Page 20 of Tell Me No
“She’s in the shower. She’s been in there for like an hour and a half now,” he says, his voice tired and heavy with emotion. Aurora gives him a hug, the kind that you put your whole heart and soul in to. He squeezes her back just as tightly before letting her go and nodding towards his room. Aurora walks in, pushing the running shower head to one side and walking straight into the shower stall to sit with Kelsea, fully clothed.
“Aurora, I’m naked!” Kelsea yells, and Ev and I both laugh softly.
“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Aurora replies.
I nod towards the back door, silently asking Ev to follow me out. Once we’re out back, we both fall into chairs around the patio table. He looks miserable. I can’t imagine how he feels right now, balancing his own sadness with the storm of emotions his wife must be feeling.
“You wanna talk about it?” I ask. He leans back in his chair, sighing heavily and closing his eyes.
“I just don't know how much longer we can go on like this. Every month she gets her hopes up, no matter how many times the letdown fucking kills her. She gets so hopeful, and what am I supposed to tell her, Break? Am I supposed to dim that light in her eyes on purpose? I can’t fucking do that, not to her. I just don’t know how many more breaks her heart can take,” he replies.
“What about you, Ev?” I tread lightly, not wanting to push too far.
“I’m just tired of seeing my beautiful, strong, vibrant wife reduced to a sobbing fucking mess every month. If I could fix this, it would already be done. But I can’t and it makes me angry. I just feel so fucking bitter, you know? Like, why us? Why Kelsea? I can’t think of anyone on this Earth who would make a better mother, Breaker. So why?” he leans forward, elbows braced on his knees.
“I’m sorry, man. I wish there was something I could do to help, but I know there’s nothing I can say to make this easier,” I reply. A vision flashes in my mind. It’s only a momentary spark, a picture of Aurora dancing in my kitchen holding a tiny toddler with her dark hair and my green eyes. I’m shocked by how much that image doesn’t scare me.
“Actually, there might be something,” Everett’s voice breaks through my daydream and I shake the thoughts from my head, focusing on my friend. “It’s kind of a weird ask, but do you think we could talk to your parents? I want Kelsea to believe me when I say I don’t care how we build our family. No matter what, it’sours. I feel like maybe talking to somebody who has been there could help,” he asks and I pull out my phone, already scrolling through my contacts. I dial the number I’m looking for and listen to it ring a few times before the sweetest voice comes through the line.
“Is this my baby boy?” My mom asks, and I laugh. No matter how old I get, she’s always called me that. A sense of nostalgia washes over me, reminding me just how grateful I am to have the parents who wanted me for me.
“Hey mama, I got a question for ya,” I ask her, a plan brewing in my mind.
twelve
I’ve beenon a permanent high for the past few weeks. Almost every night, I fall asleep and wake up tangled in Jason’s arms. He comes and goes here and there for work, but I’m not complaining. I’ve never been the girl that needed constant attention to be happy. Yesterday morning I woke up in his bed, a cup of coffee on the nightstand next to me and a note that said he’d be back tomorrow.
Now, I’m standing at the espresso machine at work, staring into space as I replay the way Jason owns my body. Every time he touches me, I melt into him. It’s like I’ve been missing a piece of my soul and now that I’ve finally found it, I never want to lose it again. I already can’t wait to see him tonight.
Someone clears their throat, snapping me out of my daydream. I look up and see Austin Evans staring at me like he’s got something to say.
“Evans, good morning. What can I get for you today?” I ask, wiping my hands on my apron and sliding down the counter to the register. “Americano and a blueberry scone?”
“Uh… yeah,” he says, his brows drawing together like he’s trying hard not to speak his mind. He shifts uncomfortably from side to side, looking everywhere but my face.
“Something you wanna talk about, Evans?” I ask. He and I have never been friends, but we’re cordial enough. He’s my customer, and he tips well when I’m nice to him.
“I just didn’t peg you for the type to be in to dangerous guys, Aurora,” he says, the bitter sound of jealousy clear in his voice as he avoids my gaze completely. My hands freeze where they’re working to brew his coffee. I’m shocked by his assumption that he knows anything about me at all. And I’m fucking pissed that he would make such an accusation about Jason. He doesn’t even know him.
“Um… excuse the fuck out of me? You don’t know me, Austin. I could be a back alley biker bitch for all you know. Who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and talking shit like you have any say about anything oranyoneI do?” I snap back at him, my voice getting louder by the second.
“Is there a problem here?” Vanessa says, coming up beside me with her arms crossed. She’s never been a big fan of Austin or his cocky attitude.
“No. No problem. It was just an observation,” Austin says, holding his hands up in defense.
“Next time, keep your observations to yourself and get your coffee at Starbucks, Austin. Goodbye,” she says, shooing him towards the door.
“Look, I’m not trying to piss you off, Rory. But people talk, especially in this town. If the cops could prove half the shit they suspected him of, he would already be in prison for the rest of his life. Is that really the person you want to be seen with?” Austin says, and I snap.
I lunge across the counter, Vanessa catching me around the waist just in time before I hit him with the coffee cup in my hand. “Woah what the hell?!” He shouts.
“Shut your fucking mouth, Evans! You don’t know shit!” I scream back at him, shocking myself with my emotional outburst. Vanessa holds me tightly as I struggle against her, itching to punch his stupid, cocky face.
“You need to go, Austin. Now!” she yells over the string of obscenities pouring from my lips. He turns to walk away and runs straight into a wall of pure muscle.
“Somebody wanna tell me what the fuck is going on in here?” Jason's voice is dark, laced with venom and anger. His eyes burn a hole straight through Austin, and I have to fight to suppress a smirk.
“Get the fuck out, Austin. Get your coffee somewhere else from now on,” I tell him, finally calming down enough for Vanessa to let me go. Jason clenches his fists at his sides, his eyes following Austin all the way out the door.
