Page 121 of Broken

I wait on the sidewalk for Sin. Looking across the street, I remember how I almost mowed Garrett down with my bike. Stop it. This isn’t about him. I’ve got to think about myself.

“Hey.”

The shout breaks me out of my internal battle. Sin leans in and pulls me one armed against her. The huge purse and three bags hanging off her other arm prevent a real hug.

“You meant it when you said you needed retail therapy,” I eye the bags.

“I know. I went a little overboard. Can I leave this at your place before our walk?”

“We don’t need to go for a walk.”

“Course we do. I have on my walking shoes, see,” she lifts a foot and waggles a pair of bright yellow sneakers with a two-inchplatform sole. “Besides, you could do with some sun. You look pale.”

“Gee thanks.”

“Let’s dump this, then we can talk, babe.”

It takes a lot to push back the emotion. I should have called Sin as soon as I found out about this. And that Garrett is AWOL. We make small talk back to my place and head up to stow her bags. She can’t resist showing me some of her purchases. All of them suit Sin’s style.

She presses a little black dress up against me, tilting her head this way and that.

“We should go out dancing tomorrow. You can borrow this.”

There is no point arguing. She bought the dress with me in mind. She tosses it on my bed instead of bagging it, confirming my suspicions, then we head back out.

“Whoops… Excuse you, sir.”

I peer around Sin at the man in the hallway. He stares at us both, then walks away.

“Rude,” Sin mutters. “Did you see that?”

“No, what happened?”

I pull the door closed and make sure it’s locked. The man has disappeared around the corner. I don’t recall seeing him here before, but then again, I’m not looking out for people. The only person I ever talk to is Caleb and I’ve not seen him for a few days.

“He was outside your door, and I walked right into him. He didn’t even apologize.”

“Right outside?” I ask. “Doing what?”

“Walking by, I guess. Manners cost nothing and take seconds.”

“You sound like your grandma,” I laugh.

“Oh God, please do not bring her up. She’s invited me and Jer around. I’m guessing there is a ‘when are you going to stop living in sin and get married?’ conversation in my future. Wedon’t even live together. For all she knows, we’re not even having sexual relations.”

“Oh God,” I laugh. “I’m under no illusion she believes there are no sexual relations, Sin.”

“Ugh, you’re right. What if I contract a highly infectious disease and need to cancel? No one’s elderly, anal retentive, nasty ass grandma needs to know about my sex life.”

Commiserating, I link her arm, and we head for the stairs. “You should tell her. It might stop her asking.”

“Or I could show her the picture of the banana with the piercings in it.”

I fake gagging. Also, that reminds me of Garrett.

“Okay, which way are we going? Park, or waterfront.”

“Waterfront,” I respond quickly.

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