“Sometimes, not very often anymore.She checks in on me every now and then.She’s more calls like my brother.Everyone has busy schedules, so it’s hard to make time to plan get-togethers.”
“You’ve mentioned your brother plenty of times, but you don’t really talk about him,” he commented as they started eating.
“There’s not much to tell.”She shrugged, loading her fork with food.“He works in California and has a fiancée whom I hope he marries sooner rather than later.It’s not like you talk about your sister.”
That was a fair assessment.Rob finished his bite before answering.“What do you want to know?”He didn’t have anything to hide about his sister.
She blinked as if not expecting his ready comeback.“I don’t know.I was just saying.We don’t talk about our siblings.”
“Sorry if I’m prying, I’m just really curious to know more about you.”
“Me or my family?”she questioned with a pointed look.She’d always shot down any discussion about her brother in the past.He should know by now, but knowing there were no photos of him and only one photo period was odd.
“Your family is part of you.So naturally I want to know about them.”June didn’t seem to share the same sentiment, however.“Or we can talk about what happened in the store.The whole boyfriend thing.”He knew she wouldn’t, but it got her to stop glaring at him.Her expression turned to pained and embarrassed.
“Do we have to?Can’t we pretend it never happened?”
Rob froze with his fork halfway up to his lips.He hadn’t expected her to say that.“If that is what you would like.”Was she regretting using him as her fake boyfriend?Had she wished it was Jack instead?
Please say no.He hadn’t responded properly before after her apology, but he felt they should at least talk about it.Feel her out if it was something she was open to.
“Yes, yes, it is,” she said in a monotone voice and continued eating, shutting down any future discussion about it.
“Alright.”What else could he say?It was another topic not open to discussion.He hadn’t been opposed to dating her, but obviously, her feelings lay elsewhere, so there was no reason to push the subject.“When does your co-worker come back from vacation?”he asked, changing the subject again.
“Not for two weeks.So, I have a while before my schedule lessens back to normal.”
“Good, I hate you working so much.”
“Not you too,” she groaned, setting down her fork in exasperation.
“Me too?”he asked, confused and not following.
“Mr.Harrow said the same thing.”
Because people were concerned about her and her health.“Burn-out is real.”He remembered going on a few back-to-back missions.His team had been trained to function on sleep deprivation, but once he was stateside again, he slept for two days straight to recoup.
“I know.”She held her hands up in surrender.“It’s only two weeks.I’ll be fine.”
She said that a lot.Fine.He hated that answer.He was guilty of using it a lot too.June didn’t look fine though.She had dark circles under her eyes, and she didn’t think he probably realized it, but her walking was off like she was in pain.
Too many hours in the socket could do that.It rubbed and could cause blisters which could lead to an infection if done on a regular basis.
“I’ll get the dishes,” he offered when they were done.He was willing to do anything to help alleviate some of her burden, even if just tonight.
“I’ll help.”June stood up immediately.
Rob was going to ask if she was okay to help but knew her response would be she was fine, so he just dutifully carried the dishes into the kitchen.
“Do you want to take any leftovers home?”
Hell yeah, he did.“Yes, please.”June cut off half of the lasagna and put it in a Tupperware for him.“The guys are going to be jealous.”
June chuckled as she sealed the Tupperware, making sure to give him a large portion of the leftovers.“Especially Jack.I think he ate one of the pans I brought to the cookout on his own.”
Rob remembered seeing Jack’s plate loaded with lasagna while everyone else had a small slice.Even the small amount everyone got, they all raved about it.
“You might have to bring something different to the next cookout,” he suggested.That way people didn’t always expect to get it and make her feel the need to make more.
