Page 107 of Broken

I lean against the wall, watching her, my arms crossed over my chest. Teddy called less than a minute ago to say that Ashley was on her way up, and Mel practically bounced out of the den and down the hallway. I haven’t seen her this animated since before she lost the baby, and happiness warms my chest from the small glimpse of the person she was before.

The elevator doors open, and Ashley bounds out and straight into Mel’s waiting arms. She’s basically a smaller, youngerversion of her big sister, with the same bright green eyes and long chestnut-colored hair. I watch the two of them embrace, and after a few seconds Ashley starts to cry, making me feel like a voyeur intruding on their grief.

Until now, the grief has belonged to only Mel and me. Sharing that with her has felt intimate and brought me comfort. Now she’s sharing her grief with her sister, and while I know that’s as it should be, it also makes me feel less needed.

It’s late. I should head to bed and leave them to catch up without me watching over them, so that’s what I do. And when I’m lying in bed, I realize that in all my thirty-eight years on this earth, I have never felt more alone.

Mel sitscross-legged on the sofa in the den, coffee in her hands and stifling a yawn.

“Did you and your sister stay up late?” I ask, my tone full of concern despite my attempt to keep it light. But if she won’t let me look after her, she needs to take good care of herself.

“Yeah,” she says with a soft sigh. “I figure I need to grab onto all the sister time I can get before she goes back to Boston tomorrow.” Sadness washes over her features, and I can only imagine how hard it is for her having Ashley and Tyler so far away all the time.

I clear my throat. “What do you two have planned today?”

She rolls her eyes. “Ugh. Ashley’s favorite pastime—shopping.”

I take a seat on the sofa beside her. “You don’t like shopping?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Not really. I like shopping for a purpose, like if I need an outfit for something, but not justbecause. Ash, however, could shop all day, every day and never get bored of it.”

I run a hand over my jaw. “So we need to create an occasion for you to shop for.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“But if that’s what it’s going to take to make today more fun for you, how about dinner tonight? I’ll take you and Ashley somewhere, and you can buy an outfit for that.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t want to go out.”

“Fine. I’ll cook dinner, but it can still be an occasion.”

Her cheeks flush pink, and she drops her head, biting on her bottom lip. Now I feel like an asshole because I know her funds are limited. I take my wallet from my back pocket and pull out my black Amex card. “Take this and buy you and Ash whatever you want.”

She blinks at me. “Are you serious?” Her accusatory tone makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “After everything that’s happened between us—after what you accused me of—you think I’d take your money?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Then take it for Ashley.”

She rolls her eyes again. “She doesn’t need your money either.”

I bite back the retort on my tongue about her already having a hundred and sixty grand of it and slip the card back into my wallet.

We sit in awkward silence, and I’m about to fill it when she speaks. “That was very nice of you though. Thank you.” She bumps her arm against mine. “But you know I can’t take your money, right?”

“I know. It was a stupid suggestion. I just want you both to have a good day.”

“We will.” A faint smile lights up her face. “You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a good day shopping, at least notwith Ash. You could come with us? She’ll teach you the art of window-shopping.”

Spending the day with her makes even that torture sound appealing, but I decline because she deserves some quality time with her sister. “As incredibly fun as that sounds, I think I’ll pass.”

She chuckles. “Yeah, I don’t blame you, Ice.”

My heart hammers double time in my chest at her use of that name. She must feel it too because her breath hitches in her throat.

“That shower is incredible!” Ashley’s excited shriek pierces the air between us. She flops onto the armchair and starts running through her shopping itinerary, which she appears to have planned with military precision.

My cell phone rings, providing me with the perfect excuse to leave the room. When I see the name flashing on the screen, I realize my day is about to get a whole lot more complicated.

I wait until I’m out of earshot before I answer. “Hey, Jessie.”

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