AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Right. Dylan asked me to let you know that your mom is being transferred to Evergreen General.” I shrugged. “That’s all. Good news, right?”
“Ah, shit,” Kingston swore. “So, that’s why he was bothering me. Christ, I thought he was trying to get me to choke down those pain meds again.” He looked down at his lap as if he was a naughty boy and I’d just scolded him. “I threw my boot at him.”
I laughed. “He mentioned.”
“Is that all you needed?” Kingston’s eyes darted behind me again.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “Do you have somewhere to be?”
“No. I’m just—”
“Cleaning?” I suggested, glancing around him in turn. The room looked nicer than I’d expected of Kingston’s depression den. I spotted a dust rag and some spray on the coffee table behind him, with a bag of trash sitting off to the side. The bed he’d been sleeping on had been converted back into a couch.
“Just, uh… tidying up a little, yeah.” He shrugged. “No reason. Not a big deal.”
“You want some help?” I offered. It was good to see him coming up out of his despair a little. Cleaning was surely a positive sign that he was improving, even if he was still refusing to take his medication. “I’m dying for something to do. It’ll go faster if it’s the both of us.”
“No!” he said, too quickly, and far too loud. “No, I mean… you should let me do it. I’m gonna have to get used to doing things like this on my own, right? It’s, um, a pride thing. Gotta let me do it myself, right?”
“Yeah, of course. I understand. But if you need help—”
“No, I’ve got it. In fact, you should, um… go for a drive or something, maybe.” He flapped his hand in the direction of the door. “Get out of the house for a little while? Might be nice.”
“Might be,” I agreed. “But Rylan’s napping. I don’t wanna wake him.”
“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” Kingston rubbed his beard. Another glance behind me. What was he looking for? “Maybe you should take a nap with him. You look…tired.”
“Do I?” I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. Rylan had woken me up several times through the night.
“I mean, not bad tired, but… naps are good, right?” he said earnestly. “You could just go upstairs, get comfy, lay down for a while…”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to get rid of me.” I smiled. “Actually, I think that’s exactly what you’re doing.”
“If I was trying to get rid of you, I’d be chucking boots your way, wouldn’t I?” he blustered. “Jesus, can’t a guy suggest that his brother’s mate go get some rest?”
I narrowed my eyes, more invested than ever now. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing! I just—”
Before he explain any further, the doorbell cut him off. It rang loud and proud with a brassy chime.
“Shit,” Kingston muttered beneath his breath, just as I swore, “Fuck!”
I held my breath, listening for Rylan. Had the bell woken him?
There was no telltale cry. He was still asleep. Thank God.
But somehow, I suspected Kingston hadn’t cursed for the same reason I had.
“Is that what this is all about?” I asked, nodding to his freshly cleaned room. “Are you expecting a visitor?”
Kingston schooled his face. “Nope.”
“Are you sure?” I cocked my head toward the door. “Maybe you want to go answer that?”
“Don’t know who it is, now, do I?” he insisted with a petulant scowl.
I laughed and shook my head. “Okay. I’ll go get it, then.”
