Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“Your wedding isn’t bullshit,” he said softly, realizing he’d been an even bigger asshole than he’d thought. Mia rarely got hurt feelings. That he’d managed to upset his sister less than three hours into their visit made him ashamed of himself. “I’m sorry, okay? This has nothing to do with you. I’ve just been…going through some stuff. But I’m not going to let it ruin your wedding week. I promise.”
Mia sighed and her tense shoulders relaxed away from her ears. “I’m sorry, too. I know it can’t be easy being on the injured list. I mean, it’s great for me because I get to have my brother home, but your career could be in jeopardy. I know that has to be stressful.”
Pike shrugged, deciding letting Mia believe that it was his torn ACL making him difficult wasn’t exactly a lie. He was concerned about how soon he’d recover and being benched for the past two weeks hadn’t been the paid vacation he’d thought it would be. Being on leave gave him too much time to think about his life and all the things in it that he wished were different.
“If you want me to take you to Mom and Dad’s I can,” Mia said. “If you’re not up for nachos and poker it’s not a big deal. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later in the week.”
Pike snorted. “Since when have I ever chosen Dad’s place over yours?”
“Since never,” Mia said. “But I figure there’s always a first time. Dad is really excited to see you, by the way. He made me promise to bring you to dinner at the house tomorrow night.”
“He made you promise or Mom made you promise?” Pike asked, narrowing his eyes.
Mia lifted one shoulder. “Mom made me promise because she knows Dad wants you home but is too cranky to say it. So I guess we know where you get it from.”
Pike rolled his eyes as he reached for the open door to the truck. “I’m nothing like Dad.”
“I know,” she said, capturing his hand before he could slip into the passenger seat and giving it a squeeze. “And try to stay like that, okay? I love Dad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t need another Jim Sherman in my life. And you’re…”
“I’m what?” Pike sighed, suddenly feeling the long journey down to Texas and all the sleepless nights beforehand, when he’d lain awake dreading the trip.
“You’re better than that,” Mia said gently, tapping two fingers to the center of his chest. “You’ve got a good heart, Pike. You should let it show more often.”
Pike stretched his neck to the side, trying to ignore the knot of emotion rising in his throat. “My heart’s just fine. Don’t believe everything you read in a gossip magazine, sis.”
“I don’t. I believe your eyes, and what I’ve seen there since you got in today makes me sad. I don’t like seeing you look so…hard. And angry.” She shook her head. “What’s really going on with you, P? Because it seems like something more than stress over being on the injured list.”
Pike’s jaw clenched. A part of him wanted to tell Mia to mind her own business, but he’d already hurt her feelings enough for one night. He and Mia didn’t talk on the phone every week or send birthday cards, but that didn’t mean they weren’t close. There had never been any bullshit between him and his sister. Whenever they were together, they picked up where they’d left off, as close as if they hadn’t spent months apart. He considered her a friend, not simply a family member, and if it had been anything else bothering him, he would have told her the truth.
But Mia couldn’t be trusted with the truth about him and Tulsi. He’d kept the secret too long. Spilling it now would drive a wedge between him and his sister and maybe even Mia and Tulsi and he didn’t want to do that. Mia and Tulsi had been best friends since they were in kindergarten. He still remembered the day Mia had come home from the first day of school, bragging that she’d “saved a short girl’s life.” She’d had Tulsi under her wing ever since and was practically helping to raise Tulsi’s daughter. Pike didn’t have any sympathy for his ex, but he didn’t want to risk damaging one of Mia’s most precious relationships or hurting an innocent little girl.
Which meant it was time to lie. He had to. If he didn’t give Mia something, she’d stay after him like a stubborn little bulldog until she got to the truth.
“My girlfriend and I broke up last week,” he said, casting his eyes down to the gravel, grateful for the shadows that hid his face. He was a lousy liar, and Mia was usually able to catch him when he tried, but, hopefully, the darkness would be on his side. “Bella said it wasn’t working and went back to L.A.”