“Open up, asshole.”
My brother.No. He was the last person I wanted to see, but he was also relentless. I froze, hoping he’d leave, but he knew me too well.
“I know you’re in there. I can hear you breathing. Unlock this door before my balls fall off.”
“I’m not breathing that loud,” I mumbled, annoyed I let him get to me. I let him inside then returned to my spot on the couch. “Why are you here?”
“Jordan texted me, said you needed help for a few more days. That you aren’t cleared for anything yet and she had something come up and couldn’t stay. She okay?”
I hung my head, exhausted and hurting, physically and mentally. “No. But I’m fucking tired.”
“What do you need? Medicine? Food?” Price frowned. “You look pale, dude. I know you’re uglier than me, but you don’t look great.”
I shivered, hating how my damn body wasn’t one hundred percent. “Not sure what time it even is.”
“Eight.”
“Damn. I missed my round of meds. No wonder I can barely walk.”
“Tell me where they are.”
I gave him directions, and Price returned with water, a snack, and meds. It was strange to see him help me like this, but my brother had a huge heart despite being a barbaric moron most of the time.
“Thanks, man. I hate admitting weakness.”
“Runs in the family. So for real, what did you do? I’m surprised Jordan would leave you, especially with how much she cried. That woman is obsessed with you. I don’t know why, but she collapsed against me with worry when you were in surgery. Shook the whole time.”
My stomach rolled. From the medicine or his admission, but I felt like such an asshole. I should’ve told her I loved her, that I was with her until she sent me away. Instead, I was a coward. I hadn’t wanted to lose her, and look what happened anyway. “Remember when your dumb ass told me to look for another apartment?”
His eyes widened a fraction. “Don’t bring me into this, but I might recall something like that.”
“Well, she found it somehow and immediately thought it was legit. That I was moving in February and that I never told her.”
“Ah, and she’s a cagey one.” He nodded, staring out the front window into the dark with a somber look. “Okay—she learned that you looked, assumed the worst, and took off because she wants to protect herself. That makes sense.”
“Look at you putting pieces together.” I shoved a pillow over my face, preferring the dark. It helped my headache and prevented me from seeing my brother. “Yeah. That’s pretty much it.”
“She’ll come around though.” My idiot brother sat on the end of the couch, just beyond where my feet were. “Put on some socks, you weirdo. It’s cold outside.”
“I deserve to feel cold.”
“When did you become so dramatic?” Price got up, and a second later, he tossed a blanket on me.
I mumbled a quiet thanks because it did feel nice.
“You’re welcome. You should sleep, and tomorrow we can make a plan.”
“There’s no plan. Jordan isn’t someone you can betray more than once. Once you lose that trust, she cuts you out of her life forever. I’ve seen it countless times.”
“Sure, but you didn’t betray her. She has misleading information and can’t make that assumption off a half-truth. Dude, why are you giving up? What is this?”
“I can’t play hockey for weeks. The love of my stupid life left me. It’s cold. I’m miserable. Mom and Dad are being weird. I don’t know. Can a guy just have a pity party for a hot second?”
Price laughed. It was a deep cackle that echoed in the living room, and soon enough, my own lips twitched. “Do you hear yourself? God, I wish I recorded that. You can have your silly little party tonight. Cry. Punch a wall. Get it out. Tomorrow, I’m kicking your ass. I love you, you idiot, but you’re wallowing. It’s not cute. Honestly, it’s a good thing Jordan isn’t here because you would deserve to get left like this.”
“You’re supposed tohelp menot make it worse.”
“That’s the thing, dude, I am.”
