My hand tightens around my phone. If her boss hurt one hair on her head I’m driving out to make him pay for what he’s done.
Did he hurt her? Is she in trouble?-Grey
LOL. No bro. Nothing like that. He’s going to prison. Fraud or something like that. But Kari messaged me a couple of days ago. I’m worried about her. She didn’t sound great.-Darby
Of course, Darby’s worried more about Kari than herself. The two of them are two peas in a pod. Always looking out for the other one no matter what’s going on in their own world.
Anything I can do?-Grey
I regret asking the second I hit send. The last thing I need to be doing is worry about Kari. But I can’t help it. She’s always in the back of my mind. Someone I can never forget, never leave behind. How could I? She’s family to me… more than family. She’s the missing part of my heart that I’ll never fill.
Could you check on her? Just make sure she’s getting out. Not stuck at home spiraling. She’s having a rough time with Kelly getting married.-Darby
My jaw clenches as I stare at the screen.
She wishes she were getting married?-Grey
I know I can’t have her, but it kills me to think she could want someone else.
No, dumbass. Younger sisters get tired of walking in the shadow of their perfect older siblings.-Darby
I don’t have older siblings, but I’ve always been the fuck up compared to Darby. Not the other way around. But my lip twitches, tugging at a smirk that just won’t surface. My sister thinks I’m perfect. Who am I to dissuade her?
Do me a solid? Check on her. Take her to lunch, a movie, or something. Please?-Darby
I exhale slowly.
I’ll check on her. But no promises. I’m a busy guy.-Grey
No way in hell I’m asking Kari out, starting up something that there’s no way either of us could finish.
Oh, please. Tell me you aren’t on a marathon dating schedule. Promise me you’re not one of those love-’em-and-leave-’em guys. You’d break my heart.-Darby
That gets a chuckle out of me. Most of my friends are shacked up, engaged, or already married. I’m still figuring things out. It’s difficult to get serious about anyone when they’ll never compare to the one person I want the most.
Far from it.-Grey
Which is the truth. Always has been. I glance around the room, at the weights, the quiet.
Gotta go. Late for my workout.-Grey
Still chasing the dream?-Darby
One of them. And Darby… don’t be stubborn. Come home if you need to. Don’t worry about the internship. You’ll find something. People like us always end up on our feet.-Grey
Ugh. You’re way too perfect for your own good. But I love you, bro.-Darby
I can practically see her eye roll followed by the sarcastic batting of her lashes. She thinks it’s weak to be mushy, but she’s got a soft spot that’s going to get her in trouble one of these days. She’s going to roll her eyes and sass back to the wrong guy and make him fall head over heels in love with her. And there won’t be a damn thing I can do to stop it.
I close the screen and refocus, restarting the feed. A notification pops up from a new subscriber. Five more dollars toward the dream.
At least the one hard work and money can buy.
3
Kari
I spend the next few days avoiding kitchen table wedding talk, submitting applications to jobs I do not want, but need, and pouring through hours and hours of workout videos.
