Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“I’m here now,” I mutter. “I’m sorry, Rylie. I’m sorry I’ve been an awful brother.”
“You keep telling me that, but, see, I didn’t see it that way. I just wanted to spend time with you.”
The tent is cramped, but I need to comfort her. I roll us until she’s mostly beneath me. My bare leg intertwines with hers beneath the blanket and my palm slides up her stomach over her tank.
“I’m trying to be a better person,” I admit. I brush her hair from her face and touch her lips with my fingertips.
“You were always a better person than me. I worshipped you,” she breathes.
“And now?” My voice is husky.
“I still do.”
“What’s happening to us?” I rest my head on my arm as I pet her hair with my other hand. “Why do I feel so desperate to fix our relationship?”
She turns her head, her hot breath tickling my face. “Because I’m all you have left.”
Leaning forward, I plant a kiss on her cheek. “It’s more than that. I think with Mom and Dad passing, my eyes are finally open to what’s important. All the shit I worried about before doesn’t matter anymore.”
“I’m glad you’re back this week,” she murmurs. “I’ll be sad when you leave.”
I kiss her cheek again. Just a small peck. And then she tilts her head toward me. I can feel her breath so close. I press my lips to hers because it feels right.
“Hudson?”
“Yeah, Rylie?”
“I’m sick and you’ve caught the sickness too.”
I peck her lips once more before lying back. “I’ll be fine, Ry. Don’t worry about me.”
She curls back against me and whispers against my chest, “I’m worried it’s going to kill me, though.”
“Oh, shit,” I grumble when we pull into the driveway at Aunt Becky’s. “I forgot to make you take your pill.”
Rylie shrugs. “I don’t need it.”
“You do.” I reach behind her seat and dig it out of my backpack. “Here.”
She lets out a huff but steals my Mountain Dew to chase down her pill. “Ahhh. There. Happy?”
I grab her hand and squeeze it. “I just don’t want you to hurt. Those pills help you.”
The tension bleeds from her and she nods. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ve just been under Aunt Becky’s thumb for too long. She makes me feel like I’m in the nuthouse and she’s my evil nurse.”
We both laugh because Aunt Becky is kind of a control freak.
My phone rings and I groan. I’ve been avoiding Amy’s calls. Unfairly so. She’s my girlfriend and I can’t avoid her forever.
“Grab a shower,” I tease. “You stink. I’ll unload all this.”
As soon as she climbs out, I call Amy back.
“Hey, Hudson,” she greets.
“Hey, babe.”
“They’re having a block party at the downtown district tonight. You should come. I’ll be helping Mom run the store, but she’ll let me out early and maybe we can watch the bands or something.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“I’ve missed you. I thought…”
“What?”
“I thought you could come alone,” she murmurs, shame in her voice.
Anger swells up inside me. Of course she should feel ashamed. She’s asking me to leave behind my sister knowing she’s fragile lately.
Amy bursts into tears and speaks before I can answer. “I’m sorry. Gah, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just missing you and want to spend time with you.”
I relax and run my fingers through my dirty hair. “I’ll be there. See you soon.”
“I love you,” she says.
“You too.”
I click off my phone and spend the next half hour unloading the truck. My mind is elsewhere as I shower and get ready. When I finally emerge from the bathroom, Rylie is passed out on the couch. She’s wearing a pair of my Razorback sweats and a tank top. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, still wet, and her nose and cheeks are red from sunburn.
I should let her sleep.
Slip away to avoid hurting her feelings.
But…
I tickle her bare foot until her eyes flutter open.
“Amy wants us to come to a block party,” I lie. “You could get away from Aunt Becky.”
She sits up and yawns before standing. “You don’t have to ask me twice. I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.” She bounds up the stairs, full of energy for someone who was just sleeping.
I’m doing the right thing.
“And we got these in yesterday,” Amy chirps as she shows me some new candles.
I don’t fucking care about candles, but I force a smile anyway.
“Nice.”
A customer asks Amy a question about the candles and she starts animatedly telling them all about them. I sneak away on a hunt for Rylie. She leans against a wall staring at the ground, looking sorely out of place. My eyes rake over her appearance and I wonder when she grew up. She’s wearing a navy-blue floral print dress, a denim jacket, and cowgirl boots. It looks like something Aunt Becky bought for her and I’m happy she’s at least trying to make our aunt happy.