Page 9 of Love Sick

JUNE, YEAR 1

The morning after the residency mixer, my sister’s forehead scrunches into wrinkles on my phone screen. “What the fuck, Julian?”

“She called me a misogynist, Tori.”

Her brown eyes blaze. “You accused her of something awful.”

I love all my sisters, but I’m closest to Victoria, who’s only eighteen months older than me. I don’t love the way she’s looking at me, though. “I didn’t start the rumor.”

“You threw it in her face.” She props her phone up in her bathroom and grabs a paintbrush. No, a makeup brush. Same difference.

“I did not! I walked away. And I tried to apologize. She wouldn’t let me. I felt bad for her and tried to help, but she was mad and took it out on me.”

Tori pauses in her efforts, throwing shade my way. “I say this with all the love in the world, but you’re a dick.”

Iama dick. I’d dismissed her outright, but she insulted me and wouldn’t even hear my apology, so she’s kind of a dick, too.

I shouldn’t have been so distracted by that dress, but for fuck’s sake, that dress was bewitching, and she had the shoes and devil-red lips to match. The woman is fucking gorgeous and for thirty seconds, my very straight male brain was befuddled. Sue me.

It’s why I couldn’t stop the flash of irritation when I learned her name. I’m human. I make mistakes. Then I reminded myself not to get involved. Be polite. Move on. Except…it’s not exactly polite to abandon someone in the middle of a conversation.

Why did I have to throw out that sarcastic apology?

Nice dress, by the way. Matches the shoes. Sorry about that.

I am so cringe. I got riled up. Said something dumb, and now I’m annoyed with myself. Annoyed with her. Annoyed with it all.

Shecried.

I rub my temples. Stupid headache. “Yeah, I’m a dick. I don’t know how I can feel this bad and still be mad at her.”

Tori smears something on her skin. “What that guy said about her is gross.”

“Yep. Why do you think I chased after her?”

Something clatters into Tori’s sink and she turns toward me. “What does she look like?”

Like a human.

Red lips. White skin. Black hair.

Not enchanting.

Not at all.

“Like those little spiders that live at the top of our lanai.”

Tori snorts. “That pretty, huh?”

“A hot version.”

Okay, so her skin is more tan than white, and her hair is more brown than black, and she has the kind of face that makes a person want to keep looking, but she’s just as irritating as those spiders with the red spikes.

Men like you.

I scowl. “I’m not a misogynist.”

“You were standing with them. You walked away as soon as you knew who she was. Can you blame her for thinking it?”

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