Page 23 of Burning For You

She should have expected that from him.

“Why didn’t you just turn around then?”

No way she was letting him know how it made her feel.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Sara told me to come.”

“Sara?”

“My girlfriend. I called her quick. Told her what was going on and that I wouldn’t be home for dinner if I went.”

He opened the door and held it for her. “Did she know you had a sister?”

“No,” he said. “I don’t have a sister anymore, do I? Your last name isn’t Murphy.”

She sighed. “What was I supposed to do, Sean? You walked away from me. I didn’t do it. You did. I had no one. Then here is this family who wants me. For once in my life, it was nice to feel wanted. I’m sorry if you don’t like that.”

Or that he couldn’t be happy for her. But she shouldn’t have expected any differently.

“It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just what it is. Things didn’t happen the same for both of us.”

There was no arguing the facts or the flat way he said it.

The kid who had anger in him all the time didn’t seem like that as a man.

“It doesn’t mean we can’t change things now,” she argued. “It’s just a last name.”

He didn’t look as if he believed her, but he walked in and sat across from her at the table.

“I don’t know. Let’s just get through dinner first.”

The server came over quickly, took their drink orders. Sean got a beer, she got a soda.

“That’s fine,” she said. “I don’t suppose I can get your number?”

“I’ll let you know.”

If he was going to be like that. If he was going to keep her on the hook and make her beg, then she’d ask her questions,

Who knew if she’d see him again?

“Do you remember anything from that night?”

“What night?”

“The night of the fire,” she said. “If I’m not going to see you again, then I’m going to ask you now. It’s on my mind lately. Things didn’t make sense.”

He frowned, then picked up his beer when it was set down and took a long drink.

One long enough to tell her that this was like water to him and not a special occasion.

Guess she’d find out if her brother took after her parents or not.

Their food order was placed quickly while she waited for him to answer her.

“What didn’t make sense? The house burned down. Mom and Dad. Oh sorry, Jenny and Derek.”

“Don’t be an ass,” she hissed.