Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 146548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
I give him a middle finger, and his mouth curves upward. I tell Farrow, “Ben likes everyone. It’s not that big of an accomplishment.”
Ben flips on his windshield wipers. “I definitely do not like someone.”
“Who?” Farrow and I say while Charlie mutters, “This is new.”
Ben checks his rearview mirror. “I also don’t like idling in a dead-end…you all mind if I drive out?”
I think he’s worried about being trapped in an alleyway if paparazzi find us. But like Farrow said, Omega is in a Range Rover nearby, probably watching for incoming vehicles. They’d alert Farrow before we’d get blocked in.
“Vas-y,” Charlie says. Go ahead.
Ben reverses his car.
I extend my arm across the back of the backseat in a death-clutch. Jesus, I hate riding backseat. In any car, with any driver. I wish being a passenger on a tour bus could’ve cured me of this, but I’m just not that lucky.
Farrow clicks his mic on his collar. “Omega to Farrow, we’re heading out.” He rests his elbow near my hand, then lays his arm on top of mine, his thumb stroking my bicep.
It takes me back to my car, that moment when we decided to be a couple, in a relationship. Where we had our first kiss.
I wonder if he’s thinking about that too, or if I’m just sentimental because this is my first relationship, first love, and that was the most meaningful first kiss I’ve ever had in my life.
Ben switches the automatic gear to drive once he reaches the main road, and then he aims for an on-ramp to the highway.
“The Range Rover behind you is Omega,” Farrow tells him.
“Thanks,” Ben says and fixes his side mirrors with a button. Rain pours harder and pings on the roof.
I really want to know why they’re both upset. “Who do you not like?” I ask. “Did they do something?”
Winona munches on a handful of crackers.
I give her a look.
“I’m a nervous eater,” she mumbles, crumbs everywhere. “And you’re not going to like what we have to tell you.”
Ben merges onto the highway. “It’s your brother.”
Xander.
“What?” Charlie and I say in unison. My face contorts in confusion, and my pulse thumps in my ears.
“I did something,” Ben mutters, guilt in his voice. My muscles bind. He’s the kind of person who’d blame himself for accidentally stepping on an anthill. So it’s hard to gauge the seriousness.
Ben flicks his blinker but struggles to switch lanes and concentrate on this conversation.
I look out the rear windshield. “You can go, Ben.”
He tentatively scoots the car to the left lane and then accelerates to about seventy-five, the traffic sparse at midnight. His finger keeps tapping the wheel.
“I don’t understand,” I say to Ben. “I know you and my brother had a falling out, but I thought you still liked him.”
“Something’s changed,” Ben replies. “But it’s my fault. It’s really all my fault.” I don’t know what to take from that.
Suddenly, Farrow drops his arm from me to press his earpiece, trying to listen. The rain slams down, and I check over my shoulder. A few incoming cars surround us when they have the whole highway.
Farrow almost rolls his eyes before swiveling the knob on his radio.
I whisper, “What’s happening?”
“Three SUVs,” he whispers back, Winona between us who can probably hear. “Akara is yelling at Quinn to relax. He’s getting amped.”
Winona shakes cracker crumbs into her palm. “I still like Xander.”
Alright… “Someone explain this, please,” I say.
Ben takes a tight breath. “You all remember how I used to bring Xander to the school’s hockey games, sometimes soccer?”
That seems like forever ago. Ben Cobalt is a social butterfly the exact opposite of my brother, but they somehow got along. To be in Xander’s life, you have to wedge yourself in there, and Ben always snuck in.
Up until about a year ago.
Their “falling out” happened.
“You said you two grew apart,” I remember. It made sense. They were getting older, but Ben was one of the only people who could get Xander out of the house. And my brother has been more recluse since he lost Ben as a friend, but I never thought Ben actually disliked Xander. They just don’t talk that much anymore.
“That’s not really why,” Ben says. “I mean, we did grow apart, but…” He tries to increase his windshield wiper speed. “I stopped bringing Xander to school events after something happened.”
Something happened.
And my brother didn’t tell me. And I wasn’t there for him. Guilt tries to roil inside me, because if he was hurt or in some kind of worse pain…
Charlie hooks his sunglasses on his shirt. “That’s not vague at all.”
Ben side-eyes him before switching lanes to bypass an SUV. “Sorry I’m not using excessive adjectives and nouns to your liking.” He looks back at Farrow through the rearview mirror. “If you don’t know by now, Charlie thinks I’m dangerously naïve to the point of stupidity, and he wastes no opportunity to remind me.”