Break Me (The Summer Series) (23 page)

“It’s nothing,” he waved it off. I went
straight to the freezer for some frozen peas. I think we only buy them for
injuries because we sure don’t eat them.

“Come here and let me look at it.” I hoped up
on the countertop and pulled him by his shirt over to me. He’s a big guy. I
stand about five foot three and he’s more than a foot taller than I am. Even
sitting on the counter, I’ll have to reach. “What happened?” I brushed a stray
hair from his face. It looked bad, real bad.

“I told you it’s nothing. Ouch, damn it Saw,”
he winced in pain when I put the peas to his eye.

“Quit being a big baby. You took a fist to your
eye; all I’m using are peas.” He glared at me and I smiled real big. “Are you
gonna keep avoiding the question or tell me what happened.”

“Avoiding,” he said.

“Fine,” we sat there in silence for a moment.
“I really wish you would call me more. I’ve missed you.”

“I’m sorry,” he wrapped his big arm around my
side. Dane and I have always been close, but lately he’s been drifting away.
When mom and dad passed away he changed. He became wild and crazy. On weekends
that he would come home from college I would nurse his hangovers. He would go
on a weekly drinking binge and then sober up at home with us. I would spend
both days waiting on him hand and foot. I loved taking care of him. I’m not
sure how he managed to complete his courses at school. He took nearly three
years off to find himself, but stayed with his friends around school. The only
thing he found was that he loved to drink and party and spend money. Now that
he’s back in school I don’t understand how he’s passing. He must be doing some
serious cheating. Either way, I thought he was doing better this year, until he
quit calling me. Now, I don’t know what’s going on. My phone was vibrating in
my pocket and it didn’t take a psychic to know it was Wren. I held the phone up
to Dane’s face and he shook his head no.

I rolled my eyes. “You know she is going to
keep calling until I pick up, and if I don’t she’ll just show up.”

“I haven’t been home fifteen minutes and
already she’s up my ass.” I had to laugh.

“I’ll shut my phone off. That will give us
about ten minutes to talk before she shows up.”

He shifted his head back further so that he
could look at me. “What did you want to talk about?”

“So you do get my messages.”

“Yes, I get your messages.” He huffed. “I’ve just
been really busy.”

I stared at him. I could tell he was hiding
something from me. I could see it all over his face. He knew that I could tell
too, but I didn’t push him for information. What good would it do me? “Well I
wanted to talk to you about the lake house.”

“What about it?”

“I want to move into it, by myself.” I said,
shifting the peas up a bit. They were sliding down his face.

“Do you think that’s a good idea? You’ve never
been by yourself.”

“I know that. I will be twenty one in two weeks
and I need to get out and start living my life. I am only asking because the
lake house is yours too. I don’t want you being mad at me if I move in there. I
want you to tell me that it’s okay.”

“You’re serious aren’t you?”

“Well yeah, why do you think I am asking?”

“It just seems weird, that’s all.” He moved my
hand down and the peas with it. “Things have been the same for so long that it
will be weird coming home and not having you here.”

“I know it will, but you’ll get used to it. We
have to change. We’re both getting older and we can’t keep things like this
forever. I want to have a life of my own. You can come visit me at the lake.
I’ll be closer to your school then I am now.”

“Good point. So, I guess you’ll need my help
moving.”

“For sure, do you think you can help next
weekend?” I asked.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“That means no hangovers, Stuart Dane Evans.”

“You know I hate when you call me that.”

“I know, that’s why I do it. You know I mean
business.” He just shook his head and smiled. I wrapped my arms around him for
another hug. Gosh I’ve missed him. I was about to ask him about school when the
ever expecting knock sounded on the back door. This was record time for Wren.
She must have already had her makeup on.

“Hey guys, are you all having a party without
me?” She came right in the back door without knocking. She didn’t have to. We
have been walking in unannounced to each other’s homes for years now. I
wouldn’t expect anything different.

“I would ask you what you’re doing here, but
I’m pretty sure I know,” I winked at her.

“Oh shit, what happened to your eye Dane?” She
hurried over to him completely oblivious that I was even sitting there.

“Well hello to you too, Wren baby,” I smacked
her on the arm. She rolled her eyes at me.

“Nothing,” he said in his normal bitchy tone.

“It’s not nothing, it’s serious. It’s almost
swollen shut. Let me help you.” When she reached over to touch him he swatted
her hand and backed away.

“I told you that I’m fine. I don’t need your
help.”

“Quit being so stubborn,” she said and tried to
reach for him again.

“LISTEN!” He yelled in her face. I saw her
flinch. “I don’t want you helping me. I don’t even fucking like you. When are
you gonna get that through your thick skull, and stop annoying me.”

“Dane!” I shouted as he turned around and stomped
off. The tears were already flowing down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry Wren. I
don’t know what his problem is.” I wrapped my arms around her. She stood there
crying her eyes out into my hands. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

“I’ve got to go,” she said through her
strangled cry.

“Wait Wren,” I yelled after her as she ran out
the door. “Just great,” I sighed, watching her run off towards her house.

“What’s all the commotion about?” Uncle Jake
yawned.

“Dane’s home,” I said shaking my head. That was
all the explanation he needed.

Harper
James currently lives in Louisiana and loves learning all about its good food
and amazing people. When she isn’t admiring her husband or playing with her
baby boy and girl, she is either reading or writing one of the many books she
has floating around in her head.

Follow
Harper:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorharperjames

Twitter:
@HarperMJames

Blog:
harperjameswrites.wordpress.com