AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What if he’s crying?”
“Well, if he’s crying then wereallyneed to get in there. Look—it’s been an entire day. Mom said that if we don’t report back within the hour, she’s coming over here herself.”
Grunting under my breath, I force myself into a sitting position. The downside of having a family that gives a shit about you? They give a shit about you. Even when—especially when—you wish they’d just leave you alone.
“You girls can come in,” I say, my voice scratchy and weak.
Not one second later, the door flies open.
Light from the hall floods the doorway, outlining the silhouettes of my two youngest sisters.
Maya takes a hesitant step into my dungeon of depression. “Mind if I open the curtains?” she asks. “You could probably use some sunlight. Vitamin D, y’know?”
I want to argue with her but I don’t have the strength.
She hurries over to the window and within a heartbeat, even more light fills my miserable bedroom.
Ruby pads across the carpet, carrying a tray in her hands. “We brought you something to eat. Bacon-cheddar omelet. Not as good as Mom’s but it’s edible. I promise.”
My lips force themselves into a smile as I take the meal from my sister. “Thanks.”
“How are you holding up?” Maya asks, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
How am I supposed to answer that? The truth is that I’m devastated. But I’m their big brother. And even at my worst, I want to show them that I’m strong. That I’ve got this. Even though I don’t ‘got this’.
“Just a bit tired, but I’ll be fine,” I tell the girls. I take a bitter gulp of my black coffee. It tastes like death. Appropriate given the way I’m feeling.
“Did you try speaking to Karli?” Maya asks.
“Maybe if you speak to her, you two can work things out,” Ruby says hopefully.
Yesterday, the minute the workday ended I hit the road. After spending a tense week locked in the house with Karli—still spinning from the way the woman I love mindlessly tossed me onto the trash heap—I was desperate to get away for a few days. When I showed up here at my house last night, my sisters had had questions, of course.
“Why do you look like shit?”
“Where is Karli?”
“What did you do to piss her off?”
Because everybody always automatically assumes the breakup is the guy’s fault, of course. Not that this is even a breakup since Karli and I were never officially together.
I didn’t delve into the specifics with my sisters. All I told them was that Karli and I aren’t seeing each other anymore. They just watched me with pity because it was obvious that my adventures in Starlight Falls are turning out to be a pathetic repeat of my usual story. Fucking embarrassing.
I chew on a forkful of my omelet. It’s ice cold, making me wonder how long it took the girls to muster up the courage to come in here. “Things can’t be worked out, Ruby.”
“Please tell me this has nothing to do with Zara,” Maya begs. “I hope you’re not still in love with that woman.”
“I’m not in love with Zara,” I say, and it’s the first time I’ve heard an ounce of conviction in my voice all day.
“The minute that woman finds out you’re single and licking your wounds, she’ll come swooping in like a vulture.”
“She can do all the swooping she wants. I’m not interested.” The idea of my ex makes me want to hurl. I’d rather slam my dick in the door—over and over until it falls off—than let Zara get anywhere near it again.
Maya sighs. “Well, you can’t just lie around feeling sorry for yourself, Mason.”
“You were happy with Karli,” Ruby dares to say, looking afraid to meet my eyes.
“God—I barely knew the girl. I convinced myself that I did. But I didn’t.”
