Page 122 of Goode Tidings

"What's making you say all this?"

"Callum—"

My eyes fly open. "No. No. Nope." My head shakes until my neck protests in pain. "Whatever you've got going on with Callum, leave Oliver out of it. He's not a pawn."

He stares at me for a moment, then continues on. "Callum made me think about some things."

"What did he say to you?"

"He mostly stared daggers at me and grabbed my shirt a couple of times and growled in my face."

"None of which you deserved," I say sarcastically.

Justin ignores me. "Seeing him brought some stuff up that I realized I've been running away from for a long time. I have a lot of work to do to make it up to you⁠—"

"Not to me." I point down the hall. "To him."

"To both of you," he amends. He stands up, bringing the bottle with him. "I'm gonna go slam thirty ounces of water and see if I can avoid feeling like crap in the morning."

"Why did you drink all that wine?"

"It was stupid. I was feeling lots of things, and didn't want to anymore."

"How did that work out for you?"

He gives me a look that says don't ask.

"Best of luck to you." I watch him go. He hasn't asked for a blanket and pillow for the couch, and there's a part of me that thinks he deserves to sleep on the couch without anything to make him more comfortable.

Still, I grab a second pillow from my bed, and the comforter that was on the bed when it was Callum living here. I leave them on the couch and retreat to my bedroom.

The pain pills and the exhaustion of the day should have Oliver out for the night, but I'll go to sleep soon in case he needs me in the middle of the night.

Settling between my sheets, I open my phone. I need a question answered before I can go to sleep.

Eden: What is a dicktim?

Paloma: Someone who's acting like a dick and a victim at the same time.

Paisley: Word combos from the woman who once told me I'm the floor? This is growth.

Paloma: The English language is difficult. Don't be a vaca condescendente.

Paisley: I am not translating that. I don't want to know.

Cecily: I translated it. I will be using it effective immediately.

Paisley: I'm going to ask Klein if combining words like that has an official name.

Cecily: We're on the edge of our seats.

Paisley: He said it's called a portmanteau.

Paloma: Word Daddy to the rescue.

Eden: Ew.

CHAPTER 56