Page 41 of When Stars Fall

I stare at Ellie while I try to get my bearings. I glance down, and the pieces of my suit seem to be in the wrong order.

“We should stay home.” Ellie crosses to me and wraps her arms around my waist.

“Short Stuff, don’t let him wimp out on me.” Isaac narrows his eyes. “Pull your shit together, Wyatt. He wasmydad.”

“I never really had a dad,” I whisper.

“Yeah, mine was a good one.” There’s an edge in his voice that yanks me into the moment.

“What’s that mean?” I take a step toward him. “Hewasgood. He was a hell of a lot better than mine. You were lucky.”

Isaac’s dark eyes are glossy. He sniffs and shakes his head. “Get your shit together. We’re going out.”

“I’m not sure,” Ellie says, but Isaac shoots her a glare that would get him punched if I was even close to sober.

“Short Stuff, my dad died. I watched my dad be put in the ground. I’m never gonna see him again.” Annoyance spills out of him. “You can tag along to babysit Wyatt if you want, but we’re doing this.”

I stagger into our room, and Ellie follows on my heels.

“I’m not sure about this.” She plays with her hair. She’s already changed into a dress fit for the club. Stripping off my suit, I leave it on the floor. “Wyatt, did you hear me?”

“Yeah, I heard you,” I snap. “He wants me to go, so I’m going.”

“The two of you have been out of it all day. I’m worried, and your sister is going to be there, and she . . . She makes things worse.”

“What are you trying to say?” With one leg in my jeans, I stop to stare at her.

“We’re all sad, but I’m worried that one of you might go overboard.”

“Get whoever it is to the hospital, have our stomach pumped or whatever they do to fix it. Tell my PR guy to label it ‘exhaustion’ and litter the place with NDAs. Voila. Problem solved.” I slide my second leg into my pants and do them up. “It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to cover up some bullshit.”

She drums her fingers on the doorframe as I continue getting ready. She wants to say more, but she doesn’t dare.

“Look, Ellie. I’ll slow down if that’ll make you happy, okay?”

She nods but doesn’t make eye contact.

The shirt she loves that matches my eyes is in my hand, and I slip it over my head. I cross the room to stand in front of her. “You don’t understand what this feels like.”

“Do you?” She searches my face. “You and Isaac have popped so many Xanax and oxy and who knows what else the last couple of days. You’re chugging lean smoothies for breakfast. I’m not sure how you feel anything.”

“Thanks for everything you did today. What would I do without you?” I sigh and loop my arms around her waist, tugging her close.

Ellie frames my face. “I don’t want to lose you. I love you. You’re scaring me.”

“I’m scaring you?” Normally, I’d brush off her concern, but she’s making no effort to hide her true feelings.

“I’ve never seen you like this. You’re losing time—gaps in your memory. You’re notyouwhen we’re together.”

“I don’t want to accept this loss.”

“Take all of it down one notch. I’m not saying stop; I would never ask you to stop.”

I give a curt nod. Slowing down is easy. No issue.

“I’m worried about Isaac too. There’s something wrong with him.”

He lost his dad. He found his dad dead on their kitchen floor. She’s overreacting. I leave her to get my wallet out of the front pocket of my suit pants.

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