Page 21 of Three Days of Holiday

Not apologetic enough.

Or maybe too apologetic. This was Will Causebay. He lied to me and was next in line to take over our biggest competitor. Did I owe him an apology?

Possibly.

Possibly not.

Ugh. Why was my life like this?

I wanted to get my butt moving on putting the pieces together on my design, but I didn’t want to leave my room.

No, I was physically ready to go, but I wasn’t mentally ready. I still hadn’t solved my biggest problem.

What to do with William Causebay.

I’d opted for the large model when I purchased my new phone, but it never felt as heavy as it did right then, even in its thick OtterBox case. The screen illuminated across my face as I closed the blinds and turned the lights out, pretending to nap. The battery clicked lower as I agonized over what to say in a text.

I typed out a few more words, which sounded hollow, and then deleted those as well. I had so much to say, but none of it I wanted to put in writing.

I’d never admit I had feelings for him, yet I needed to check and make sure he was all right. My brother wasn’t a fighter, but he didn’t hold back in those punches either.Will’s nose was already bleeding by the time I got in the car.

Did he go to the hospital? Need a nose job?

It was fine if I sent one quick message making sure the bone in his nose didn’t lodge in his brain and kill him. I didn’t want my brother to go to jail for murder. And I especially didn’t want him killing someone I refused to admit I had feelings for.

If anyone was going to hurt Will, I’d do it.

Holly: Is your nose okay.

It was short, sweet, and to the point. I didn’t even punctuate it properly. Therefore, he couldn’t think I cared too much. A woman who cared would definitely have used a question mark at the end of her question.

His response came almost immediately, as if he’d been holding his phone, waiting.

Will: You worried about me?

Holly: Only your nose, William.

Did he understand that from my text?

Will: It’s fine. Black and blue for a few days, but no permanent damage.

I breathed out a sigh of relief, a little tension leaving my shoulders. Will was okay. He probably wouldn’t sue my twin, and Hale wouldn’t go to jail. Unfortunately.

Now that I knew the coast was clear, I could go back to hating my brother properly—the way only a twin could. But at that present moment, I had bigger problems than how to seek revenge against my brother. I’d received the update about Will’s nose, but I didn’t want to stop chatting with him.

It took me another moment, but when he didn’t respond again, I thought of the next best question to letme know how he was doing while pretending I didn’t care about him.

Holly: How is Bacon?

There. I even used a question mark.

Will: Trouble.

Holly: It probably runs in the family.

I hit send on my last text and actually smiled.

I wasn’t ready to face the firing squad that probably waited for me on the first floor of our parents’ home, but it was better to get it done with now and endure whatever horrible future awaited me.

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