Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
I hate lying to her. Hell, I hate lying to any of them, but there’s no way I can possibly tell her what I was really doing. “I’m good, just had a bit of a cold that kicked my ass,” I say, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah, well, you probably should’ve answered one of our calls or texts. Mom was ready to break down your door,” Brock says, stepping up behind me, his tone more serious than usual.
“Mom came to my place?” I ask, feeling a sudden jolt of panic.
“No, but she wanted to,” Brock replies with a slight shake of his head.
Relief washes over me, and I feel a pang of guilt. It’s so messed up—I’ve had everyone worried, and here I am, feeling relieved that my concerned mother didn’t actually come looking for me.
“Hey, I’m glad you’re feeling better, but I’m not coming any closer because if August gets sick because I was too close to you, Felicity will be pissed,” Shepherd says, half-joking as he covers his mouth and nose with his hand.
“I’m fine, really,” I insist, but the guilt is like a vice, tightening around my chest. I lied to them, and now I’m lying to their faces.
“Damn, I was starting to think you ran off,” Paxton adds with a chuckle, giving my shoulder a playful slap.
“Yeah, seriously, you can’t just ignore us. I understand you didn’t feel good, but I know you, little brother. You always have your phone within arm’s reach. We were really starting to get worried,” Anya says, crossing her arms and giving me a look that makes me feel even worse.
“All right, obviously Tripp had a couple of crap days, but he’s back now,” Griffin says, grinning at me, though his eyes tell a different story. He knows or at least suspects that I’m lying. I appreciate him keeping that to himself, though.
“Yes, he’s back, and shouldn’t you all be working?” Callum’s voice cuts through the conversation, and I turn to face him, my stomach twisting with nerves.
I know he’s pissed, and the disappointment in his eyes is almost too much to bear. This is the problem with hiding away—you eventually have to face what you’re hiding from.
“I’m sorry, Callum. I’m feeling better now,” I lie again, hoping he’ll let it slide.
But I can see the disappointment etched on his face, and it hurts more than I expected. I don’t want to let him down, don’t want to let any of them down, but that’s the problem. Hiding away with Millie, losing myself in the comfort of her arms, makes me want to forget everything else.
We laugh, we talk, we have epic sex. There’s no pressure to show up at the brewery where I don’t really want to be. No pressure to work on my book, the one I’m keeping a secret from everyone. No guilt about falling for my brother’s ex.
With Millie, everything just feels right, like the world outside doesn’t exist. But now, standing here, I’m reminded that it does. And sooner or later, I’ll have to deal with it.
Callum lets out a sigh as he nods before saying, “Good, get to work.” The words are simple, but the weight behind them is heavy. There’s more he wants to say—things he’s holding back for a different time. That knowledge just adds more stress to everything I’m already feeling, making it harder to push through the day.
The hours drag on, every task feeling like a lifetime. I seem to check the time every five minutes, hoping somehow the clock will speed up. I serve food, clear tables, and nod along as Anya excitedly talks about her engagement party that she’s busy planning. But my mind isn’t here. It’s with Millie, wondering what she’s doing. Is she feeling the same emptiness that’s gnawing at me. I wonder if she’s counting the minutes like I am, making the day crawl by at a snail's pace.
“So, how sick were you?” Griffin asks, grinning as he steps outside while I’m trying to get some fresh air. The knowing look on his face tells me he’s not buying my excuse.
I glance over at him and shrug. “I’m not ready to talk about it all just yet,” I admit, hoping he’ll drop it.
He leans against the building next to me, nodding slowly. “I get that. You feel like you’re protecting something new and fragile.”
“Something like that,” I say, giving a slight nod. He’s not wrong, but he’s not entirely right either. It’s more complicated than that.
“Look, you know I support you going after this girl, and I’m thrilled that you’ve finally got the balls to tell her how you feel, and obviously, she feels the same.” He lets out a sigh, and before I can respond, he continues. “But you can’t hide away and pretend you have no responsibilities. I’d never tell Callum, but I can’t stand by and pretend I don’t know what’s going on. You’re not some dumb kid anymore with no responsibilities, Tripp, but you’re acting like it.”