Page 131 of Only in Your Dreams

“Get out,” he tells Connor.

“Woah—what’s with the aggression? I’m only here to talk.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you. Get out of the diner, jackass.”

“Why don’t you let your sister speak for herself, Parker,” Connor says derisively. “She’s a grown woman capable of her own choices—”

Oh, hell fucking no.

It’s a whole new low. Letting those words out of his mouth without even a hint of irony, after years of manipulating me out of choices.

“Get out of here, Connor.”

“Melly—”

“Fine, then I’ll go.”

I march around him for the open door, but Connor reaches for me, fingers grazing my wrist as though to grab it. He doesn’t manage to get a grip on me. In a second, Parker fists his shirt and wrenches him out of the diner. He follows behind, shoving Connor down the sidewalk and away from the door.

“Parker!”

I rush outside. Connor’s hair has escaped confinement from the way he styles it, and he takes a moment to brush it back despite the way Parker seethes in his face. “That was completely uncalled for. There’s no reason to get scary aggressive—”

“You think I’m scary?” Parker says, taking a step toward Connor. I grip his arm to stop him. “Consider yourself lucky it was me finding you. Other people wouldn’t be so forgiving. You’d be a pile of limbs on this sidewalk.”

Connor narrows his eyes. “Who—”

“Leave, Connor,” I cut in. The last thing I need is to see him put on a sad puppy show when he hears about my fake boyfriend. “I don’t want to talk to you. This is over. Let it go.”

Connor’s eyes are still narrowed at my brother like he never even registered my words. Like they’re irrelevant. Parker glares right back, and it’s a look so foreign to my sunny twin’s face that it sends a chill through me.

“She asked you to leave, asshole.”

After another long moment, Connor rips his gaze off Parker. Somehow, he manages a smarmy smile in my direction. “I know you’re in shock, Melly. It must be hard to see me, and you need time to digest this. Think it through. I’m willing to be patient for you. Take all the time you need and we’ll talk again, alright?”

“My phone,” I call to him, when he’s already several steps away. “You still have my phone. Give it back.”

I think he almost looks disappointed I remembered he’d taken it from me.

* * *

“You sure you’re okay, Mels?”

Parker pokes his head into my bedroom for what’s got to be the fiftieth time since I made up a hasty excuse to leave my shift at the diner in favor of burying myself in bed. I’m shaken up and embarrassed I let Connor get in my head, rattle me over a memory Iknowwas real, and the only person I’m aching to talk to is miles away. About to coach a game he’s nervous enough about, without having this added to his plate.

“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat when it comes out scratchy. “I’m fine. Just in shock, I think. I never thought he’d show up here.”

“You want me to call someone?”

“I’m okay, I promise. I just need a few more minutes.”

Parker nods, shutting the door behind him, and a moment later I hear his own bedroom door close. I ignore my phone when it chimes on the night stand, turning to stare up at the ceiling instead.

Fuck. I am such a weak, stupid—

My phone chimes again. And again, and again, texts coming in quick succession. Finally, I reach for it.

PARKER:Connor just showed up at the diner. There was a scene.

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