Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“You got your chance, Kain. You kissed the girl of your dreams. And if you come back, you can kiss her again.”
His arm twitches beneath mine and I hold my breath as I search his face for signs that he can hear what I’m saying. “She was here, Kain. She was with you the whole time, crying all over you, bro, like the state of you was breaking her heart.”
I squeeze his arm. “When you wake up, we need to end this deal. We need to tell her that we want her, and nothing else will do. It’ll be hard, but I don’t think any of us can handle more of this halfhearted arrangement. The longer it goes on, the less real it feels. I don’t know. Maybe I sound like a sentimental dick. Maybe we should all just take what we can get. But I really think she wants more from us…”
“Who wants more?” Gabriella’s voice rings out and I jump so violently my ass leaves the chair. Even at first glance, I can feel the weight of distress she’s carrying.
“Fuck, Gab. You trying to put me in a hospital bed too?”
“Not funny, Blake.”
I stand, drinking in the sight of her. She’s showered and dressed in pink yoga pants and a white oversized shirt that hangs from her left shoulder, revealing her tanned skin. With her hair pulled up into a messy bun, and her face scrubbed bare of makeup, she just radiates natural beauty in a way that takes my breath away. Beauty darkened by her concern. It’s there in the shadows under her eyes and her pinched lips. “Sorry, baby. You just scared the bejesus out of me.”
In two paces, I’m in front of her and I wrap her in my embrace, needing to feel her body against mine, and hoping our closeness will distract her from anything she might have overheard.
“Has he moved? Do you think he can hear us?” she asks, drawing out of the hug and staring past me at Kain.
“When I talked about you, his arm twitched.”
“Really?”
She seems happy to know but distracted. There’s something restless about the way her eyes are darting.
“Yeah, Gab. Of course.” Her shoulders lower, and her frown smooths. “You should sit next to him.” I lead her to the chair closest to Kain’s head and grab another one from the adjacent wall. Silence spreads thickly between us as we keep a vigil for Kain, me desperately praying for him to heal, and Gab…well, I’m not sure what’s going on in her mind.
Even when we were as close as two people can be, I still didn’t feel like I could read her. It’s as though she only ever wants to give a part of herself — whatever is safe — and keeps another secret part buried deep.
I take her hand, holding it on the blanket that warms my brother. “What’s going on, Gab? Are you okay?”
She exhales long and low, bowing her head and closing her eyes. “Your brother is in a coma, and I just found out my mom is fucking your dad. Life’s great right now, Blake. It’s never been better.”
“What?” I twist in my chair to face her, wondering if I heard right or if my addled brain just made up her last weird sentence out of delirium.
“My mom is fucking your dad. They have been at it for two years and kept it a secret from us because they were worried we wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
I splutter with laughter because it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, and when Gabriella doesn’t join in, I realize that she’s being serious. The irony of the mess of all of our secrets dampens my laughter immediately. “You mean, we’ve been sneaking around behind our parents’ backs while they’ve been doing exactly the same thing?”
“Yep.”
“Shit…you don’t look happy.” It’s an understatement. Gabriella’s face is severe, and her narrowed eyes seem redder than usual.
“I can’t believe she lied to me,” she says, twisting the hem of her shirt between fiercely gripped fingers.
“It must be hard to hear, but sometimes people keep secrets for good reasons. Like us…”
“It’s not the same thing.” Gabriella sighs. “If Mom wanted a boyfriend, I wouldn’t have had a problem with it. Your dad is a good man. I would have accepted it. I’m sure you all would have too.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“The lying.” She shakes her head and looks to the ceiling as though she’ll find something that will help her cope amongst the stained ceiling tiles.
“Not all lying is the same,” I tell her, keeping my tone low and easy, not wanting to provoke her and make things worse. “Like our lie, for example. We’re not lying to hurt anyone. We’re lying so that people don’t get hurt. Isn’t that the same as your mom?”