“Sorry, big brother,” I mutter. “You lost your right to privacy when you decided to lie to me for a week straight.”
I scroll through his contacts, find her number and program it into my own, and put the phone back exactly where it was. Frost wanders into the room a few minutes later and makes a beeline for me.
“I’m sorry, Paige. I was an asshole.” Frost wraps me in his arms, and I squeeze him back.
I let go first and step away, pointing at his phone. “Is that your phone?”
“Shit, yeah.” He snatches it up.
“Hey, Frost,” Chaos calls out. “Colt got tied up, and I need help getting the delivery from the church.”
“I’m coming,” he answers. “Catch you later, Paige.”
I run to the elevator and press three. When the doors open, I run down the hall to my room, shut the door, lock it, and flop on the bed like I just committed a federal crime. I dial Hope’s number before I can talk myself out of it.
“Hello?” a soft voice answers.
“Hope?” I say.
There’s a brief pause. “Um… yes? Who is this?”
Right, she doesn’t know me.
I take a deep breath. “I’m Paige. Frost’s sister.”
A long silence follows, and I pull the phone away from my ear to make sure she didn’t hang up on me.
“Oh,” she finally whispers. “Not trying to be rude here, but why are you calling me? How’d you get my number?”
“I stole Frost’s phone and found your number,” I blurt. “Sorry, I know you don’t know me.”
“It’s fine,” she says weakly. “I’m just… confused.”
I sit up straighter, kicking my legs anxiously. “Okay, look. I’m calling because my brother is a dumbass. A stubborn, emotionally constipated, bullheaded, avoid-your-feelings-at-all-costs dumbass.”
“That sounds about right.”
I laugh despite myself. “Good. So, we’re on the same page.”
She doesn’t respond, but I hear a shaky breath.
“He hasn’t been the same since he left you,” I say, softer. “He’s been miserable. Snapping at everyone. Brooding and staring holes into walls like he’s trying to transport himself somewhere else telepathically.”
More silence. Finally, Hope whispers, “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because he won’t,” I say simply. “Frost’s scared. I watched him break down to our dad about you tonight. Full-on confession. He thinks you’re better off without him, but he’s so wrong it’s actually painful.”
I hear her choke on a breath.
“This isn’t me trying to force you to do something,” I add. “You don’t owe him anything. But… he loves you, Hope. He really does, and I think he needs you to tell him it’s okay to come back.”
“I don’t know if I can… I don’t know if I should,” Hope whispers.
“Fair,” I say honestly. “But can I ask one thing?”
“What?”
“Come to Truth or Consequences.”
