Page 15 of Unbearable

I had always been a night owl, much like Dotty. Sometimes, those nights turned into mornings. Dorian, on the other hand, could never stay up past eleven, no matter how hard he tried. As kids, he would often be passed out on the couch while Dotty and I stayed up for hours talking at the ranch house. As the sun started to peek above the hills, I let my mind wander to the past.

“So, Dot, tell me. How is high school treating you so far?” I smiled up at her as she sat directly across from me onthe couch. Both of us rested our backs on opposite edges of the couch. Dorian had fallen asleep over an hour ago—his head resting on a pillow next to Dotty.

“It would be better if I could make friends without them becoming obsessed with you or Dorian, but there’s not much I can do about that.” Her words came across jokingly, but I saw the sadness in her eyes. Dotty didn’t have the best luck with making friends in Woodstone Falls, unless you counted Dorian and me.

“I’m sorry, sunshine. I can’t help being so handsome. Dorian though, I am not sure why girls like him, he can be an ass.” I chuckled.

She threw a pillow at me and laughed. “Yeah,hecan definitely be an ass.” Raising a brow at me, she looked at me with her chin pointed down, eyes peering through her thick lashes. You think I wouldn’t be surprised anymore with how much she could affect me. But I would never compromise our friendship by crossing that line, despite how kissable her lips looked in the moonlit living room. At some point in the last year, Dotty had transformed from my innocent best friend to the girl I couldn’t stop thinking about.

“You know I’m kidding. You will make friends, Dot. Maybe not now, but in a few years, you’ll chase your big dreams in the city. Imagine how many options there will be outside of Woodstone for Ellie Miles loving, reading addicted girls. And in the meantime, you got me.” I winked. I tried to hold back, but sometimes I couldn’t help but flirt with Dot just a little.

She rolled her eyes. “I hope one day I can find even one friend who gets me. I’d hate to be stuck with you forever as my only friend. Soon, I might have to resort to telling you about all the girly things, like crushes, and sex.”

I choked on the air I breathed. I did not expect her to say that. “Um, Dotty. Warn a guy next time, will ya?”

She let out a bellowing laugh before Dorian grunted and rolled over. She whispered, “I wanted to see your reaction. You know as long as I have an overprotective dad, three older brothers, and you, no boy will ever think of coming near me.”

“And that’s the way we like it.”

I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone approaching Dotty with anything less than pure intentions. While most people saw Dotty as cold and reserved, I saw her for what she truly was—light, goodness, and strength.

Knowing Dotty was like experiencing the first warm, sunny day of the year. It was that feeling when you closed your eyes and looked up at the sun to feel the warmth on your face just a little more.

If I could bottle Dotty up into a single feeling, that’d be it.

She embodied the promise of summer, the feeling of hope. To me, Dotty wasn’t the cold but the warmth—the light.

And no one deserved her light, especially not me. My mom couldn’t even stay around to get to know me, and my dad, though he picked up the pieces, often seemed to care for me out of obligation rather than love. His affection was never like the love I saw David James give his children.

I felt Dotty’s hand on my knee. She must have scooted closer without me realizing it. “Where’d you go, cowboy?” Her eyes were sincere.

“Sorry, got lost in my thoughts for a second.”

“You know you can talk to me.” Her hand squeezed a little and the need to pull her to me was strong, but instead, I shook her off gently.

“I’m good. Promise. We should get some rest.” I slid down and grabbed my pillow.

She pushed away from me toward her side of the couch. “You’re right. Sorry for keeping you up. Better get some sleep before the sun comes up. Good night, Trent.”

“Good night, sunshine,” I whispered, calling her the name I had since we were kids.

The distant chirping of a bird and the creak of the front door pulled me from my thoughts.

Dotty strolled out, looking adorably disheveled. Her blond hair was tousled, with strands flying everywhere, catching the morning light in a way that made it seem like she was a fucking angel. She wore a light pink pajama set, the color complementing the softness of her complexion. The fabric clung gently to her curves, giving a glimpse of her silhouette that drove me mad.

In her hand, she cradled a steaming cup of coffee, the aroma mingling with the crisp morning air. As she approached, a smile played at the corners of her lips.

I rubbed my chest, feeling the ink beneath my shirt that seemed to burn at her proximity.

As she settled into one of the big rocking chairs, she cleared her throat. “Thanks,” she said, raising her cup and nodding. Her raspy voice still carried the remnants of sleep.

“No problem. There’s some food inside if you’re hungry,” I replied with a smile, unsure of where I stood in her mind.

She looked up at me, her face unreadable. “Thanks for letting me stay here.” Clearing her throat again, she continued, “I know it’s a bit weird, and I’m not sure how to navigate this. But maybe a good place to start, since we are going to be roommates for the next month, would be to come up with some ground rules.”

Dotty and her rules. I guess her need for control and stability hadn’t disappeared in the last ten years.

“Sure. If that makes you more comfortable,” I said.

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