Page 3 of Bought For Us

“Well, good, then you can help Cora bring up the rest of her boxes.”

“Oh, no, that's okay.” I rush out to say. “You don’t have to.” I nervously tuck a strand of my blonde locks behind my ear.

“That's okay.” Zack says. “I don’t mind helping out my new sister.”

Why does it feel like a punch in the gut that he called me that? I know that's what we are. Brother and sister, even if it’s not by blood. But it still feels... wrong?

I don’t say anything as the two of them walk out of the room, me tailing behind them. Rose takes off to a different part of the house, leaving me and Zack alone.

“Here’s the deal,” Zack says, stepping in front of me when we get to the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t know your dad, but I don’t need to know him to know he doesn’t deserve my mom. He will never be worthy of her. Even my own father wasn’t. Therefore, I don’t like the guy. No offense. No hard feelings. He could be the best guy in the world and I’d still not like him.”

“He’s not.” I blink, not sure why I said that.

“Not what?” his brows furrow.

I clear my throat and look away. “The best dad,” I say before meeting his eyes again.

“Huh,” he huffs out. “Anyway, that doesn’t mean that I hate you. I mean, I don’t even know you, but still. So, we’re good. Unless you turn out to be a big bitch, and then not so much.”

I can’t help but smile. “Don’t worry. I don’t think there's a bitchy bone in my body.”

He grins. “I can tell it hurt for you to even say the word.”

“It did.” I giggle. Oh, heck. I don’t giggle. I never do. This is not a guy to be acting like this with Cora. Stepbrother, remember.

“Zack!” Rose calls out, saving me from myself.

We spend the next half hour pulling boxes up and down the stairs. Any time my dad tries to talk to Zack, he rushes away.

I almost feel bad for my dad. But, he’s the one who’s never tried to get to know Zack, at least not from the impression I’ve been given. He didn’t even seem upset for Rose that Zack didn’t come to the wedding.

Not that it was anything fancy. They had a destination wedding, with only the three of us and a few of Rose’s and my father's friends.

Sometimes I wonder how they ended up together. They seem to be from totally different worlds. Rose was born into money, so when she divorced, she didn’t have to worry.

While I’m sure she’s worth millions, we were just making it into the middle class.

Polar opposites.

Dad said he met Rose while he was here for work. They fell in love overnight, dated for a few months, engaged for another, then married. Now, here we are.

Hours away from the only home I knew and the friends I spent my whole life with. It’s not easy, but thankfully we have the internet and summers.

“Last box,” Zack says, stepping into my room and placing it on the floor.

“Thanks for everything,” I tell him. “You really didn’t have to.”

“No biggie,” he shrugs, straightening out his clothes.

I follow him out the door. “I’ll be sure to stay out of your way. You won’t even know I’m here.”

“You see, that won't be as easy as you think.” He chuckles, taking a few steps backwards. He turns the doorknob of the door across the hall, pushing it open. “Seeing how I live right across the hall.” He grins. “And the bathroom attached to your room has the most perfect water pressure in the whole place. So I guess we will be seeing a lot of each other, roomie.” He winks before closing the door, leaving me standing there stunned and flustered.

“I’m officially screwed,” I whisper to myself before closing the door to my room. I shuffle my feet over to the bed and flop forward dramatically. Why, why of all the guys to get a crush on, it’s my damn stepbrother?! Someone who I will never be able to have.

Good thing it’s just a high school crush, right? I’ll be over it by the end of the week. Zack who?

If only it could be that simple.

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