“Thank you,” I replied, feeling emotion clogging my throat.
As nice as she was, I wanted to be alone.Tears that I hadn’t been given the time to shed were threatening to overtake me.
“I’ll give you some peace and quiet,” she said softly, as if understanding what I wasn’t saying.
I nodded, not sure I could speak, and waited until the door closed behind her before letting out the first sob and sinking to the floor.Pulling my knees up under my chin, I wrapped my arms around my legs and began to rock as I let free all the pain.It didn’t make anything easier.The horror of it all just sank in deeper.
I wasn’t going to wake up from this.It was my reality.
Things that I wished I’d said to my parents when I talked to them yesterday raced through my head.If I’d only known it would be the last time I heard their voices, that my mother’s laugh met my ears, I’d have said so much more.I’d have told them how much I loved them.How thankful I was that they were mine.
But I’d not said any of that.I was in a rush to get off the phone.Calvin had knocked on the door to my suite and told me they were leaving for the slopes in ten minutes.Had I even saidI love youbefore hanging up?I couldn’t remember, and that one detail was like a wound deep in my soul that I didn’t think would ever heal.
Five
Forge
The spray of hot water hit my face as I stood in the shower.
My first priority had been downing two bottles of water when I woke up with a dry-ass mouth.My second had been the shower.
I’d passed out before dinner yesterday, and my stomach was growling.
There were two calls and five texts from Oz that I hadn’t gotten around to checking.He was annoyed with me, and I didn’t blame him.
Yesterday’s breakfast with Mom had sent me spiraling, and I couldn’t pull out of it.She was so fucking frail and weak.The brutality of the treatment she’d gone through was hard to see, but we’d know soon how effective it’d been.Just how much more time it had given us with her.
With my eyes closed tightly, I tried to shut out thoughts of that.I didn’t want to think about it.I hated it.
Gray eyes flashed in my head, and I reached for the handle to turn off the water.I’d almost forgotten about the houseguest.There was no way she looked like my memories.Sober me would be able to see her clearly.If she was just Calvin’s friend, then she couldn’t really be as hot as I’d thought she was while drunk.
My phone started ringing again, and I groaned while snatching a towel from the basket beside the shower and wrapping it around me.
Jesus, Oz, give me a break.I needed coffee and food before this bullshit.
Stalking out of the bathroom, I went to grab my phone.
Gathe’s name lit up the screen, and I was instantly relieved.
I put it on speaker before answering, “Yeah?”I took it back to the bathroom with me.
“Morning, sunshine,” he drawled.“I came over to get you last night for a trip to the club, and your ass was in bed.”
“Bad day,” I replied, taking another towel to dry my hair.
“Really?Because I’m thinking I may move into the empty bedroom.Seems you got some nice scenery just down the hall.”
I frowned at my reflection.“What?”I asked.
“Don’twhatme.The hot little number in the room next to yours.You might have drunk a damn fifth of whiskey, but you had to see her.”
Shit.Drunk me hadn’t been wrong about what she looked like.
“And you’re the only single dick there.Seems unfair to me,” he added.
Tossing the towel in the hamper, I went to grab my deodorant.“She’s here because her fucking parents were murdered.Not really a hot and sexy setup.”
“Eh, she needs something to brighten her day.I can help ease her pain.My smile does wonders.”
