Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Then two tears streaked down her cheeks.
I felt like I shouldn’t be there, shouldn’t witness this, but I couldn’t walk away.
He left her…but I never would.
It was pure agony to watch someone I loved so fucking much suffer that heartache and humiliation, when she didn’t deserve it. If I could trade places with her, I would. If I could snap Mason’s head off and roll it down a lane like a bowling ball, I would. My hand moved to her shoulder.
She jumped at my touch, assuming she’d been alone. The look she gave me was indescribable, like she was pissed that I’d caught her with tears running down her cheeks. The ferocity slowly faded away, and she quickly wiped her cheeks to hide that she ever broke down in the first place.
“You don’t have to hide from me, Daisy. You don’t have to pretend.”
She watched the cars pass on the street, her arms still crossed over her chest, breathing through all the heartache and trying to dissolve it as much as possible, to return to her normally calm composure. “How much did you hear?”
“Enough.”
“Ugh, I don’t know what the fuck to do.” She threw her phone onto the ground, cracking the screen in several places. “He fucking humiliated me. He told me… Just forget it. Not worth it. It’s done…it’s over.”
My arm circled her shoulders, and I gently cradled her into me, pulling her close so she could rest her face against my chest, have a respite from the public as they walked by. My shirt could be her tissue. My body could be her crutch.
“Mom and Dad know?”
“No. I saw you through the window, but they can’t. I pretended to step out and make a phone call.”
“You’re a good brother, you know that?” She held on to me, relaxing into me.
I kissed her on the forehead. “What do you want to do?”
“I…I don’t know.” She sniffled into my shirt.
“We can go in there and have dinner with Mom and Dad…and not talk about it.”
She pulled away, her makeup a mess because her eyes were wet and my shirt had smudged things around. “What am I supposed to say?”
“You don’t have to say anything, Daisy. I know how you must feel, but family is the one place you don’t have to run from. Let’s just go in there and have dinner…and forget about it. Alright?”
She inhaled a deep breath and gave a nod. “You’re right. Fuck him.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out an old napkin that I hadn’t used at lunchtime.
She took it and started to clean up her makeup while I grabbed her phone from the ground—it was pretty much completely busted—and handed it to her.
“Thanks. Do I look okay?”
I pulled out my phone and pulled up the camera, so she could see to fix her makeup.
She composed herself then handed it back. “Okay, let’s go. I’m pretty hungry anyway.”
I smiled and gave her a one-armed hug. “There she is.”
We walked back into the restaurant and headed to the table where my parents waited. In silence, they both watched us, their eyes on Daisy’s face. She’d dried her tears and fixed her makeup, but her cheeks were a little puffy, her eyes slightly red, and Dad would notice because it was his job to notice stuff like that.
I pulled out the chair for her, and then we sat down, our parents watching us both because they knew something wasn’t right.
Dad was silent, his eyes glued to Daisy’s face.
Mom shifted her gaze from my sister to me.
I shook my head—and that was all she needed to know.
Eight
Sicily
You wanna come over? It was Sunday afternoon, my only day off, and Zach wanted to utilize that.
I stared at his message but didn’t respond. I was on the couch in my pajamas, my mouth having a cotton-like feeling because I hadn’t brushed my teeth, even though it was past noon. I lay on the couch with my takeout container on the coffee table beside me. It was the one day I didn’t have to dress up or wear heels—and I enjoyed every second of it.
Then Dex texted me. Sorry to bother you on a Sunday, but I can’t access the student portal. What’s the password again?
You’re working today?
Come on, I’m always working. And you’re one to talk. You’re probably doing something right now.
Actually, it was the one time I wasn’t. I gave him the password. How’d it go last night?
Oh…not well.
Your dad hated him?
No, he never met him.
What happened?
I guess Mason chickened out and dumped her.
I closed my eyes and gave a sigh of irritation, feeling so bad for Daisy. Why would anyone dump a drop-dead gorgeous woman who’s smart and fun?
Men are idiots. I’m finishing up some stuff then I’m going to go over there and bring a pizza.
That’s sweet.
You wanna come?