AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I hadn’t had anyone at home since the last time she’d visited. While I was happy for Teague, I’d liked having them both here. It was nice not to be alone. Nice to be with the people who mattered most to me.
“Yeah, but you got me out of the hell-no camp to just a no.” She adjusted a pillow behind her back. “Which is pretty impressive since you weren’t really trying.”
“Maybe big brother knows what he’s talking about?” Some of the pressure in my chest released.
She downed her drink. “That’s a hell no.”
“Why are we such strangers?”
Beau furrowed her brow. I was surprised by my spontaneous question also.
She thought for a minute. “It’s hard when we live so far away.”
“We speak most every day,” I argued.
“About business. I don’t know if you’ve been on a date, out to a baseball game, or slept with most of the city. I could get more info out of that painting than you.” She pointed to the oil painting of red slashes on a white canvas.
So I wasn’t verbose. Beau and Teague knew more about me than anyone. Yet there was still this distance between us. As if we were close strangers.
“I know nothing of your social life either.”
“I tell you all the time about places I’ve been, people I’ve hung out with.”
“You never introduced me to Lexie.” Why had I brought her up?
“How many times did I invite you out with me? Every time, except when I wanted a girls’ night. You always turned me down because you were working.” She spoke the word as if it were the vilest in the English language.
It was true. I had declined every invitation to socialize.
“At least now you can understand why.”
She set her glass on the floor. “No. No, I don’t understand.”
How did I explain my rationale? I was so used to keeping everything guarded, especially from my siblings. It was my responsibility to bear all of the burden so they could enjoy life.
I’d asked her why we were strangers. The answer was that it was mostly because of me. And I still couldn’t make my mouth open and form words even now.
“You’re a clam. I get it. That’s how men are. But you’re zipped up so tight, you’re impossible to get through to.” She yanked on her necklace. “I used to think it was our age difference. That I was the annoying little sister.”
“You are an annoying little sister.”
The streak of hurt on her features slashed through me. I clamped a hand on her ankle.
“Beau . . .”
She bolted to her feet. “Maybe it’s better when you don’t share your feelings.”
Her shoulders were slumped as she hustled to the door.
Open your mouth. Say something.
But she was right. It was better to stay silent than hurt her again.
