“You know why. Dammit!” I shove my hands through my hair, frustration ripping through me. I want to be with her but we both know why I can’t. Just as I turn away, the apartment door opens and Callie appears from behind it.
She looks over her shoulder before looking between the two of us. Obviously checking to see where Reece is since I’m alone out here with his sister.
“You coming in?” Callie opens the door wider so Mara can enter, but I take a step back.
“I’ll see you both later,” I whisper, hoping Reece doesn’t hear me. I can do without him throwing his suspicions out at me right now. Especially when the suspicions would be spot on.
Callie doesn’t say anything as I make a dash for the stairwell to head home to my empty, dark apartment. I suppose it isn’t as bad as I make it out to be. It’s a large open space for the living part of the apartment with a separate room for a bedroom, office and bathroom. It’s just too damn quiet being on my own after spending a few years rooming with Reece.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about moving back home. I own a large, empty house that is peaceful and secluded. I can lie out on the deck and just listen to the sounds of living in the country—the gentle breeze that rustles the leaves on the trees and bushes. Even the early morning wake up calls from the birds would be peaceful. It would certainly be better than waking up here to truck horns, as the drivers get impatient in early morning traffic.
I really don’t know what the fuck to do any more. When my parents were killed in the car crash and I suddenly found myself alone, it was Phoenix, Reece and their families that helped me keep my shit together. So pursuing this thing that’s between Mara and me isn’t something that we could go into lightly. We’re practically family and I already know Reece’s feelings on the subject, and Mara’s mother wouldn’t be too happy either…or would she?
Chapter Three
Mara
“We’re going home.”
“What? No way. You go with Callie. I’m staying here.”
“Mara stop being damn stubborn. Mom’s apologized for blaming you, and I thought you were cool with that,” Reece says, frustration clear in his voice.
“I am okay with that, but I’m happy here and I don’t want to go home. Besides, I’m in the middle of my art course. I can’t just get up and leave on a whim.”
Reece is driving me crazy. For the past couple of weeks, since the art show, he’s been acting all weird. Today, he’s been hovering around as though he wants to say something to me, but doesn’t have the courage—and now I know why. Things at home will probably be strained if I go back. I’d much rather give Mom a wide berth for now after the things she accused me of. It really hurt when she said it was my fault Dad had gone and fucked someone else. Then he’d gone and gotten that someone pregnant and the result was Dahlia being born. It was messed up because I wasn’t even born then. All these years no one had known, except for Reece, but I’d been the one who had gotten the blame because I had been the only one home when Mom had discovered Dahlia. So although Mom may apologize every time we speak, which isn’t often, I’m still not ready to go back and face her.
My eldest sister, Amanda, has been on me about coming home. She was positive that the first homecoming would resolve the problems and I would finally have it off my mind. The thing is, it isn’t playing on my mind all the time. My head is so full of my art course that I don’t have time to think about other things. When I do give my brain a rest, in slides Donovan. My family, although I love them, aren’t really on my mind 24/7, but I’ve no wish to say that out loud to Amanda. She’s very much like our mother with what comes out of her mouth and her mannerisms.
Now that she’s finished college, she’s moved back home while she works in the new law firm in town. If you ask me she’s only doing all this because she has her eye on marrying someone who can give her the life she wants, and that she’s set her sights on the new lawyer. He is kind of cute in an older man kinda way.
“For God’s sake Mara! Stop switching off and listen to what I’m saying.” Reece snarls, his lips twisted in anger.
He is definitely pissed that I keep tuning him out.
“Will you answer me?” he growls.
I guess I should be listening to what he’s saying instead of daydreaming.
“I didn’t…um…catch what you asked me.”
“Fuck.” He stomps off toward the window while running his hands over his bald head.
I snicker.
“This isn’t funny.” He turns to face me. “Are you listening this time?”
Nodding, I bite my lip to stop the grin from spreading across my face.
“I was saying that your art course is only a week in to the six week program. That means you can start the other one, which is starting up in two weeks when we get back. So my question was, will you be okay with traveling back with Donovan because I’m taking Callie on my bike? And before you say anything, going home isn’t really negotiable because Phoenix and Thalia have decided to move their wedding forward and it’s happening next weekend.”
News about the wedding makes me stop and think. I love weddings, which reminds me to check my phone. I’d received a message from Thalia titled ‘Wedding,’ but I’d been running late for class and with everything else happening; I’d forgotten to read it.
“What are you doing now?”
“Thalia, texted me before but I forgot to read it.”
Grabbing my phone, I unlock the screen and bring up Thalia’s message. The scream I issue makes Reece jump and I almost laugh.