“We know. It doesn’t mean we don’t miss you. As fucked-up as we are, we love you.”
“Why isn’t she here telling me this? Why doesn’t she text me? Or come see me? I’ve never kept it a secret where I’ve been.”
Sean shrugs. “She’s scared.”
“Of what?”
“Rejection.”
Damn, I know the feeling. Maybe we’re not so different after all.
“I just can’t right now, Sean.”
“It doesn’t have to be right now, but maybe one day soon.”
“Maybe,” I half-heartedly reply.
Sean groans. “How about right now, we forget our fucking problems and have a little fun?”
I size up my brother. He has that devilish look in his eyes. The one that tells me he wants to get into trouble. “What kind of fun?” I ask, because at the moment, I do want to forget all my fucking problems. I want to hang out with my brother and be just that, brothers.
“The kind of fun involving lots of alcohol and two hot blondes.”
“No blondes,” I dispute.
“Okay.” He furrows his brows. He doesn’t understand. One day I’ll explain it. But not now. If I start talking abouther,any hope of fun is going to fly right out the window. “Brunettes?” He thrusts his chin toward two girls eyeing us up at the end of the bar.
“Perfect.”
I order two drinks and send them to the girls.
“Do you actually drop your drawers?” Sean questions as we snake our way through the crowd, closing in on the two girls who are waiting anxiously for us.
“Yes,” I assert.
“Well, if you feel compelled to take off your clothes tonight, can you do it behind closed doors?”
“Only if you promise the same.” We bump fists.
* * *
“Kara?”The bed shakes.
I roll over to find a half-naked girl with bed head standing over me.
“Morning,” she mutters, looking embarrassed.
“Morning,” I reply.
“I need to wake her up. She’s teaching a Pilates class in an hour.”
Pilates? That explains the flexibility. I nudge Kara. Is it bad I had already forgotten her name? If her friend hadn’t reminded me, it could have been awkward.
“I’m up,” Kara mumbles into the pillow.
“Where’s my brother?” I ask the disheveled girl.
“Sleeping on the couch.” She smirks, her cheeks red.