Page 28 of Spar
Travis was laid back on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, staring at the TV. He nodded toward the garage. Tori, finally understanding the sound was weights, lost a little of her exuberance to see Chris. Plus, Travis looked awful.
She sat adjacent to him in the big matching recliner and kicked the bottom out so she was lounged in a similar position.
“Bulls are having a rough season.”
“I bet five hundred dollars on that game. Don’t think I’ll be seeing that money now that I’m being held prisoner,” Travis huffed, fidgeting with the remote.
“Sweetbriar isn’t so bad. It’ll be fun to have you back. I’m sure Chris and Charlie will be happy, too.”
Travis snorted.
“They just like having me here so they can boss me around. Makes them feel better to have the screw-up brother near.”
Tori nodded. She understood feeling like the screw-up. She’d felt that way for years, growing up behind Ryan. He’d been the perfect athlete, perfect student, all-around good guy. The town had loved and adored him, and she’d resented being the overlooked Calloway kid.
After not quite living up to Ryan’s big footsteps in any aspect, she’d spent years acting out — hanging with the wrong crowd, the wrong boys, dabbling in cheap thrills wherever she could find them.
Claire had been a grounding force, always pulling Tori back, reminding her who she was and what was important.
“Where will you go next?” Tori asked.
He shrugged, not taking his eyes off the TV. “I don’t know yet.”
“You still play Chinese Checkers?” Tori asked, eyeing the game on a shelf across the room.
Travis smiled, the first hint of his old self resurfacing. “Not in years. Why?”
“I noticed Chris had a board on the shelf.” She pointed at the game. “Feel up to it? I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you in your wounded state.”
She set the board up on the coffee table, propping several thick books underneath to make it easier for him to reach without bending, and she pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the table.
They had an ongoing rivalry at Chinese Checkers, dating back to a particularly snowy winter where they’d all spent several days out of school and holed up in her parents’ basement playing board games and eating Doritos and guzzling Pepsi.
Tori studied Travis across the board. He needed a haircut and a shave, his unruly copper hair was falling into his face. But even his long hair couldn’t hide the bags and lines around his eyes. He looked older than thirty-three. She felt bad for him, but not bad enough to let him win Chinese Checkers, though.
“You’re killing me,” he said, after losing a third game. “I give. I need to spend some time strategizing before I try to play you again.”
“Any time. I’m always happy to school you.” She placed the board and marbles back into the box.
When she stood, she found Chris watching her from the entryway.
“I should get to bed,” she said to the room, unsure who to direct it to. “Night.”
She started up the stairs. She could feel Chris’ eyes on her, and she couldn’t resist adding a little extra sway in her hips.
When she reached the top step, she could hear Chris and Travis talking downstairs but couldn’t quite make out the words. Hopefully, Chris was listening instead of throwing his weight around and bossing Travis like he had her.
The bedroom door had barely closed behind her when Chris swung it open and stepped inside.
She turned, watching his large form stand just inside the doorway.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
Chris didn’t move, but she could feel his eyes on her as she walked through the room to the bed. She felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Was he just here to thank her, or was he waiting for an invitation to stay? They’d muddied the line last night, and she wasn’t sure how to move forward.
“No need to thank me. I like Travis, always have,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “He’s a good guy. He’s just lost his way a bit.”
Chris let out a breath and let his shoulders fall. It was the closest she’d ever seen him to looking defeated. A tiny crack in his otherwise impenetrable façade.
