“I normally would take you up on the offer,” Sutton said.“But I just saw the state of your room.You need to pack and clean.We’ll leave you to it.”She threw her arms around me, squeezed tight, and kissed my cheek with a smacking sound that echoed around us.“Love you.Call me when you get back.We’ll grab coffee, and I can tell you all about my date.”Her eyes drifted to Rhone, who let out a low groan.
“I will.”
She released me, and Rhone swung his arm around me.“Love you, sis.Be easy on Wy, okay?He lost his entire world.”
“I did too, you know.”
Rhone inhaled, then released it slowly, as if he was debating if he should say what popped into his mind.“Yeah, but you made the call.He would have stayed.”
The truth hit me like an unexpected uppercut to the gut.The wind rushed out of me, and my body froze.
He kissed the top of my head, and he and Sutton left.I stood there, wishing he would’ve kept that truth bomb to himself.
Rose’s vanilla coconut scent clung to every fiber woven into the seats of my car, taunting me, reminding me it was no longer my right to it, but a privilege.I greedily inhaled, hoping not to look like some freak getting high from Rose’s essence and our memories.
The driver’s eyes connected with mine in the rearview, and I offered a smile and nod.We could have had anyone of Rose’s siblings or in-laws drive us, but I didn’t want to make it any worse than it was.
This drive to the airport was as uncomfortable as wet jeans in winter—cold, stiff, and making me question every life decision that led me here.Add in a family member aware of the tension and trying to mask over the awkwardness with small talk, I would have jumped out the door on the highway.This was bad, but it could have been worse.Still, if I didn’t turn things around now, I would have an entire weekend of this unpleasant quiet, and that was something I could not accept.
“I embarrassed Ben,” I blurted as if I had a gun held to my head and I had to make a split-second decision on a conversation.It’s the only explanation for why I chose this line to break the silence.
Rose tucked a honey-brown strand behind her delicate ear, her eyebrow arching in confusion as her head slightly turned to me.“How’d you do that?”
“I sang Total Eclipse of the Heart outside his place.He thought my choice of song was embarrassing and told me to pick something cooler next time.”
“What is he talking about?Total Eclipse of the Heart is aclassic.”
“That’s what I said,” I exclaimed with a little too much gusto.“The man has no musical taste.I think someone should warn your sister before she marries him.”
As soon asmarriescame out of my mouth, my entire body froze, just as the slight smile I had gotten out of Rose fell.Damn it.I fucked up without even trying.The day was still young; I had plenty of time to rack in the fuck-ups.I mentally created a tally board, adding a slash.
“I mean… it’s only right that she knows her boyfriend doesn’t know good music.”
“Yeah,” Rose said, her voice uninterested, and it was as if I lost her all over again.She angled toward the door, her cheek landing on her hand as she stared out the window.
I sank into the seat, the driver’s eye catching mine again, and even though he did not know the situation, I swore he was judging me.Those dark eyes said, “Good going, jackass.”
Not saying anything I didn’t already know, buddy.
An agonizing hour later, we arrived at the airport, checked in, went through security, and were finally sitting by our gate.Rose’s fingers drummed her thigh as her leg shook.She hated flying, though she loved to travel, so she fought through anxiety and panic to do it.
“You okay?”I asked.
“Fine.Great.Really.”
“You don’t have to lie to me.I know you’re secretly having a complete and total meltdown inside that head of yours.”
Her chin lifted as if she were willing the tension away, but her fingers kept drumming.The corner of her mouth twitched, the smile not quite reaching her eyes.“Is it that obvious?”
“I’m waiting for you to wear a hole in your pants with all the drumming.”
She glanced at her hand and rested it on her thigh.“Oh.Didn’t even realize I was doing that.”
“Here.”I took her hands and kneeled in front of her.Her eyebrow arched, but I just smiled.“Inhale as deeply as you can.”I inhaled with her.“Now, let it out as slowly as possible along with all those negative thoughts.”
“Do you really think this is going to work?”she asked, letting out her breath in the farthest way from slow.
“We won’t know if you don’t try it.”
