Page 43 of The Relationship Mechanic

“Oh, really?” Vini asked almost spitting out her words. “So explain, because from where I’m standing, all I hear is you telling me I need someone else to make decisions for me because I’m too stupid to be able to make them myself.”

Ava shook her head, but Vini didn’t believe it. “Vini, no. That’s not—”

“Well, congratulations,” she continued, not letting Ava get another word out. “You win. You’ve made the choice for me. I guarantee Jessica won’t want a damn thing to do with me now.” The burn of tears that had been threatening to fall was stronger than ever, and Vini knew she had to go. She wouldn’t give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her cry now.

Before Ava could say anything, Vini went to push past her. She could find new clothes later, but what she couldn’t do was stay in this house for another moment. Ava’s hand shot out and gripped Vini’s arm.

“Vini, wait.”

Vini didn’t hesitate to smack Ava’s hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me. You’ve done enough already.”

“I’m just trying to protect you.”

“You’re trying to control me. There’s a difference,” Vini shouted. “You’re not my mother, so stop acting like it.”

The words fell like a stone sinking into water. The moment they left Vini’s lips, she knew they would strike their mark, and when Ava’s lip quivered that was confirmed. They were the truth, and yet Vini wasn’t sure who was hurt the most by them, her or Ava.

“Hey. What’s going on here?” Vini swallowed hard at Dani’s voice. She turned to glance over her shoulder. Dani was still in her scrubs, eyes crinkled with clear exhaustion as she looked between Vini and Ava. “Why are we yelling at each other?”

Vini turned her head, determined not to be the one to break the silence. Ava’s silence seemed to be the same, but it didn’t matter because clearly Dani already suspected.

“This is about Jessica, isn’t it?”

“You knew?”

“Of course I did,” Dani replied. Vini felt the air shift as Dani walked by. The creak of her bed had Vini sighing in equal parts annoyance and relief. Why the fuck did this all require a family meeting? If their dad showed up too, she would throw herself from the window just to get away. “Vini?”

With a sigh, Vini turned to look at Dani. She was sitting on Vini’s bed with a tired smile on her face. She patted the bed beside her, but her sister didn’t take her up on it. She wanted to be near the door in case she needed to make a quick escape. Dani shrugged before waving a hand at her.

“Yeah,” she replied, “it’s about Jessica. Ava burst into the shop today and saw us kissing.”

“I didn’t burst into the shop,” Ava insisted. “I came by to talk to you.”

Vini chuckled, but it held no humor. “Whatever. She came in and started a fight about shit that had nothing to do with her. Then Jessica broke up with me and left.”

Dani nodded. “I thought you two weren’t dating.”

“We aren’t—weren’t.” Vini paused and scowled. “We had an arrangement, but it was one that worked for us.”

Ava scoffed, and Vini glared at her. “Vini, you are not thearrangementtype, and you know it. You fall fast and hard.”

“You don’t know what the fuck I am because you never asked. You assumed and, instead of asking, ruined the best thing that I’ve had since Mom died.” It was another low blow, but Vini was tired of skirting around subjects. Keeping things to herself was obviously not allowed, so she was going to let it all hang loose. “You keep acting like I’m this baby who needs to be parented instead of a grown-ass woman who would like to be able to talk to her big sisters without them flying off the fucking handle.”

Ava reared back as if slapped though Dani didn’t look surprised in the slightest. When Ava turned to look at her, Dani shrugged. “I love you, Ava, but she’s not wrong.”

“You can’t really think Jessica—”

“It’s not actually about what I think, sis. Or about what you think,” Dani said cutting her off. “It’s about what Vini wants.”

Ava frowned as if she had never considered that before. The fists that had been clenched at her sides slowly opened, and when she looked up at Vini, her eyes were shiny. Vini looked back, not bothering to hide her anger or her frustration.

“Oh.” Ava’s voice was soft as she looked at Vini, and it seemed she finallysawher. “When did you get so old?”

Vini huffed out a breath, amusement bleeding through her frustration. “We literally just celebrated my twenty-third birthday.”

“I know, but...” It was like she was looking at Vini for the first time, and Vini was curious what she saw. “Fuck. I’m sorry.”

The apology was so unexpected that it took Vini’s anger with it. She could count on her hands the number of times in her life Ava had apologized to her. “Wow,” Vini replied. “I had almost forgotten what it sounds like to hear you say those words.”

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