“You’re such a dork. Getting rich hasn’t changed you at all. You’re still just a huge nerd who has his head up his ass.”
“Thanks for that. I’ll take that as a sign of sisterly love and affection. I don’t think you could pay me a higher compliment.”
Jenni rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to say that I get why you didn’t tell her, but I also think that you should have. You didn’t exactly set her up for disaster, but what you did, didn’t help. I get that you want to be known for you, but there’s this point where you just have to put your faith in another person and trust them.”
“I didn’t have time.”
“I know. I know you were eventually going to come clean, but it didn’t happen and now things are pretty wrecked.”
“Thanks. I didn’t exactly know that.” Trace sunk against the wall. He felt like shit and didn’t even want to hold himself up any longer. His mom started singing in the kitchen and he let out a low groan. “This is seriously the worst day of my life. My mom and my sister, coming here and cleaning up after me.”
Jenni pursed her lips and stared back at him completely unsympathetic. “Obviously you need it.”
“Again, thanks.”
“You’re perfectly welcome. Now,” she made a swatting motion then pointed down the hall. “You need to get in the shower. I’m starved and sitting there smelling you is really putting me off and mom’s breakfasts are the best. I haven’t had one in ages. I’m not going to let you ruin it for me.”
“I love you too,” Trace said sarcastically.
“I do love you,” Jenni insisted. Her face softened. He didn’t have to tell her that he knew it. It was obvious between them. He didn’t know a brother and sister who had been closer growing up. He’d looked after her when their mom was off trying to earn enough money to see them through another month. He’d beat up bullies for her. He was her biggest fan. He’d nearly kicked her husband’s ass when they started dating, just because he knew that no one out there was good enough for his sister, but the guy was lucky enough that he won him over by treating Jenni like gold. “But you still stink.”
“I knew there was a hard ‘but’ coming. “
“You’re a real butt. Now, get in the shower. Because I can smell your butt.” Trace let out a half sigh, half groan. It was over dramatic, and Jenni laughed. She raised a brow. “Too much?”
“Definitely too much.”
“So, shower? I’ll clean up your living room for you and I’ll make sure to hide all the beer bottles and empty whisky bottles so mom doesn’t see them.”
“For the record, I don’t drink my pain away. There is half an empty whisky bottle that I made last over like… three nights.”
“Right, but you obviously drank that half last night after spending two days and three nights trying to talk yourself out of it.”
“I am seriously too hung over for this conversation.”
“I know you don’t drink your pain. Don’t worry, I was kidding. I do know that there are probably four or five empty pizza boxes or take out containers. I do know that you probably changed your clothes all of once since you got home after everything blew up. You’ve probably slept on the couch every single night so I should bleach it or if that won’t save it, get out the gas and the matches.”
Trace couldn’t help it. He cracked a smile and actually allowed a small laugh. “You know me too well. No need for bleach or gas. There may be a few pizza boxes…”
Their mom’s singing escalated as she belted out some horrible off-key version of a popular pop song. She was probably minutes away from starting to cook with whatever she could find in his fridge. His mom was a miracle worker though, at throwing a meal together on nothing. Trace didn’t like to think about how much practice she’d had at it over her lifetime. He promised himself when he made something of his life, he was never going to let his mom or sister go back to it.
“Shower,” Jenni commanded. “Then we’ll figure out how to get you out of this mess.”
“Is there a way out?”
She cocked a confident brow. “Trust me. There is always a way out when it comes to matters of the heart. I’m not going to let my big brother crash and burn.”
“If your advice contains flowers and chocolates, I’m afraid it’s not going to work. Ash isn’t easily wooed.”
“Don’t worry. I did my research. It’s going to be much, much better than flowers or chocolates.”
Trace turned and headed off to the promise of warm water and less of the horrible crawling in his skin filthy feeling. He had to make his escape before his sister let him in on whatever horrible plan she had up her sleeve.