“October, but I’m not looking forward to being pregnant during the summer. The morning sickness is brutal, but my doctor said it’s to be expected with twins.”
“Twins?” My mouth falls open, and Mirabelle blinks.
“Yeah. I guess they don’t always skip a generation,” she jokes, rubbing her bump. “All we want are healthy babies, so we’re not finding out the genders until they’re born.”
I tap my fingers on my thigh underneath the table. “I’m happy for you. There’s nothing like having a built-in best friend.”
It’s exactly what Hunter and I used to be for each other.
I’m not sure we’ll ever get back to the relationship we once had, but I hope we can eventually land somewhere in between.
The front door creaks open, and I’m grateful for a distraction from the emotions crackling inside me.
“B, can I shower?” Javi asks, yanking on the sleeve of my shirt, grabbing my attention.
“Didn’t you shower last night?” I tease, and Javi starts to shake his head before his face twists and his shoulders slump.
“Yeah,” he admits. I can’t help reaching to ruffle his hair. I’m not going to tell him no. I am a little worried about my parents’ water bill, but they can afford it.
“Ten minutes. I’ll come get you and throw you in the ocean if you go a second over,” I say, causing him to beam like I just gave him a million dollars.
Javi jumps from his chair quickly, but Mirabelle’s voice stops him before he can run upstairs. “Youwantto shower?” she asks, confused, and he grins.
“I love showers. It’ssomuch better than using sinks or wipes.”
I resist the urge to drag my hands over my face. Javi and Ihad multiple conversations about what we can and cannot say, but apparently, he forgets every time someone asks him something.
She looks at me in shock after Javi takes off up the stairs.
“Woah, slow down, buddy,” Kaitlyn’s melodic voice sounds from the hallway.
Javi laughs, and I commit the simple, joyful sound to memory. “You’re back!”
“I promised you I would. We don’t break promises,” she says, and Mirabelle clears her throat.
“Bailey.”
“Mirabelle.” I’m taken aback by the surprising amount of pain showing in her expression.
“Where were you before coming back?” she asks the question everyone thinks they want the answer to.
It’s not much of a secret since I already told my parents, but I haven’t said anything to anyone else because I don’t want to hurt them. I’m honestly surprised JJ never said anything.
Iwantedto come back, only I knew I didn’t deserve to. Javi’s an innocent who deserves the kind of family I know my parents can offer him. He deserves the chance to be a kid.
I never realized the burden I put on JJ’s shoulders by calling him. Finding out I contributed to his need to take pills only strengthened my belief I hurt my family more than I help them.
Kaitlyn walks into the kitchen before Mirabelle can ask again, and I ignore the way my heart beats faster at the sight of her. She’s Hunter’s girlfriend.It doesn’t matter I had her first.I’m not going to stand in the way of my twin’s happiness.
Not like he stood in the way of mine.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kaitlyn
PAST
I’m startingto get worried about Bailey. He’s just seemed off the past couple of weeks, which is understandable considering there’s an arsonist on the loose who lit the Walkers’ house on fire. I’m torn between giving him the space to come to me about it or asking what’s wrong.
