Page 57 of Fiery Romance

I gesture for him to have at it.

“Abe,” Cody’s voice is a lot gentler than mine was, “can you let us in?”

No movement.

I grit my teeth. “Maybe we should break the door down.”

“Yeah. Because that’s what every pre-teen boy wants. His dad breaking into his room.”

“It’s my room. I pay the bills.”

“And I’m sure Abe will be very mature and totally understand that.”

I scowl.

“What happened anyway?” Cody’s eyebrows tighten into a V. “He was fine a minute ago. Regan even got him to get a bedazzled nose ring.”

“It looked really nice,” Regan says sweetly.

“I suggested he go and show it off to you and…” Cody stops and checks his phone. “It’s a text from Abe.”

I launch forward. “What does it say?”

“That he doesn’t want to talk right now.” Cody turns the phone over to me. The text is clear as day.

I rub the back of my neck and exhale deeply.

Cody studies my face for a minute and then his slightly accusatory expression smoothes out. “Hey, whatever happened, just give it some time, okay? I’m sure things will be better in the morning.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

* * *

My brother’s wrong.

Things are not better in the morning.

Abe refuses to come down for breakfast.

I’m at his door, pounding like a madman and threatening to throw him over my shoulder and carry him to the table when I hear a knock on the front door.

It’s Genevieve. She’s the only one Abe allows in his room and she’s the one holding his hand when he walks out minutes later, dressed for school.

There’s so much I want to say, mostly at the top of my lungs, but I decide not to make a stink before the school day. What matters is that Abe has someone to confide in.

I’m totally okay with that.

Very… okay.

Ah… what the hell. Abe choosing his nan stings like a beast, but it can’t get worse than that, can it?

Turns out, I’m wrong again.

“He didwhat?” I bark at the guidance counselor sitting across from me.

Cheesy posters are plastered on the walls behind her head. A full pot of coffee is sitting on the desk behind her. The fragrance is overwhelming and I have to stop myself from asking for a cup to soothe my raw nerves.

Her fingers flatten on the table and she flinches, which tips me off to the fact that I might have overdone it.

---