Page 56 of The Summer of Wild

Even though I really want to go back to sleep, I roll out of bed and find my way to the bathroom. Frank the Fornicator is walking out as I try to get in.

"You're going to want to wait to go in there," he informs me. "Just dropped the kids off at the pool."

"Don't you have an apartment?" I cross my arms over my chest. "One with a bathroom that you don't have to share with two women?"

"Isla wants me to stay here," he shrugs.

"In the future, could you please destroy the downstairs bathroom instead of the one with my toothbrush in it?"

Frank the Fornicator mumbles something incoherent as he slithers back to Isla's Den of Debauchery.

I turn and head downstairs to the half bath. The one without Frank's disgusting ass smell permeating the daisy wallpaper.

"You don't get it, Mom!" Queen Isla wails. "I love him! It doesn't matter how we met. What matters is that we love each other!"

"I know that, Isla," Mom replies. "All your dad and I were saying is that Frank doesn't live here, and we'd like you to limit the amount of time he spends at our house."

"Why don't you hang out at his place?" Dad interjects as I tip-toe to the bathroom. This really isn't a conversation I want to be dragged into.

"Because he has three roommates," Isla screeches.

"You also have three roommates," Dad points out.

"Ugh!" Isla dramatically slaps her hand on the counter. "You're not listening to me. You're both missing the point."

"We hear you, Isla," Mom states. "We hear you loud and clear. But we don't want Frank here."

"Then, I'm moving in with Frank," Isla announces.

"YES!" I mistakenly celebrate from the hallway.

Isla whips around to face me. "You talked them into this, didn't you?"

"Me?" I point to myself.

"You're unbelievable," she seethes. "You've always been jealous of me. And now, you've forced Mom and Dad to kick me out because Cash dumped you and you can't stand to see me happy with Frank."

"You volunteered to leave," I roll my eyes as I slowly move one foot in front of the other. The sooner I can get out of here, the happier I'll be.

"They won't let Frank stay the night anymore because of you!" she hollers.

"Sorry," I shrug before taking another step forward. Only a few to go before I'm at the bathroom.

"Sorry?" she gasps. "That's all you have to say for yourself."

"I hope you and Frank have a lovely time with his three roommates," I grin before running into the bathroom and locking the door behind me.

Phew! Made it out alive. For now.

I stare at myself in the mirror for a moment. Isla's words echo in my head. You've always been jealous of me. And now, you've forced Mom and Dad to kick me out because Cash dumped you and you can't stand to see me happy with Frank.

As far as sisters go, Isla's the worst. I'd never want her to be unhappy just because I am. If the roles were reversed, she'd make my life miserable. Instead of having the tiniest bit of sympathy for me, she's using my break up to make herself look like the victim. She really is an egotistical tyrant.

I pull my pajama bottoms down my legs and glance at my crotch. I really, really need to get a wax. Especially since skinny dip at the lake is still a bucket list item that hasn't been crossed off yet.

I think that's what I'll do today. I'll get a wax. Surely Loretta can fit in her favorite employee. Besides, I need a distraction. Something to keep my mind off of the kiss with Wilder yesterday. The one he says not to read too much into. But I'm reading into it anyway. I'm reading into everything.

I mean, why did he have to say that thing about us having the same rejection wound? Why did he have to say things that make sense? Why does he see me so clearly when Cash never could?

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