Page 29 of Fall for Me

“I get it,” I said. I did get it. It was the only way I ever got close to anyone. Got a few beers past the possibility of feeling anything.

Anyway, this was for the best. It was good she never felt anything—this was Eli’s sister. Even if she wasn’t, she had demons to deal with. Things to work out for herself without some guy with a hard-on trying to insert himself into her life. The more I thought about it, the shittier I felt that I’d even reacted to her attention.

That I’d wanted it so fucking bad.

I moved to stand up, but Chelsea beat me to it. “I should go,” she said. She pulled out her phone, as if to check the time. Then she grimaced in the glow of the screen.

“Eli’s been texting. He’s worse than my dad.”

I wondered, briefly, what was up with her and her dad. I knew Eli was pissed at him for taking off the way he had. But before I could say anything, she tapped her screen and held the phone up to her ear.

She wasn’t—

“Hey, Eli, I—”

Eli’s voice burst tinnily from the speaker as she held her phone away from her head. She put it back. “Eli, would you stop? I’m fine. I just needed some space.”

She didn’t tell him she was coming here. Did she tell anyone?

More muffled words from Eli.

“I’m…” she hesitated, her eyes roving the ground as if looking for an answer there. Then she lifted them, meeting mine. “I’m at Seamus’s place.”

My stomach plunged, even though of course I hadn’t expected her to lie to him. But what was I worried about? It wasn’t like I’d asked her to come over. She’d shown up on my porch. In my hammock.

I hadn’t not liked it.

There was a long pause on the phone. Then Eli said something else I couldn’t hear.

“Fine!” she said. I saw the heat flare in her eyes.

Then Chelsea thrust her phone at me. “He wants to talk to you.”

Our fingers brushed as I took it from her, sending sparks up my hand. Just nerves.

“Hey Eli.”

“Seamus, what the absolute fuck is my sister doing at your place?”

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