Page 143 of Overdue I Love You's
“I’m no artist,” I chew my bottom lip. “It’ll be wonky.”
Dean replies with a boyish grin. “Like that’s gonna stop you from drawing on me.”
I smack his chest. “I’m trying to be professional right now.”
He toys with the blanket. “You into being unprofessional too?”
I blush again. “Control yourself, sir.”
He mock-salutes. “Yes, ma’am.”
We bask in comfortable silence. I dig my teeth into my bottom lip, tracing what I remember. I look up. Dean’s watching me, his peaceful smile torments the unhealed version of Nova. “Why haven’t you asked me about that night?” He knows what I’m talking about. My reaction to Nadine’s phone call. The way I closed myself off, shut down, turned into someone’s little sister.
“Not every reaction needs to be analyzed,” Dean peers down at the messy doodle of two lovebirds. One blue, the other red, their beaks curving into a heart. “You had a reason for reacting the way you did.”
We’ve gotten to this point. No noise, no obstacles. Just Dean and Nova. Two of the most stubborn people in the world holding onto each other with nothing but fate to guide them. It’s unreal, is what it is. I came to win money and I won Dean.
Capping the marker, “Can I tell you something?”
“Anything, always.”
“The reason I came intoLove? Check!wasn’t to win money just for financial reasons but because I’m kind of in the midst of a lawsuit with my childhood librarian for never returning any overdue books.”
“Overdue? You mean…”
“Books I borrowed in the span of twelve years and never gave back,” I confirm. It’s not easy acknowledging childish mistakes but it’s the last piece of information I’m keeping from him. “After graduating and becoming an editor—which by the way, my sister got me that joband I couldn’t really say no when it was competitive to get in—the migraines got in the way. I couldn’t read anymore, which sucked. But it happened. My favourite pleasure and privilege was taken away from me.”
His palm brands my thigh.
“Eventually, that led to a book buying addiction. Money spent. No books read. Just a way to feel like Icouldread. Before I knew it, I was spending whatever I had in my bank account, barely leaving any money for expenses.” A resigned sigh. “I should’ve changed the second I knew what was happening, but an addiction is an addiction.”
“That’s why you couldn’t confide in your sisters.” His thumb draws circles.
“Exactly,” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “And now I’m in a pickle because I’m a hundred percent sure I’m not winning.”
Dean thinks, scratches his nose, thinks again. “What happens when you don’t pay?”
“If I don’t pay in the next four months, behind bars for a year it is.”
“They can’t put you in prison for this,” he’s alarmed by this.
“They can if I’ve” I throw up mock-quotations. “Disturbed her mental health and security of the building.”
“I can?—”
“No,” I interrupt with a glare, knowing exactly what older sibling's symptoms are flashing through his stubborn brain. “You will not play the hero in my story.”
“Even though it’ll ease your stress?” He pleads with his eyes.
“Dean,” I shove his hand off. “This isn’t because I’m full of pride or because I want to be stubborn. All my life, people have stepped in to help me. Fell off my bike? Rosa was there with aBarbieband aid. When OSAP put me on academic probation, Nadine was ready topay my tuition.”
Turning to fully face him so he can tell I’m serious when I say, “I appreciate it. I do. But I’ll figure it out. Even if it means working part-time jobs.”
Dean drops his gaze with a steady sigh.
I take that as discussion closed.
“By the way,” my tone takes a lighter edge. “My sisters are going to be the first to know about us.”I’m hit with the ferocious wave of missing them.
