Page 9 of Shameless Expectations

Pursing her lips, Fallon slowly shook her head. “I don’t believe you’ll come back to drink with me at night. Or that you’ll even book us into a resort.”

“Definitely will.” It was a lie, and they both knew it, but they didn’t have to say it out loud. Monti didn’t drink quite like Fallon did, always one to watch what she put into her body with great care. “Ask Athena for time off. We can go together.”

Fallon pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Was she really contemplating this? It would be amazing if she was, and Monti would stay at any resort just to have some one-on-one sister time.

“With this trial coming up, I don’t think I can.” Fallon’s face fell. “It’s… this is a tough one, and I’ve never seen her like this before.”

“Sleepless in Seattle?” Monti snorted at her own joke.

Fallon gave her a flat look. “So funny. Har, har, har.”

“Hey, it was funny!” It was helpful that Fallon knew Athena so they could actually have this conversation. Not that Monti would reveal anything personal beyond what was already in the open. She was fastidious about confidentiality. Athena’s story wasn’t her story to tell. “Anyway, she can’t keep you working forever.”

“I know.” Fallon nervously twirled her hair around one of her fingers. “But she’s worrying me, Monti. I’m serious. I’ve never seen her like this.”

Monti shrugged. Sure, she was curious what was setting Athena off so much, and at the same time, it wasn’t really her job to figure it out either. But she wanted to. That urge to help Athena hadn’t gone away. In fact, in some ways, it had only gotten worse. She hated that part of herself sometimes. Monti couldn’t help Athena unless she wanted it, and just pushing her way in to satiate her own curiosity wasn’t going to do anyone good.

“You worry too much,” Monti answered, turning her thoughts back to her sister. “And she’s your boss. Put up some better boundaries.”

“Athena is more than my boss.”

Monti frowned. They weren’t in a relationship, were they? Fallon had never said anything about being interested in women. Then again, she barely ever talked about being interested in anyone. Shaking the thought from her brain because it wasn’t her business, Monti sipped her tea again, this time getting the full burst of flavor on her tongue. It was amazing.

“I take care of her,” Fallon added finally.

“So you have a codependent relationship,” Monti said simply, the words blunter than she wanted them to be, but she couldn’t take them back now.

Fallon glared. “We do not.”

“Sure, you don’t.”

“Don’t use your big fancy degrees on me, missy.”

Monti threw her hands up in mock indignation. “I would never dare.”

“Sure, you wouldn’t.” Fallon smirked, but they fell into a comfortable silence. “When would we go? Winter?”

“If you wanted. We can go whenever. It’s not like my schedule is booked up.”

Fallon hummed, as if she was imagining the beach already. Monti wished she was a visual person like that, but she’d tamped down her visual acuity so much in the past years that it was a struggle to visualize just for meditations.

“I’m going to visit Mom soon. It’s her birthday.”

Monti knew the question was coming as soon as Fallon brought it up. But she didn’t want Fallon to ask it. Seeing the disappointment on her face would be too much. Though Monti had only ever given in to the request once.

And once was enough.

“Do you want to go with me?”

“Fallon…” Monti trailed off, hoping that Fallon would come to the conclusion already. “You know I don’t.”

“But will you?”

Now that was a different question than normal. “I’ll have to think about that one.”

Monti could probably force herself to go for her sister’s sake, but that would be it. She still didn’t want to go. There was nothing there for her. Monti was about to speak when Fallon’s phone rang in her purse.

“Sorry.” Fallon fished around and snagged her phone, answering it immediately.

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