Page 454 of Not Over You

Shocker.

I’ve been avoiding any thoughts of my brother. Guilt isn’t something I want to deal with at the moment, and guilt is all I’ll feel when I let myself dissect my situation with my brother in mind. We’re both in love with the same girl—in a way we’ve never been closer. Except something tells me, he won’t see it that way.

I sigh and push it out of my mind like a pro compartmentalizer, checking the messages from Charlie. She sent me a few updates on her next painting, the last including her bare legs, long and slender and exactly what I want wrapped around my head at the moment.

Fuck does that thought vanish the second Ma’s picture appears on my phone. I clear my throat before I answer, feeling like she caught me looking at porn or some shit. Or that she’ll know I was just imagining….

Nope. Not going there again with her calling.

“Hey, Ma,” I say, sliding into my car in the parking garage.

“Light of my life,” she responds. “We need to talk about you and your brother.”

My chest constricts, and I check my rearview mirror out of paranoia. How the hell does she always know shit?

“What’s up with Archer?” I ask, my voice tighter than I’d like considering I’m trying to hide a surge of guilt.

“He’s just down. That girl—”

“Charlie,” I insert.

“I thought it was Charlotte?” She pauses, the silence loud when I hold my breath instead of responding. “Anyway, they broke up or are taking a break? I don’t understand how you kids date these days. They’re together but not together because of reasons, and I need your help to fix it.”

My fingers wrap tighter over the steering wheel, not sure where she’s going with this. “Ma, I—”

“He needs you to be a brother right now. It’s the perfect time for you two to connect. Be there for him while he deals with this situation. Offer him some support.”

I nod, pulling up to a red light. I release the wheel and let my head fall back on the headrest, all the guilt swirling through my mind. But no matter how shitty I feel right now, nothing about being with Charlie feels wrong. She’s the only thing that’s always felt right, and I can’t imagine that ever changing.

“Baby boy?” Ma says, her voice surrounding me through the car speakers.

I let out a sigh. “Yeah, Ma?”

“You got something you want to tell me? Maybe about Charlie?”

The light turns green.

“Only about a million,” I answer.

“Well, shit.”

I huff out a laugh. “Language, Ma.”

She chuckles and then lets out a long whistle. “Sounds like you’ve got enough on your plate right now then. Good luck, baby. I love you no matter what.”

I swallow hard, tell her I love her too, and then end the call.

A week. I have a week to figure it out.

At least that’s what I think until half an hour later when I have Charlie beneath me on the couch and the doorbell rings.

I point at her as I back away. “Do not even think about moving.”

She smiles at me, sexy and perfect—it hits different than usual. Something deep inside me sending out a warning. Way too late.

Because when I open the door, my brother smiles at me.

CHAPTER 11

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