Page 110 of Come Break My Heart Again

“They’re, uh …” I play with the hem of his T-shirt. “They’re kind of snobs. Not cruel or unkind, just self-absorbed. They have this …vision, I guess. For their life. For mine. My dad’s a partner at a big law firm in Boston. All he cares about are my grades. He expects me to go to law school and work at the same sort of place he does. And my mom … she’s obsessed with my clothes and my activities and … the guys I date. She’s best friends with Mrs. Hathaway—Archer’s mom. She pushed for me to date him because it was perfect in her mind.

“They were more relaxed when Rose was alive. My dad would play basketball with me when he got home from work, and my mom would take me on these shopping trips in the city to redecorate my room each year on my birthday. And now … they don’t really care what I think. What I want. They make all the big decisions and expect me to go along with it. Whenever I feel unhappy, I figure at least they’re happy.”

“The Elle I know tells the world how it’s going to be. Not the other way around.”

“Yeah, well …” I shrug. “I think I’m braver around you.”

He smiles. So, I decide to prove it.

“And also … I think I did something stupid.”

Ryder lifts one eyebrow, still appearing amused. “What? Did you miss one question on the History quiz earlier? Because a ninety-eight isn’t that?—”

“I fell in love with you again.”

No response. No reaction. He’s frozen, so still that I can’t even detect the rise of his chest.

“Ryder!” a loud male voice shouts. “The damn door is stuck again. You home?”

“That’s, uh, Cormac,” Ryder says unnecessarily.

“RYDER!”

I avoid eye contact as I strip his shirt off and toss it to him, then get dressed faster than I ever have in my life. I sling my backpack over one shoulder, following Ryder down the hallway. He glances back at me twice, but says nothing as we enter the other end of the trailer. There’s a small kitchen tucked to the left, a square table opposite from it, and then a couch with a television at the far end. It’s tidy, plain, with very limited furnishings.

Ryder’s focused on the door, jiggling the lock and inspecting the frame.

“Ryder!” Cormac calls again.

“Hang on,” Ryder replies. “I’m working on it.”

An exasperated huff is the only response.

Despite the lingering embarrassment burning through me, I smile. Something about Ryder’s dynamic with his brother reminds me of Rose. And not in a tragic, depressing way. More of a fondness as I recall silly spats about dolls and clothes.

A minute later, Ryder has the door open.

“Finally.” Cormac strolls into the kitchen. “We have seriously got to—” He spots me and stops talking.

“Hi, Cormac.” I offer an awkward little wave.

“Hi, Elle.”

He inspects me closer than I’d like, considering how quickly I put my clothes back on. I’m worriedI just had sex with your brothermight be stamped across my forehead.

“Nice to see you again.” I start toward the open doorway. I’m definitely not waiting around for Ryder to get it open again—or going out the window.

“Lo.” Ryder grabs my arm as I go to pass him.

Cormac has the fridge door open, dividing his attention between the contents and glancing over here.

“It’s fine,” I say.

“No, it’s not.” He looks at his eavesdropping brother, then back to me. “Me too, okay? Me too.”

“Yeah?” I whisper.

He nods. “Yeah. I love … dumb shit.”

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