Page 101 of South of The Skyway

RHYETT

“She alright?” Jameson asked for what must have been the dozenth time. Of all my family members, my closest brother was the last one I would've guessed would take to her so quickly. Brex had locked herself in The Cracked Corset’s bathroom and told me she thought last night caught up with her when I’d tracked her down after a good twenty minutes. But the words came out strangled. I wasn’t buying it, but Jameson didn’t need to know that.

“Just not feeling well. I’ll take her home.”

“You sure, man? We don’t mind hanging back.”

“Yeah, it’s alright. I’ve got her, thanks though.”

“Alright, I’ll get rid of them for you.” Jameson shot me a knowing smile before strolling towards the front door. He could be a real prick if somebody deserved it, was absolutely the devil’s advocate, but also a pretty solid brother. He would likely drag my nosy family off somewhere else so that I could give Brexley a clear retreat. I followed him to the front door so I could bolt the lock. Laughed as he waved off the vultures, pointing back towards the SUV.

Thank you, Jameson.

“Baby, you okay?” She didn’t answer, my stomach twisting as the silence filled the space. Tentatively, I pushed the bathroom door open. “Brex.”

“Here,” she croaked. Gently, I pushed the stall open, finding my girl in a heap on the floor, her knees tucked up to her chest and mascara making a mess of those perfect cheeks. There was only one situation where streaked mascara was acceptable and this sure as shit wasn’t it.

“Baby,” I said reproachfully, shifting into the stall and joining her on the floor. “What’s going on, beautiful?” I wiped the tear streaks off her cheeks, smudging away the dark flakes again when her little chin dimple quivered.

“I’m having a breakdown. You havesixsisters. Don’t you know what a breakdown looks like by now?”

“Why are we having a breakdown?”

“We?” She whispered, obviously fighting the tightness in her throat.

“Obviously. If you’re having a breakdown, I’m doing it with you. If it affects you, it’s my problem. Now, who am I killing, or what am I fixing?”

She sputtered in tears, choking on a laugh and wiping her face, “I must be PMSing.”

“Especially if you’re PMSing. Nobody messes with my girl when her hormones are already out to get her. Was it Jameson? Somebody online?”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen, Rhyett.”

I quirked my head, dread tightening its grip on my windpipe. “What wasn’t supposed to happen, baby?”

“This. Us. I wasn’t supposed to love you.”

If hearts could stop and restart, mine certainly did in that moment. Stuttering back into motion, my lips twisted sideways. “You love me?”

A fresh wave of tears coursed down her face, but she managed to nod as her teeth worried that lower lip. “Don’t look so smug, you jackass.”

Truthfully, I hadn’t realized I was looking smug, but I did my best to shift my face into a more neutral position. “I love you too, Brexley Snows.”

Something like a sob shuddered through her, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, lowering my forehead to hers and resting my chin on her braced arms.

“Don’t say that,” she mumbled, “don’t.”

“Baby, why wouldn’t I say that? I’ve just been waiting for you to say it first.”

“Because we weren’t supposed to. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought I would get you out of my system.”

“By getting me into it?”

“Don’t be funny.”

“Sorry, that's my default setting. I’ll be duller.”

“I mean it,” she protested. “We’re just not right for each other.”

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