Page 104 of South of The Skyway

Noel ran her fingers through red curls, expression hardening in a way that was entirely disproportionate with the joviality she maintained in her tone. “And you’re a badass bitch that owns her own business with her super adorable, super brilliant best friend that you should always listen to, and you pull in six fucking figures all by yourself. I think you have achieved pretty high results yourself, don’t you?”

“They’re all so symbiotic. Besides, I don’t want to let off the gas, you know? It’s why I wasn’t supposed to be fooling around with anybody.” That statement tasted like battery acid. It had stopped being about the sex not long after it started. “My Dad pulled high six-figures, but he was never home. I don’t want to put him through—”

Noel scoffed, disbelief in her tone as she interrupted. “Ugh, Brex. You are not your dad, or your deadbeat freaking mom.” Even though she was right, I couldn’t help wincing. Either not noticing or caring, Noel continued, “You’re amazing. And Rhyett is amazing. And maybe we can learn some tricks from each other—he’s a business owner too, or did you forget that part?” When I made to protest, she shook her head, snapping, “You’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“The beat-up Brexley routine. Youaregood enough. He’s amazing. You both deserve each other, and you’ve waited long enough to be happy. So go be happy.” She blinked pointedly, like what she was saying was freaking common sense.

“It’s not that simple.”

A knock sounded and had her glowering at what I assumed was her bathroom door. “Just a second! No, I’m just going to the bathroom and jumping through the shower. Promise.” She rolled her eyes at whatever the response was before tossing open the glass shower door and turning on the faucet. Her eyes flicked back to me. “Look. I bought a few minutes, but I gotta keep this quick.”

I scowled down at my screen, demanding, “Everything okay?”

“We’re talking about your trainwreck, not mine.”

“Things have seemed a little…tense, lately.”

“Yeah,” she muttered, waving me off. “Focus. Seriously, listen to me. How long have I known you?”

“Since we were little kids, why—”

“More like since we were still shitting our pants. And in that time, I’ve never—not once—seen you as happy as you’ve been the last few months with Rhyett. For the love of all that’s holy, do not throw this away because of some bullshit dysmorphic idea that you're not good enough, or deserving enough, orwhateverenough. You are. And you deserve a family that will love you senselessly. If Rhyett-the-walking-sunbeam is any indication of the love in that household, I think the universe is finally compensating for the—I said one minute!! Jesus Christ—shit hand you were dealt.”

Making a mental note to call her back in the morning to check on her own domestic bullshit, I nodded, fighting back tears. “Love you too,” I whispered.

“Listen, Linda. I love you more than anyone else on this planet. Save for maybe a saint or something. However, if you fuck this up to punish yourself for your shitty parents, I’ll kill you myself.”

I huffed a laugh, sliding into my shoes and snatching my keys off the counter.

“Now, go get your man before he thinks you don’t love him.”

“I told him that.”

Her hazel eyes flew wide, something like fear hidden there. “That you don’t love him?”

“No. That I do.”

Noel’s shoulders relaxed, her breath coming out in a woosh. “Good. Now go show him.”

Swallowing thickly, arguing with the stinging in my eyes, I reached for a pathetic attempt at humor. “Dirty,” I said through a sniffle. She laughed even though it wasn’t funny. That’s why I loved her. She just got me. Always had.

“Alright, I expect an update at work tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’m going after him.”

“That’s my girl.” Eric said something through the door that had her huffing and rolling her eyes, and then she blew me a kiss a second before the screen went dark.

I may have broken more than a handful of traffic laws in my effort to catch up to Rhyett on the way down to the south side of the bridge and out to the rural stretch of town. My mind spun in furious circles between Rhyett’s staggering patience and Noel’s too-kind words. Between how welcoming his siblings had already all been and how painfully awkward I’d felt under their praise.

The haunting memory of a hollow home with two absent parents seemed to taunt me, eyes burning as I remembered dinners alone and unreturned phone calls. Dad had tried. In his own way, perhaps, but he had at least tried. At least I still got the occasional ‘thinking of you’ text and a call on Christmas from wherever he was flying from.

None of that prepared me for a family that loved as big as the Rhodes did. They knew each other inside and out and had each other's backs. And there was something in Juniper’s eyes when Hadlee announced her latest deal that stuck a spear in my heart, because if I was actually fucking honest with myself, I wanted someone to feel that way about me if I ever achieved anything worth noting.

If an agent rang my phone right now to offer me representation, it would be Rhyett I’d want to call.RhyettI’d want to celebrate with.Idiot. I prayed I hadn’t pushed him away, prayed to a god who’d forgotten my name that he’d forgive my brief mid-life crisis and give me the opportunity to learn how to do this.

Every thought tumbled out of my head into a messy heap at my feet as I rounded the corner to see the blinding red and white strobe and scream of firetrucks turning onto Rhodes Road.

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