We both fall silent.
“I just want you to know I’m not mad at you for dating Nico,” she says.
“Really?”
“Really. It was a long time ago. I was just shocked. And stressed out with Thomas being sick. It was a lot.”
“I know. I was shocked too,” I admit.
Nico came out of left field and caught me by surprise. Making me fall desperately in love with him.
“I’m sorry that you’re going through this. That you’re hurting. I know how it feels to watch him replace you without a care in the world. It hurts like hell.” Her words are like tiny daggers, hitting me in the chest and slicing into my skin. She has no idea.
“Charlotte, it’s not like that. Will you please listen to me? I want to tell you how all this happened.”
She hesitates, her eyes darting between mine. I’m not sure what she sees, but she nods, allowing me to continue.
“I work with Nico’s sister, Talia, who is a wonderful nurse. She reminds me of you. Ridiculously smart and sweet. Always smiling. I tried not to be her friend, but she wasn’t having it. When Bradley was harassing me and I needed a new apartment, she offered me this apartment. I didn’t know Nico lived next door. If I had, I wouldn’t have moved in here. But I’m glad I did.He’s—”
A loud knock on my door has us both sitting up. The silly organ in my chest leaps. It can’t be Nico. His game starts soon.
“Do you think it’s Mother?” Charlotte whispers, like we did when we were kids and didn’t want to get caught staying up late.
“She doesn’t knock; she bangs,” I say in a flat tone.
“True.” Charlotte laughs, and I follow. With more time and a longer chat, I have a feeling that she and I are going to be all right. “I’m sorry I brought Mom down here.”
“It’s fine. I couldn’t avoid her forever. It was best to get it all out in the open. Thank you for standing up to her.”
Confronting my mother was long overdue. Having Charlotte, Denver, and my dad to back me up made it so much easier to say what I needed to. The ball is in my mother’s court. If she wants to talk, I’ll be here. Until then, I’m good with where things stand.
“I should have done it sooner,” she says sadly.
“But you did it now, and that’s all that matters.” I wrap my arms around my sister, hugging her tight. “Love you, Char.”
“Love you too, Sav.” We break apart as the person at my door knocks again. Louder. “Stay here and rest. It’s probably just Denver. I’ll get rid of him.”
“Thanks.”
Charlotte exits my room as I lean back against the headboard and stare at the ceiling. My eyes are puffy from crying, and my throat feels scratchy from throwing up. The short seconds it takes for her to walk to the door feel like forever.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Charlotte exclaims.
Leaping off the bed, I rush out of my bedroom and down the hall. My feet slide across the slate floors and stop at the deep, whiskey-warm voice.
“Hello, Chuck. Long time, no see. Is Savannah home?”
Shivers rush down my spine as if his words caressed my skin themselves.
“Don’t call me ‘Chuck’. We aren’t friends anymore.” I peek around the corner to see my sister, with one hand on her hip andthe other on the door ready to slam it in Nico’s face. “I should kick you in the balls for hurting my sister. How could you do that to her?”
I want to interrupt, but I think Charlotte needs this. Sneaking another look, I watch Nico raise his hands in surrender as my little sister stands sentient at my door. He looks tired and a little surprised to see my sister. Dark circles underscore his eyes, and his usually thick stubble has grown into a short beard.
“I know it looks bad,” he admits.
Bad, pfft. More like awful. Disgusting.
“Looks bad? You’re on video screwing some other woman,” she sneers.
