Page 84 of Repairing the Wreckage

“I never wanted…I don’t want to be the reason you two aren’t friends.”

He’s quiet, thinking that over. “I really hate that he hurt you. Even if it wasn’t intentional.”

“Grief’s the price we pay for love. I’m fine now.”

He tilts his head, silently calling me out on my big, fat lie.

“Okay, maybe not fine. But I’m getting there.”

He nods slowly. “I’m proud of you. Just focus on school, for now. If you two are meant to be together, then it’ll happen.”

I shake my head. “I think Griff was only meant to be a chapter, not my whole story.”

Why does saying that feel like throwing the whole book in the fire?

CHAPTER TWENTY

Molly

I’m up and getting ready to leave for Hayden’s early the next morning. If Griff decides to drop by our house like he used to do on the weekends, I’d rather not be around.

Downstairs, Remy’s lacing up his sneakers, getting ready to go on his morning run. He tilts his head my way. “What’re you doing up so early?”

“Going to hang with the girls at Hayden’s before everyone leaves.” It’s rare we’re all home at the same time. I should’ve stayed at Hayden’s last night. Then I could’ve avoided running into Griff again.

Remy nods at the television. “Did you give that any more thought?”

He doesn’t have to specify what that he’s talking about.

A mix of anxiety, confusion, and guilt bubbles in my chest. “Why?”

“Because I care about you.” He stands and rests his hands on his hips. “And I should warn you, I asked Griff to move in. He’s probably going to take over the basement.”

“Ew, you’d make him live in your sex cave?”

His jaw drops. “What are you talking about?”

“You think I don’t know that’s where all the ding-dongs you bring home sneak out of in the mornings?”

At least he has the decency to blush. “It’s not a ‘sex cave.’ Grandpa and I fixed it up when I moved in with him and Nana. So I’d have my own space.” He frowns for a second. “Or maybe so I wouldn’t hear them in their room,” he says slowly as if this is the first time that possibility has occurred to him. “They were always kinda frisky.”

“Ew! Remy!”

He shakes his head quickly. “I only moved upstairs when Grandpa was sick, so I could hear him if he needed me.”

Picturing them alone in this house together, with Remy taking care of our grandparents all by himself hurts. My eyes burn. The little bit I did help Remy doesn’t seem like nearly enough.

“Anyway, it’s not a sex cave, you little smartass.”

“Whatever,” I say. It stings that Remy would ask Griff to move in after what happened. Almost like he’s taking his friend’s “side” over his own sister. But that’s unfair, so I shove the feeling away. “Just give me a heads-up if he actually does.”

Remy’s forehead wrinkles with concern. “You won’t stop coming home, will you?”

I hesitate for a few seconds. Stay on campus instead of coming home just because I might run into Griff? “No.”

He still seems uncertain but since I’m miffed about the new possible housing arrangement, I don’t offer him any more reassurances.

“I…” Remy holds up his hands. “He came back really fucked up, Molly. Juliet, Vapor, and I took turns checking on him the first few days. I drove him to his doctors’ appointments.” He hesitates. “He looked so bad, I was legit worried he might drop dead.”

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