.
Lo suddenly clears her throat. “So, uh, yeah… I’ll just go wait in the waiting room, then?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. It might take a couple of hours. Do you want me to give you a ride home? Don and I can drop the car back off to you later.”
“No, that’s alright. I’ve got job applications to fill out.”
“Any luck so far?”
“I had a good interview at a small coffee shop the other day, but besides that, not a one.”
“Well, good morning, you two!” Don bellows out as he walks into the garage. “Nice to see you here again, Chloe. More car troubles?”
