Page 58 of Break Your Fall

What did it all mean, I wondered? It didn’t mean anything. Reyna was being Reyna.

“Tommy.” My name is a whisper and I turn around, beer and the girl I love making me tired and unsteady.

“I didn’t ask you that, okay?”

She pushes off the fridge as she studies me, her face looking as defeated and hurt as I am, but neither of us can do anything to change it.

Her nod is slight and hesitant, but enough to turn me back around and push my feet to the couch where I drop down onto the edge opposite Banks and close my eyes, drowsy and ready to pretend the last minutes of this night never happened.

17

This Is Great

Thomas

Oh, they happened.

The following morning when I awake, I’m sprawled out on the couch, the lower half of my body hanging off the side with Reyna waking up from the opposite end and Banks parading around the kitchen bare-chested.

And I’m never going shirtless around here again.Thanks, dude.

I have a headache that is momentarily forgotten when a shadow falls over me.

“This is what you’re doing in our guest house?” Dad questions me with contempt before dragging his judging stare toward Reyna then Banks and back to me. “Do you want me to tell you what this place smells like?”

“How long have you been standing here?” I question him back as I push to sitting. “Did you know he was standing here?” I throw my accusing at Banks.

“Yep,” he says simply as he rummages through my fridge. Orourfridge, as my dad called it. He really wants this guest house for himself.

“Ah, shit, what is that smell?” my new roomie asks next, stopped right over the trash can.

“Probably the trash right under your nose,” I deadpan. I need to take that out.Both of them.

Banks spreads food out on the bar, pausing at Reyna’s laugh. “What?”

“You’re just cute,” she says with a shrug.

“Date me,” Banks urges at her and I roll my eyes to my dad.

“What do you want from me?” I ask up at him, my hands hanging limp between my legs, my words heavy enough for him to hold my stare without a response too long for my comfort zone. Doesn’t he have a future ex-wife he can fight with instead of his son who’s hungover and too tired to be harassed at this time of day?

“For now, the spare vacuum cleaner,” he finally answers, and I wave a dismissive hand toward the hall closet, hoping to send a message oftake it and go. I’ll do whatever I can to get him to leave me alone.

But of course, he does the opposite of what I want.

“Reyna. Banks,” he says, his voice stronger and dominating. “I need a minute with Tommy.”

“I have to go, anyway,” Reyna says as she pushes off the couch and starts for the door, mouthing aSorrymy way. I watch after her until she’s out of sight, then I sigh up at my father. He clears his throat at Banks who has yet to leave the kitchen.

“Chill, I’m going,” he says as he stalks toward the hall, only to stop at the closet to pick out one of his shirts. I vaguely remember him hanging them up. “Get off,” he orders his chosen shirt as he struggles to yank it from a hanger. “Attachment isn’t healthy,” he hollers as he finally detaches the shirt, the hanger flying up, then landing down on the floor.

“This is great,” comes a low, sarcastic comment from my dad.

I rest my face in my hands as I listen to Banks finally escape to one of the back rooms—which better not be mine.

“That boy’s influence isn’t staying here, Tommy.”

“He’ll be gone soon,” I say through my hands, a groaned promise to myself, before letting them fall back between my legs.

---