Page 102 of Beneath the Stars (Sugarlake 1)

I steal a glance at her, my nerves making eye contact impossible. Here we go. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. “Chase.”

Becca stares at me, her face blank. I continue flitting around my room, flinging clothes that I don’t need for a one-day trip into my bag. Anything to keep busy so I don’t feel the weight of her gaze.

After going through every possible wardrobe combination, I can’t take the silence anymore. “Are you gonna say somethin’? You’re makin’ me nervous.”

Becca tilts her head, blinking.

“Well.” I raise my hands. “You’ve got nothin’ to say about this?”

She sighs, breaking her stare and picking at her nails. “What would you like me to say, Lee? You’ve clearly made up your mind already. You’re a big girl, I don’t need to fight your battles for you.”

My eyes sting from how wide I open them. I press the back of my hand against her forehead. “You feelin’ okay? No snarky comeback? No witty retort?”

She bats my hand away. “Just so we’re clear, you want me to be a bitch about this?”

I sit down on the bed, my face scrunching at her question. “I don’t… I don’t know. I’m confused by your reaction. I was prepared to defend myself and here you are messin’ up my plans.”

She rolls her eyes. “I have other things to worry about, Lee. If you wanna go down a road that you already know I don’t approve of, that’s on you. I’ll be here to wipe your tears when he inevitably fucks it all up. Again.”

I chew on my lip. “You really think he’s gonna mess up again?”

She lifts her shoulders. “He’s a man. That’s what men do.” She falls back on my bed, crossing her hands over her stomach. “Hey, how come you gave out my number, Lee?”

My eyebrows draw in. “What on Earth are you talkin’ about?”

She levels me with a glare. “My number. You gave it to Eli’s… thing.” She waves her hand in the air. “Samantha or whatever her name is.”

“Sarah,” I correct.

“Whatever.”

“Uhm. Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Well, it is,” she says, crossing her arms.

I narrow my eyes. “I gave it to her ‘cause I’m tired of tryin’ to figure out what the heck is goin’ on with you and my brother. It’s exhaustin’, Becca. And while we’re on the subject—just so you know… I’m not dumb.”

Her face pales and she pulls her hair into a ponytail, moving it to her other shoulder before releasing it. She’s always played with her hair when she’s nervous. The fact she’s doing it right now is a big tell.

“I don’t know why you keep sayin’ things like that. Your brother’s a jerk, and he always has been. I saw him around campus sometimes. He didn’t like things I had to say and I didn’t like the way he abandoned you. We didn’t exactly get along.”

“Okay. So what’s the big deal with Sarah then?”

“I don’t like her.” She shrugs.

“Mmhm. Well, I’m sorry. You’ve known Eli since you were in diapers. I really didn’t think a thing of it.”

She twirls the ends of her hair between her fingers, blowing out a breath. “That’s alright. I’m just pissed off because my old man’s thrilled to have somethin’ for me to do. He keeps tellin’ me ‘idle hands are the Devil’s playground.’”

“So he’s makin’ you help?”

She scoffs. “He’s puttin’ me in charge of the whole damn ceremony.”

My jaw drops. “Do you even wanna do somethin’ like that? Your daddy should realize you’re twenty-six and capable of makin’ your own decisions.”

“Yeah, well… that’s a fight for another day.”

She stares at her hands. I watch her, wondering what it is that’s making her so melancholy.

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