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-Text from Aspen to Drew

Aspen

“Where’s your brother?” My mom asked thirty minutes later. “And when do I get to meet your new man?”

I pointed at Drew.

“He’s talking to our neighbor,” I gestured to the two men.

My mom smiled.

“He’s handsome,” she said. “Older, but handsome.”

I nodded.

Drew was beautiful.

Even now, his hair a mess and his eyes wild, he was a handsome devil.

“Did that man next to him get hurt today, too?” My mother questioned.

I looked back at Raphael, his arm now exposed to me, and I shook my head.

“I don’t know how he got hurt,” I told her truthfully, and likely never would. “But I will be sure to ask in a minute.”

Raphael was like a wraith, and I wasn’t really sure what his role was in anything that was related to me.

He was there, though, and I found that I liked it…even if he was quiet and reserved.

“And your brother?” Mom persisted. “What’s he so mad about?”

Brows furrowing, I followed my mother’s gaze to find Downy barreling towards us, gathering the attention of everyone he passed, even Drew.

“I can’t begin to tell you,” I informed her. “He wasn’t that mad when I sent him after my clothes.”

He hadn’t been, either.

In fact, he’d been almost…nice.

Which for him was incredibly impressive.

Then I got a good look of what was in Downy’s hand, and my stomach dropped.

Downy, eyes wide, came out of the house, a packet of papers in his hand, and his face white as if all color had leached out that he’d been able to get back once he’d found out I was alright.

“You…your…what the fuck is going on? What does this mean?” He asked, my mom and me looked at him.

My mom looked confused.

I, on the other hand, started to freak out.

“Downy,” I said, holding my hand up. “Sto…”

He turned and glared at my father.

“Get away from me,” he said.

My father’s eyes narrowed.