Page 58 of Midnight Dissonance

“Doing what?”

She hated the suspicion in her voice. Ever since she dropped out of college to follow her dreams, Lisa acted like she couldn’t be trusted to make her own decisions. She was better than their parents, but it irked her. And it always made her feel like shit.

Even though Lexi knew to the furthest reaches of her soul that she was doing what she was supposed to do, it hurt that her family didn’t support her.

“If you must know, I’m seeing someone.” Lexi couldn’t keep the snarky tone out of her response. Just once, she wished her sister would speak to her without being condescending.

“Are you’re packing a bag because?”

“He and I work a lot between the two of us. It’s easier for me to stay with him a few nights so we get to see each other.”

“Please tell me you’re not with Travis again.” Lisa sighed like Lexi’s life was one big travesty.

“No. I wouldn’t be with him if he were the last man alive. Do you really think so little of me?” But Lexi saw it in Lisa’s eyes. The way she second-guessed every decision Lexi made. Like she was an imbecile. But she’d beaten Lisa’s scores on the PSAT, the SAT, and the ACT and graduated high school with a higher GPA.

“Well, you haven’t made the best choices—”

“Yes, I have. I just made ones that fit me and my life, not yours. I’m not you, Lisa. I wasn’t raised with a golden spoon as if I could do no wrong. Nor did I want the life plan our parents set forth for me. They only wanted me to be a doctor to make them look good. Not because I enjoyed it or had a passion for it or because it was what I wanted, but so they could tout my accomplishments to their peers. That’s it. And because I bucked their plans for my life, I’m suddenly an irresponsible moron.”

Lisa rolled her eyes at her diatribe. “Why do you have to be so disagreeable?”

“Why do you insist on being a carbon copy of them?” Lexi asked drolly.

“I’m not!”

“Yes, you are. You toe the line they established for you without any fuss. In fact, you enjoy having them gush over you and your accomplishments. The three of you sit in pretentious judgment of anyone who falls short of your expectations. And it’s fine if that’s the way you want to live. But stop trying to push your beliefs and your way of living on me.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” Lisa looked hurt.

But she was on a roll. It was like once the stopper in the bottle had been removed, she couldn’t stop herself. And it was partly because of Josh, because he didn’t act like her leaving college had been wrong; he praised her instead. And it meant the world to her.

“Oh really? You mean to tell me you’re not standing there passing judgment on my life and my choices just because they aren’t the ones you would make?” Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She yanked it out of her pocket and read his text.

Josh: I’m here. Were you a good girl for me? Did you pack a bag for the week?

Heat flushed her skin. Warmth spread through her chest. And she fought a smile, because she was tired of her sister’s questions and refused to give her any more fodder. “I gotta go.”

“When will you be back?”

“Why do you care? You’ll still get paid for the room I’m renting.” Lexi headed for the door and slipped her coat on.

“I care,” Lisa said quietly, sounding hurt. But Lexi was exhausted from the same arguments. It was like she was continually reliving the experience. And they wouldn’t move on from it, as if their disdain for her choices would make her relent.

“Could have fooled me.” She shouldered her bag and glanced at her sister. “I’ll see ya when I see ya.”

And she left her sister’s house without looking back. They would never see eye to eye. And it was fine. She didn’t need their approval. But she wished they would stop treating her as if she were inferior.

Josh had parked a block down the street. With her head held high, she marched the short distance to his Mercedes. She tossed her bag in the back seat and slid into the passenger seat.

“Hey.” She glanced at him and affixed her seatbelt.

“Problem?”

“Can we just get out of here?” Of course he would pick up on her sour mood even when she tried to hide it.

“Only if you swear to tell me what’s bugging you when we get home.”

Home. Funny how after only two days, his place felt more like home than all the other places she had lived. But she had a feeling it had more to do with the man at her side than the penthouse itself. “I will. Just get us home first.”

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