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“It’s been two weeks,” I murmur weakly. I’m not sure if it’s for myself, or for Dex. “I’ve known Avery for two weeks. And it’s been less than three weeks since Aaron…since he…” My face heats with a mixture of anger, betrayal, and grief, and I glue my gaze to the ceiling to force those tears back where they belong.
Dex presses his hand to my lower back, leading me over to his couch. “I’m sorry. I’m not rushing you, not at all. You take your time, however much of it you need.” His fingers drum on his knee. “How’s your dad doing? He keeps sending me pictures of his cigar collection. I need to get back there for a visit.”
“He’d like that, Dex. You know how much he loves his boys’ nights.”
“And his appointment last week? Casey said he’s been fine.”
“Casey is exactly like Dad, and you know what Dad’s like. He’ll lie and say everything is fine because he hates worrying anyone. He was in a good mood but seemed a lot more tired than usual. The doctor thought it was too early to run tests.”
I think back on my Dad’s appointment with his oncologist last Friday and the same frustration creeps through my bones now as it did a week ago. When is it every too early to run tests when a two-time cancer patient who’s in remission starts displaying symptoms again? The grip my dad had on my hand was the only thing that physically kept me in my chair and out of the doctor’s face. The doctor promised to run tests in three months if the symptoms persisted, since my dad is an otherwise healthy guy and in good shape, and my dad thought that was reasonable.
Dex picks up my hand, giving it a squeeze. “Your dad is the strongest person I know, Claire. He’ll be okay.”
Dex is right in that my dad’s strength is unmatched. He’s been through so much and keeps going with a smile on his face. I wish I had even a quarter of his strength.
“Why don’t you take off early today?” Dex tugs on the tip of my ponytail. “You’ve been working your ass off. Head out at lunch, go home, take a nap, drink a bottle of wine.”
My nose scrunches with my giggle. “A bottle?”
He winks. “A bottle.”
“I don’t know, Dex.” I hate feeling like I’m taking advantage of him, the relationship we share.
“C’mon, Claire.” He stands, taking both my hands in his, hauling me off the couch and down the hall. In my office, he pulls my chair out and forces me down to it. “One hour. Finish up whatever you need to and then get the hell outta here. I know you’ve got Vivi tonight. And Charlee,” he adds with a look of fear. “You’re gonna need your rest.”
“Are you sure?”
He nods. “I’m sure.” He digs his hand into the bowel of jellybeans on my desk, tossing them into his mouth as he heads toward the door. “Gonna eat these all when you leave.”
Laughing, I watch him leave, and a half hour later, his sister strolls in, shutting the door behind her a little harder than necessary. She sinks to the couch under the windowsill without so much as a word or a look in my general direction, instead checking out her nails.
“Morning,” I finally try, because the silence is painful.
Charlee glances up at me, two perfectly groomed brows lifting on her forehead. She crosses one leg over the other and sits back, lacing her fingers together on her knee.
Here it comes.
“You don’t get to run off without telling any of us where you’re going,” she says rather simply, but utterly harshly. “That’s not cool, and I certainly don’t appreciate that you then ignored my messages for the rest of the night. I was worried sick about you, and so was your brother.”
I hate disappointing Charlee, which is probably why I cringe. She loves me fiercely, and when she’s firm with me, I know I could have made better decisions.
“I’m sorry,” I genuinely apologize. “I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to go home.”
She nods once, curtly. “I get it, Claire, but use your words.” She pats the spot next to her.
I sidle over there pretty damn slowly, like a puppy who knows it’s in trouble. When I reach her, she tugs me down to the couch and wraps her arms around me.
“What’s going on with you? Why can’t you just admit that you like him?” She knows she doesn’t need to say his name.
“Because I shouldn’t. I barely know him. I’m not supposed to be getting involved in anything right now.” A stupid tear rolls down my cheek. I don’t know where it came from. I mean, my eye, obviously. “How can I like him so much, so easily? And why do I have to fall for someone like that, someone who bounces from girl to girl, after I just got cheated on?” I shake my head and swipe at my cheeks, unimpressed at the amount of tears falling now. All I’m thinking about is how perfect Avery looked with that blonde, and the lipstick stains on his shirt.
“The world’s a wild place, isn’t it?” Charlee rests her head against mine, speaking softly. “He came out of nowhere, and he might seem like the wrong fit at the wrong time, but I don’t think he is at all. I think you two suit each other really well. Even your brother sees it. Even Dex, though he hates to admit it. You’re like magnets.”
What she says resonates with me on some level, a deeper one than I’d care to admit. Avery just strolled right into my life and as terrible as the timing feels, he’s also brought me a lot of carefree happiness when I’ve needed it the most. He’s pushed every one of my limits, challenged me endlessly, and as much as I’ve tried, I can’t shake him.
“Wyatt felt awful about last night. He told me about that girl. Her name is Sam.”
I shake my head, my eyes fluttering closed. “I don’t really want to hear about her.”
