Page 36 of A Little Broken

“Yeah, yeah. I know you love me. It’s too bad we’re straight, am I right?”

“Yes,” I groan, resting my forehead against my bent knees. “Life would be so much easier if we were attracted to women.”

“Amen,” she agrees. “So, does this mean you’re finally giving in and coming to stay long-term, or is this only anothervisituntil you earn enough money to leave me again?”

“Depends. Is your brother going to crash our partyagain?” I counter.

It was a few months ago. I was staying at Rory’s apartment when Maverick showed up with Lia in tow. Talk about an oh-shit moment. I barely made it through the pleasantries before packing a bag and buying the first bus ticket I could find to get me out of there. Even if my sister hadn’t tagged along with Mav, I still would’ve left, though. It’s nothing personal. But looking at someone who shares the face of a person who died has a way of messing with your head, you know? Okay, maybe it is a little personal. Maverick is Archer’s identical twin. They looked so much alike, only a handful of people could tell them apart. It’s one of Lia’s favorite things to brag about. That she could always tell them apart.

I could, too, you know.

And even if they don’t look like exact replicas of each other, the in your face—pun intended—reminder isn’t exactly an easy pill to swallow.

The history between Archer, Mav, and Ophelia is murky at best. Don’t get me wrong. Mav is a good guy despite stabbing his brother in the back before taking his heart. Literally. Mav had HCM—a rare heart disease—but he kept the diagnosis to himself, wreaking all kinds of havoc in my sister’s life. After Mav broke up with Ophelia, Archer rode in on his white horse, and she started dating him. Classy of her, I know. When I caught my older sister hooking up with Mav behind Archer’s back, she swore she’d broken up with Arch first, but that didn’t make it any better. She hurt the one person in this world who didn’tdeserve it, and what did Archer do? He forgave them, proving just how perfect he is. Was. Soon after, Archer passed away in a car accident. He was an organ donor, and Mav got his heart, shattering mine in the process.

Our families call it a miracle. Maybe it is, but I can’t help but hold a grudge against fate for fucking him over like that. Archer was…he was as close to perfect as a person can be. Thoughtful. Caring. Kind. Charismatic. Genuine. He was amazing.

And even though Mav has spent years trying to be the best person he can be in hopes of…I don’t know? Making things right with the world? It still doesn’t ease the ache. The reminder that he’s here when Archer isn’t. That without Archer, he wouldn’t be here at all. And Archer would.

But even then, even if fate dealt a different hand, Archer still wouldn’t be mine. He’d be Ophelia’s, or at the very least still obsessed with her. And if that isn’t a punch to the boob, I don’t know what is.

“Pretty sure Mav and Ophelia wouldn’t fit in my new place even if they wanted to visit,” Rory continues. “They’re in Uganda for the next three months.”

Her voice cuts through my thoughts. I shift my cell to my other ear, attempting to focus on our conversation instead of getting lost in the past. In the plaguing what ifs that never seem to rest despite the years they’ve haunted me. “That’s, uh, good for them,” I answer.

“Thought you’d like that.” Rory chuckles. “But like I said, there won’t be any surprise pop-ins. Which means, you should think about staying a while this time. As long as you’re good with close quarters.”

The last time we spoke, Rory mentioned she might be moving again, though I didn’t know she actually went through with it. “Sick of the neighbors above, huh?”

“You have no idea,” she mutters. “Besides, this place might be tiny, but it’s only a mile from the beach, a five-minute walk from my classes, and the people beneath me own the place and are so freaking cute. They always leave the yummiest treats by my door. Seriously, you’ll love them.”

“I’m sure I will,” I mutter. “Speaking of loving people and vice versa…”

“Yes?” She drags out the word.

Ignoring the skepticism in her voice, I announce, “After looking up flights, I may or may not have found a potential job in Harden Heights and put you on another resume.”

“Tatum,” she groans. “Every time you do that, I have to lie.”

I gasp. “Excuse me! Who says you need to lie?”

“So, you’d like me to tell your potential employers how you have a penchant for sleeping in, missing shifts, and quitting at the drop of a hat anytime the going gets rough?”

My jaw drops. I’m surprised at how quick she had that locked and loaded. “Ouch.”

“I’m just saying…”

“That I have a penchant for sleeping in, missing shifts, and quitting at the drop of a hat anytime the going gets rough?” I finish for her.

She doesn’t deny it, and honestly, I’m impressed. Before I took her under my wing, she didn’t have a backbone. Now, I can barely get anything past her.

Shoving my pride aside, I beg, “I swear I’ll be good this time. The perfect employee, I promise.”

“Uh-huh. Sure.”

“Rore, I’m serious!”

“And what kind of job is it?” she asks.

---