Page 7 of Chasing Forever
“Why would you ask that?” I stall, needing to gather whatever shreds of information I can.
“You two were all over each other. Huddled in secret conversations. Always going to the bar together. You were actually… getting along. It was weird.” Her phone vibrates, and she swipes the screen open. “Hey, Sadie, she just got back. Sorry for bothering your baby-free time. See you at lunch.” She hangs up.
“How many people did you call looking for me?” I slip out of my shoes and sit on my bed.
“Just the girls and Bennett.” She shrugs and leans in eagerly. “So tell me where you were.”
I could tell her. She’s my sister, and she’d keep the secret for me. But just the thought of anyone knowing is embarrassing. I’d rather not be the new scandal to hit the gossip mill in town—been there, done that. Don’t recommend. Then again, if she knows, she can help me dodge Brooks until we return home. “Fine. I was with Brooks.”
She smacks her palm on the mattress and smiles wide. “I knew it.”
“Look at you, you’re Sherlock Holmes.” I head toward the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”
She jumps in front of me. “Oh no, you’re not. Details.”
“Gross.” Why would she want to know any details? I’d never want to know about her having sex.
“Not his dick size or anything. Like, how did it happen? Do you remember? Because you seemed pretty wasted.”
I want to tell her his dick puts Holden’s to shame. Hell, Brooks would never let Holden live it down if I told him he’s so much bigger than his older brother. “I told you, I don’t remember.”
Her shoulders sink and her eyebrows lift. “Nothing?”
I shake my head. “Maybe my memory will come back in the shower.” I edge around her, crank on the water, but when I turn back, she’s leaning on the doorframe.
“So, like… this morning… did he remember?”
God, Romy’s relentless. I should’ve said I hooked up with some random at the slots. But she knows as well as everyone else in my family that if I was with Brooks, he never would’ve left me by myself to wander drunk in Vegas. He might not be blood, but he’s family in every way that matters.
“Fine, I’m going to tell you, but you can’t tell anyone else, okay?”
Her eyebrows lift again. Romy does enjoy gossip. She’s always in the know with the latest news about all the reality shows and celebrities. She holds out her hand with her pinkie extended. “Pinkie promise.”
“I’m serious, Romy. I can’t deal with it right now, and if everyone finds out, I’ll just go back there again.” My throat tightens.
She drops her hand to her side. “This is scaring me, what happened?”
I shake my head and blow out a breath. “If I tell you, will you let me shower and decompress from it all?”
She nods, putting her finger across her heart. “Cross my heart…”
“We can stop the childhood promises, just please don’t betray my trust.”
“Of course.” Her lips straighten and concern lines her eyes.
The same concerned eyes everyone always looks at me with. Wondering whether Holden destroyed the Lottie they’ve always known. Will I ever return to the fun-loving, full-of-life girl who isn’t hiding under that hard shell?
I inhale a deep breath and just spit it out. “It turns out while you weren’t babysitting me last night, I married Brooks.”
Her mouth opens, not even coming back that I’m the older sister, and she doesn’t need to babysit me. Which I just threw in there to try to blame anyone else besides myself that I married Holden’s brother, knowing in the end, it’s all my fault.
After her shock, she clutches her hands in front of her heart. “That’s so romantic.”
“Spare me.” I roll my eyes and nudge her out of the doorway, and finally I’m able to shut the door. “Now I’m going to shower.”
“Lottie, you can’t just drop that bomb and leave me here without any more information.”
I open the door a sliver. “It’s not fate or kismet. It was just good ol’ alcohol and bad judgment. We’re going to get an annulment.”
