Page 87 of Coming Up Roses

“Fucking hell, I’m not a kid,” I snap.

“No.” Hunter runs his hand down his face again, a sure sign he’s exasperated. “What you do with her is your own business, just be careful. She’s got a lot of baggage, and you, little brother, do not. Don’t let it weigh you down.”

“Nothing is weighing me down. We’re friends. That’s it. There’s nothing else there.”

“Fine, if you say so.” He glances around the room, taking in the small space, his gaze lingering on Mum’s flowers painted on the ceiling. “You should get the dog.”

“What?”

“You were talking about a puppy when I saw you last. I think you should. You were supposed to get one, that Christmas. Mum and I were going to go and choose it for you …” His voice drops. “The day after the accident. Obviously we never made it.”

“Okay.” I lower myself onto one of the kitchen stools, a little dumbstruck over his revelation. Hunter doesn’t talk about our parents, not to me anyway. We don’t talk about much. He became my guardian and worked his ass off to keep our heads above water, but emotionally he cut me off, not that we were ever particularly close. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You’ve wanted one since you were six. You went on and on about every dog you ever met. Never shut up about them. Plus, it makes sense for you to have some company out here.”

“Some without all that baggage, you mean?”

Hunter sighs. “Just trying to look out for you. Make sure you’re nice to Vi today.”

“I’m always nice to Vi,” I mutter. Always. I love that woman. Without her who knows where I would have ended up,because she provided me the emotional support I needed when Hunter couldn’t.

“I know you are. I need to go, but are you alright?”

“Yes, Hunter. I’m fine. Sometimes I’m just allowed to be sad and not want to hang out with everyone, okay?”

“I know.” He gives me a look. One that says he gets it, but still wishes neither of us had to understand this feeling. “I’ll see you later.”

And after that wonderfully uplifting conversation, my big brother disappears back out my front door, leaving me alone with my feelings, and the horrifying realisation that I’ve fallen in love with Abi.

Somehow I need to get through this, ideally with our friendship, and my heart, still intact.

One thing is for certain though, I’m in over my head and I need to get out before I drown. This thing with Abi, it needs to end. It was always going to, but if I do it now at least it’s on my terms.

I just hope our friendship survives, because I don’t think I can handle losing her completely.

43

ABI

I burymyself in work the week following my night with Flynn.

Well, I try to anyway. It’s not easy when my mind keeps straying to thoughts of him.

Of his body wrapped around mine.

Of his hair tangled in my fingers.

Of his hands caressing my skin.

Of his face as he fucked me, gaze never straying from mine.

Except that wasn’t exactly fucking. It was more than that. I know it was, I just really, really don’t want to admit it.

I keep waiting for him to turn up at the function centre. Every time a vehicle arrives I catch my breath, my heart doing a little skipping thing in my chest.

But he never shows.

I shouldn’t be surprised.

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