Page 7 of Release Me

“You want to talk about something? Fine!” Her voice raisesan octave. “Let’s talk about our new roommate and his nudist tendencies.”

Heads pop up over the cubicle walls now. Jean stares at me, her mouth hanging open.

“You had to be there,” I explain with a shrug.

“I’ll bet.” Her gaze skims over the ink on my forearm. If it were cooler outside, I’d have to cover that up with a long-sleeved shirt. Employee conduct manual, page four.

“Oh, come on, that was funny. And besides”—Connor reaches up to seize my chin between his thumb and index finger—“how could you be so mean to this poor guy? He just had his heart ripped out. All he wants is to be loved. Can’t you show him some love?”

I slap his hand away.

Ryan’s hazel eyes shift to my face. She has pretty irises. I’ll bet her smile would be pretty too. If she’s capable of one. To Connor, she says, “Go eat. You’re more annoying than usual.”

“Yeah! That’s the point!” He taps on the counter as he strolls away, a wordless gesture to hurry up.

Jean breaks out in a fit of giggles, like he’s said the funniest thing. I want to offer her a bib to keep the drool from her blouse. I slide the completed form over instead. “Anything else?”

“No, you’re all set. Thanks for coming quickly.”

“That’s Ronan. He ‘comes quick.’ Tell all your friends,” Connor quips from behind.

I wait until the door is shut behind us before I punch him in the shoulder. “There’s something wrong with you.”

He rubs his washboard abs. “Yeah, my impending starvation.”

“You and Ryan have a strange relationship.”

“What are you talking about? It’s totally normal.”

“She hates your guts.” And yet she still lives with him.

Connor grins. “Yeah, maybe a little.”

I shake my head. “How old is she?”

“Twenty-five.”

So is Connor, and I remember this because he’s one year older than me. “So, you’re twins?” I wouldn’t put it past him not to mention that.

“Nah. Half sister. Our dad was a little busy cheating on my mom that year.”

This is all starting to make sense. “No wonder you guys don’t look anything alike.”

“I only met her a few years ago. She was moving to Miami from Orlando, and she needed a place while she figured things out. My dad asked if she could crash with me.” He shrugs. “I said sure, I didn’t care. And she hasn’t left yet. She stays out of my life, I stay out of hers. It works, for the most part.”

“That explains a lot.”

“Like?”

“Why you haven’t threatened to pound the shit out of me if I bang her.” Like I did to all my friends back home when they so much as glanced at my baby sister Brittany.

“You kidding? Iwantyou to try something with her. Just let me be there to see it. It’ll be fun watching her kick you in the nuts.”

I sigh. “Something isseriouslywrong with you.”

He’s distracted from a retort by another crew guy coming around the corner. “Yo, Baker! What’s up? This is Ronan. He’s new.”

The blond nods once my way. “Not much. Did you read that email about Alaska?”

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