Stepbrother Dearest(38)

“His flight is Saturday night.”

“Oh.”

She crossed her legs and took a bite of the scone. “Was he always this complex? I mean, when he was younger?”

“From the brief time I knew him, I would say so…yes. His writing books is a good example of that.”

She tilted her head. “His writing…books?”

She didn’t know?

“Oh…uh…just something he toyed around with. I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s irrelevant.”

“Wow, I need to ask him about that. I can’t believe I didn’t know he liked to write. Books about what?”

How could he not have told her?

I started to panic. “Just fiction. Don’t say I told you.” I shook my head, urging her to drop it. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”


His voice was cold. “No. You shouldn’t have.”

We both turned at the same time to find Elec standing in front of us.

Shit.

The icy stare he gave me was all the indictor I needed that I’d made a big mistake. But it was too late. Now, he was the one that had to do damage control.

Chelsea patted the seat next to her. “Come here, baby. Why would you not tell me you used to write? That’s so cool.”

“It’s not really a big deal. It was just a hobby I had when I was a teenager.”

It wasn’t a hobby; it was a passion.

Why aren’t you writing anymore?

“I can’t believe you never told me,” she said.

He brushed it off. “Well, now you know.”

I was waiting for him to look at me so that I could at least mouth a silent apology, but he never gave me the opportunity.

Clara walked into the room. “Elec, can I get you anything?” she asked.

“Something strong.”

“You got it.”

She returned with three shot glasses filled with some kind of amber-colored liquor. Elec downed the first two immediately.

Chelsea whispered to me. “See? Promise you’ll keep an eye on him for me, okay?”

Elec slammed the last shot glass down after finishing its contents. “She doesn’t need to keep an eye on me,” he spewed.

“You know how badly I feel about leaving you alone.”

“You shouldn’t. I’ll be fine. I’ll be home before you wake up on Sunday morning.”

He’d be gone again before I knew it.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. Elec had changed into jeans, and his feet were bare. That triggered a flashback to the night he initially opened up to me in my bedroom when I noticed for the first time how beautiful his feet were bare. I willed the thought away because when Chelsea had asked me to keep an eye on him, I hardly think she meant ogling him.

My mother walked into the living room. “Honey, I think I need to get home and rest up for tomorrow.”

“Okay, we’ll get going.” I couldn’t get off that couch fast enough.

Chelsea stood up. “Greta, I won’t see you again. I can’t tell you how good it was to meet you. I hope we’ll meet again.”

“Likewise.” I lied.

As I hugged her, I looked behind her shoulder at Elec and mouthed, “I’m sorry,” hoping he’d forgive me for letting the cat out of the bag about his writing. He just looked at me with an unreadable expression. While I couldn’t understand why he never mentioned it to her if they were so serious, that didn’t matter. I’d once again overstepped my boundaries when it came to him. Despite whatever that was between us downstairs at the funeral home, I had no real place in his life anymore. I made a vow then and there to keep my distance from him tomorrow unless he sought me out.

He doesn’t need me. He has her. That would be my mantra.

She hugged my mother. “Sarah, please accept my sincerest condolences again. I’m so sorry that I have to be in California for my sister’s wedding tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” my mother said. I could tell she was exhausted.

Chelsea whispered into my ear. “Thank you for letting me vent about that stuff earlier, too.”

“Anytime.”

Thank you for traumatizing me.

In another life, this girl could have been my best friend. I could just tell she was the kind of person you could call at any hour of the night to vent about all your problems. She was that nice, and I was that evil for the amount of relief I’d felt knowing that she’d be leaving on a jet plane tomorrow morning.

Now, the only hurdle would be getting through the next twenty-four hours. Then, Elec would be on a plane, too and out of my life again.

Right?

It didn’t quite turn out to be that simple.





CHAPTER 14



It was a beautiful day despite the somber mood. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and I’d actually managed to sleep. But this wasn’t your ordinary beautiful spring morning in Boston. Today, my mother would have to bury a husband for the second time in her life, and Elec would have to bury his father.

I hadn’t realized until Chelsea told me she was leaving last night how much anxiety her presence had caused. Even though I’d have to face Elec again, today didn’t feel half as horrible as yesterday.

When I walked into my mother’s room, she was sitting on the bed holding a picture of Randy and her on their wedding day. She had been wearing a simple white suit for their ceremony at Boston City Hall. They seemed really happy together back then.