Page 47 of Set Me On Fire

“Butt face.”

“Wanker.”

We went on in this juvenile fashion until I took a sip of my drink and then recoiled.

“What did you do?” Jamie glared at Hunter. “You didn’t put vinegar in her drink again, did you?”

“Um… no.” I felt like an idiot, but I was up and on my feet, ready to pour it out. “Wine.”

“Oh…” Mum looked alarmed, which was not very discreet of her, something that caught Dad’s attention. “Just toss it on the grass then.”

“Tossing away good wine?” Dad spluttered, then nodded to me. “Hair of the dog, best thing for a hangover.”

“Not this kind,” I informed him with a tight smile, following Mum’s instructions.

“That’s what you usually do.” Shit, shit, shit, Brock’s curiosity was piqued, and he was worse than Dad. “Often you get drunker than you did the night before.”

“The cycle of life,” I replied, sitting down and trying to pour myself a straight juice. My hands shook for some reason, but we could blame that on the DT’s, couldn’t we?

“Have a beer then.”

Hayden produced a can from the esky and pushed it towards me.

“Um… can we talk about the alcoholic enabling in this family, because it's really dysfunctional.” I pushed it back. “I can have a dry Christmas without it being a huge deal.”

“Except you haven’t since you turned eighteen.”

Shit, now Hunter was on the trail. I’d just been romanticising how attentive my family was, but this was the down side. People that cared, that noticed what was going on with you, also noted when things changed, whether you wanted them to or not. They also investigated why.

Not now, not yet, that’s what my heart beat. We were having a nice Christmas dinner only moments ago. I needed us to get back to that. I loved my dad, my brothers, but sometimes all that love was kinda smothering. I couldn’t hear their responses before I’d really worked out how I felt, so I smiled shakily and regarded the table.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just had too much to drink the other night, and I’m not feeling one hundred percent today, so can we just eat?”

No, we couldn’t.

“Is this about one of those idiots you’ve been dating?” Brock asked.

“What idiots?” Dad looked at me, then my brother.

“If he’s hurt you…”

Hayden was the quieter twin, but also the scarier one at times, his intense gaze burning into me.

“Who is it?” Hunter didn’t ask me, knowing he’d get nowhere, but staring at Jamie instead. “Who messed with her this time? Was it the married guy?”

“There’s a married guy?” Dad yelped. “Millie?—”

“There’s no married guy!” Jamie threw her hands up and met my gaze, making clear she wouldn’t be the weakest link. “Just dumb arse dudes on dating apps pretending to be single, but we always snoop their social media profiles before she dates anyone.”

“That’s smart, darling,” Mum said, reaching across the table to grab my hand.

“The only time you go off your food is when you’re dealing with a broken heart.” I hated Brock and his persistence in making everything his business right now. “Remember that idiot? What was his name?”

Don’t say it, don’t say it, I thought furiously.

“Noah.”

Fuck.

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