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“And I miss Darren so much,” Ramona continued, leaning into my hand. “Teddy keeps me too busy most days to cry, but then night hits, and I’m sitting there with my phone trying to figure out how to tell him how much I miss him without being negative pressure on him about the job.”
“If you need to go back up there, I can help you with airfare or whatever else you might need. And keep Teddy for a few days.” How I was supposed to find the time for that in the middle of a busy August countdown to the Labor Day onslaught at the tavern, I had no clue, but I’d make it work for Ramona. Somehow.
“Thanks. You’re the best brother.” Tilting her head back, she smiled up at me. “And I am going to have to talk to him. I don’t want to tell him via text.”
“Then don’t.” Some things were that simple. That was what I’d tried to tell Quinn that morning and failed at. If he didn’t want to end things, then he shouldn’t.
Ramona stepped away to grab a dishcloth and resume wiping down her counters. Out in the living area, Teddy was playing some video game, bouncing on the couch cushions. “Not sure it’s that easy. But you’re always so good at drilling down to the root of a problem.”
“Not always.” I stifled a groan. That morning’s conversation was the opposite of a success story.
“What’s wrong?” Ramona knew me too well. Spinning, she gave me an appraising stare. “I am kind of surprised you aren’t working tonight.”
“It’s a Monday. We were slow.” I made a dismissive gesture even though I’d worked plenty of Mondays far slower than this one. “I had a bad headache yesterday. Went in for a few hours, but Mason sent me home when I got the text from you.”
“Translation being, you were a bear and he figured someone else should have to deal with you?” She laughed, but she was right on the money. Better your sister pry whatever thorn is in your paw out of you, were Mason’s exact words after I refused to tell him or Logan why I was in such a terrible mood.
“Maybe.”
“That’s not like you, even coming off a headache. What happened? Did you and Quinn break up?” God. Why did she have to get the family talent for mind-reading? I preferred being the one reaching accurate conclusions, not having the trick used on me.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I clenched my jaw, mouth firming up and eyes hardening. She might be right about why I was in a mood, but I still wasn’t talking.
But Ramona wasn’t dropping anything. “Tell me you and Mom aren’t blaming him for not telling about the pregnancy?”
“Of course not.” I rolled my eyes at her. Something about being around my sister always knocked several years off my maturity level. “He has those doctor rules.”
“Good. I like him. He gave me his number, which probably went against some of those rules, but he never tried to tell me what to do. He’s nice and a good doctor too.”
“He is.” I huffed out a breath. That wasn’t the issue. He was good at what he did, and like me, he worked long hours, but unlike me, he took breaks. Days off when he could. His beach walks. His towering stacks of books. He had hobbies. When was the last time I did something purely for pleasure? The camping trip with Quinn? That had been weeks ago. Damn it. He had a point about how out of balance my life was, but hell if I knew how to fix it. “I thought we were talking about your love life, not mine.”
But before Ramona could continue to press, Teddy came hurtling into the kitchen. “Mom! Darren is here! Like right here! Right now.”
“Oh. My. God.” Ramona’s eyes went flying saucer wide. “If our mother told him, the cove isn’t big enough for her to hide from my wrath.”
“I’ll help,” I promised, hoping like hell that Ramona was wrong and Mom wasn’t behind this. “But go see what he wants. Teddy, bud, why don’t you stay over here with me.”
“Can I have an ice pop?” Typical bottomless pit kid, he was more concerned with food than incoming relationship drama and was already pawing through the fridge.
“Sure,” I said as I tried not to listen to Ramona and Darren in the living room, but their voices carried.
“What are you doing here?” Ramona didn’t sound particularly happy to see Darren, but to his credit, he didn’t snap back.
“I missed you. Maybe I got tired of seeing those three dots pop up in chat only to disappear.”
“Sorry.” A lot of the steam left Ramona’s voice. “I’ve…there’s a lot going on.”
“Which you could try telling me about.” Darren’s tone was all patient. “I thought we were partners in this thing.”
