Page 2 of Without Judgment

“Good. I’ll update you later.”

Somehow I knew that was a lie.

***

I’d grown up in very affluent suburb, about twenty minutes from my father’s downtown Houston office. Although the house held some sad recollections of my mother’s last days, fighting a losing battle against cancer, the happy memories of growing up there with my brother thankfully outnumbered those. During my four years in college, I’d stayed in the dorms and then a sorority house, but I’d never been more than a short drive away from home. At the moment, I didn’t have a plan for my future, given my abrupt breakup with Edward just months before the wedding. Staying here in my childhood home was the comfort I needed.

As I drove there, my thoughts were solely focused on how someone like myself could have a sex-video scandal. Edward was the only man—well, boy, since we’d been together since the age of fourteen—I’d ever been with. How the hell had I gone from a virgin, to engaged, to being cheated on, to a full-on sex scandal? I finally arrived at the front gate of our home, only to realize there were at least ten cars blocking it. What the hell?

I put my Mercedes in park and stepped out of my vehicle without thinking. I was immediately blinded by flashes. Oh, shit. They were photographers lying in wait. Guess the video had already hit the Internet. The voices started next.

“Avery—did you do this to get Daddy’s attention?”

“Is your father dropping out of the election with this latest development?”

“How many videos did you make?”

“Have you thought about a career in porn?”

I stood there, completely shell-shocked. Luckily, fight-or-flight instincts kicked in and gave me the urge to flee. I got back into my car, threw it into reverse, and sped out of the neighborhood. Minutes later, as I jumped on the freeway, I realized the sound of hyperventilating was coming from me. So was the wetness dropping into my lap from all the tears running down my face.

Recalling my father’s lack of sympathy earlier, I dialed the only other person in the world I could count on. My brother, Trevor. Although he was six years older than I was, we were close. I looked up to him as he was the best person I knew.

Thankfully, he picked up on the second ring. His warm Southern drawl instantly soothed my nerves as I drove without a destination in mind.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

“Hey, Trevor.” My voice was calm, or so I’d thought.

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything. Have you talked with Dad?”

“No. But lay it on me. Why are you upset?”

So I did. I told him all of it. At the end of it, feeling vulnerable, I had to ask. “Are you ashamed of me, too?”

“Fuck, no. I’m thinking of ways to kill your ex right now. Don’t go back to the house until I make a few phone calls. Do you want to drive to Dallas? You can stay with us a few days. I’m in New York at the moment, but I can come home early.”

I wiped at my nose, tempted by the thought. Dallas was only a few hours away. I could be there by evening. But I didn’t want him rearranging his plans. He’d just started a business and a romantic relationship. The last thing he needed was this on top of it. “No. No. You stay where you are. What I need is a place to lay low until I can go home.” What I wished for was to be at my house, in my room, where I could have a good cry into my pillow.

“All right. Drive to a hotel. There’s a Hilton ten minutes from the house. Do you know where?”

“I do. And I’ll go there.” I moved into the left-hand lane and proceeded to do a U-turn as the hotel was back in the other direction.

“I’ll let Dad know you’re safe, and we’ll figure out something. Okay?”

“I’m sorry to make this your problem.” I genuinely meant it.

“You didn’t make it my problem. I’m your older brother, and you should always call me. Okay?”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you, too. I’ll talk to you soon.”

As much as I wished I didn’t have to rely on my brother, I wasn’t in a good head space right now to think clearly. And there was no way I could return to the house. At least not yet.

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