Page 68 of Peaches

Suddenly, the screen door bursts open just like a scene out of an old Hollywood movie, and I see Brett standing there soaking wet in the doorway as the thunder rolls and lightning strikes somewhere behind him illuminating his frame perfectly.

The lights go out, and I glance around briefly, waiting for something magical to happen, like say them going back on. It takes a moment for me to realize, (as the telepathic conjuring of electricity doesn’t work), that they’re off for good and I quickly look back at the man in front of me as nerves begin to spin in my stomach.

His face is full of concern, why, I don’t know, and his eyes glance quickly to the bed and my open suitcase. He looks back up at me quickly and I can see his brow furrow as he questions everything he just walked in on as he starts to step across the room.

His clothes are soaking wet, and Oh. My. God. Leaving nothing to the imagination as his slacks cling to his slightly aroused length. His wet white dress shirt is plastered against his large biceps and I see hints of his abs under his drenched button down top with his tie hanging loosely around his thick neck. His face is a mixture of oppression, greed, fury, as he looks back at the suitcase and raises an eyebrow at me.

“Mom,” I softly say, as my eyes hold his and he takes a few steps closer. His face softens slightly at the mention of who I am on the phone with, but not completely, as I switch hands and hear her respond.

“Yes?”

“I’ll call you when I’m on the road, and tell Archie you got a surprise for him, but don’t tell him I’m coming!” At that, Brett’s eyes darken, and I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a very bad thing. “I got to go. See you around midnight.”

I click off the phone and throw it on the bed next to the suitcase. Looking back up, I see a challenge I wasn’t expecting in this new and unfortunate twist that was just thrown into my life.

Question is, does this challenge come without a fight?

I’m guessing not!

17

Brett

I self inflicta stand off with her across the kitchen, still dripping wet from the rain, frowning, eyes knit close together, and my heart sinks to the pit of my stomach at what she tells me.

Her brother. Shit, poor guy! There is a small ache that settles somewhere in my soul as I look at her across the way because, hell - life just isn’t fair!

I haven’t spoken more than six words since I walked in the door. Besides asking her, “what the hell is going on,” I’ve taken a stance that has turned hardened the more she told me about his condition, and then further irritated as she told me about her mother and the sorry excuse for a father that she knows won’t be there to help.

Kinda reminds me of my old man.

It’s obvious though that she doesn’t take my stance as caring or genuinely concerned. A fact that is cemented when she opens her mouth and says, “Knock the damn chip off your shoulder, Brett. There are other things more important than some fake arrangement. I did have a life before you walked into it, contrary to what you may believe.”

She crosses her arms and looks to the side, avoiding my gaze altogether as my stunned expression escapes her own bad attitude. But reeling it in, the idea that I want to mouth off right back and tell her toknock it offherself, I release a heavy sigh and push off the counter.

“I’ll admit that I’ve been selfish here,” her eyes flash back to mine and soften momentarily. I raise an eyebrow, giving her a warning look because hell, her heated temper and quick mouth could apologize too.

Shit, aren’t fights reserved for poor schmucks that are actually in a real relationship?

Shaking my head at the irony, I continue. “I’m sorry about your brother,” I confess wholeheartedly which gets her to drop her arms and stand before me vulnerable and almost broken. It stings, watching her break before me this way. It’s a burn I feel all the way through my core and out to every damn extremity as I watch her before me on the edge of falling apart. “But I can’t let you leave…”

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph - are you for real!” I go to rebuttal, because hell, she cut me off and I wasn’t finished,she can’t leave without me, but of course she beats me to it.

“I haven’t asked for much. Actually, I’ve relinquished almost everything,” she exclaims, as her eyes dart to the bed across the room and I feel another sting hit inside my chest. I’m stunned to silence as she looks back with a soft sadness in her eyes. “I don’t even know why you’re even keeping me around, Brett!”

Fuck, Peaches, I ask myself that same damn question every single day!

“What’s even more, I don’t know why I’m staying!”

Cue that damn pain in my ribs again.

“It’s some weird, twisted allure we both have to one another, and I can’t figure it out.”

My feet act on an instinct that hasn’t quite registered with my brain as I find myself quickly taking strides across the room.

“But now’s not the time for games!”

God, I’m with you on that!

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