Page 57 of Spar
“He’ll manage the apartments until I can find someone else, and he gets free rent in return. I think he needs this. Especially if there’s any chance of him staying in Sweetbriar.”
Chris cursed under his breath. He couldn’t really argue.
“I promise I will check in on him weekly.”
Chris cocked his head and raised his eyebrows.
“Daily. I’ll check in on him daily. You gotta let me help. You don’t have to take care of everything on your own. Stop trying to steal all the glory.” Charlie winked.
Chris sat atthe dining room table, a cold cup of coffee in front of him. He’d slept like shit last night. His bedsheets smelled of Tori, and his thoughts bounced back and forth between how much he wished she was beside him and how worried he was about Travis. His brain and his dick were so confused at the back and forth he’d finally gotten up and worked out. It hadn’t helped.
A wince and a grunt from the living room were the only indication that Travis was awake. SportsCenter was on mute, and he stared ahead at the TV in a trance.
“Coffee?” Chris asked.
The covers were thrown off, and Travis made his way slowly to the fridge. It took everything Chris had to bite his tongue and tell his brother he’d sleep a hell of a lot better if he didn’t insist on sleeping on the couch.
“Your pills are on the counter!” he called after Travis.
Travis grabbed a beer and twisted the top off. “I don’t need the pills. I need you to stop banging around in the gym in the middle of the damn night.”
Chris turned the coffee mug in his hands and wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Despite Travis’ speech at the hospital about getting his shit together, he’d been a complete ass ever since. Chris contemplated what to say without coming off like an overbearing father instead of a supportive brother.
“Let me guess. You’re worried?” Travis asked, eyeing him over his beer.
“Am I that damn predictable?” Chris stood and emptied his mug in the sink. It seemed everyone knew him better than he gave them credit for. They’d been calling his shit all week.
Travis smiled and took a careful sip. “It’s either that, or you can’t sleep in your own damn bed without realizing what an ass you were for letting Tori leave.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate the early morning pep-talk.”
A look of pain, or maybe regret, passed over Travis’ face.
“It’s fine. Iama mess. Obviously.” He waved a hand in front of himself. Un-showered, unshaved, bags under his eyes, pissy mood — yeah, he needed to get his shit together, too.
“If you’re worrying about me, don’t. I know what you did for me, and what Charlie is doing for me. I’ll do my best not to screw it up. It’s not a lot of fun being the loser White brother.”
“We’ve all had our share of screw-ups.”
“Yeah? Funny, I can’t remember any of yours. Unless you count letting Tori walk out.”
“Why won’t you let it go? The plan was always for her to move back.”
“Fuck the plan. If it’s what you wanted, you wouldn’t be sitting down here wallowing. Maybe I’m not the best person to give advice, but I know you, and I know how you feel about her. Not a lot of girls like her out there. Might want to consider deviating from the fucking plan.”
“Alright, alright. Your advice is noted. Let’s get you moved out before you get up on your soapbox again.”
Tori counted aloudas she did sit-ups in the living room. By sheer determination and the willpower to control one stupid thing in her life, she made it to fifty before stopping for a break.
She lay back on the carpet and stared up at the ceiling. She should get up and get ready for work. Or go back to bed. She didn’t move. Call it masochistic or just laziness, but she didn’t have the energy for any of it. So far, nothing but repetitive exercise had made her feel any better — not food, not Claire, not evenThe Golden Girls.They’d never failed her before.
She picked up her phone and thought about calling Chris for the hundredth time. She wanted to believe that nothing had changed, but then why did everything feel so broken and hopeless? Ugh. She was becoming a drama queen, and there was little she loathed more than a self-absorbed drama queen.
After peeling herself off the floor, she tossed her phone on the couch and headed to the shower. She had one leg into the tub shower when her alarm system went off. She stilled, panic coursing through her veins, while she listened for any sound of the intruder.
“Shit! Shit! How do I turn this off? TORI!”
Tori wrapped a robe around herself and hurried out to the living room. She breathed a sigh of relief once she had eyes on a frazzled Claire pressing buttons on the alarm.
