Page 27 of Here's to Yesterday

Iwantsomeone who is going to challenge me, want to peel back all my layers. Tannerwon’t.

Because I think Tanner is a lot like me—full of layers. He doesn’t know that I see through the pigheaded asshole card he plays around his friends or the life-of-the-party guy he is to the rest of theworld.

That’s where we won’t work, because I don’t wantthat.

Ineedsomeone who can see through me like I see through Tanner, push me to finally stick up to my asshole parents and force me to cross my carefully crafted line of perfection. And as much as it pains me to admit, Tanner isn’t the one to do any of those things. He’s too comfortable where heis.

So, I absolutely need to break it off with him. Because for eachrightwe have going for us, we have an equally strongwrongpushingback.

It’s one battle I’m tired offighting.

* * *

Iwaketo find a voicemail and three missed texts fromTanner.

My heart squeezes at this because I fell asleep not missing him or realizing I hadn’t spoken to him at allyesterday.

The first two were sent back-to-back.

Tanner: Babe? I triedcalling…

Tanner: Maybe it didn’t come through on yourend

And the third came thirty minuteslater.

Tanner: Guess you’re sleeping or out with Rae. I love you, babe.Goodnight.

I text him back, not wanting to callhim.

Me: Both? Tuck played last night and we all went to watch. I fell asleep when I got home. Talk to you tonight. I promise to answer thistime.

He respondsimmediately.

Tanner: Did you have fun? How’s the asshole brother ofmine?

Me wanting to come to Tucker’s defense whenever Tanner rags on him is nothing new. He’s always calling him an asshole, fuckhead, dickwad, you name it. I get that people call each other names in jest. I get that friends often call each other asshole only to mean it in the best way possible. But there’s something different in the way Tanner meansit.

Tanner and Tucker are far from the ideal brothers. They’re constantly at one another’s throats and never agree about anything. Tanner hates that Tucker hasn’t—and I’m fully quoting him here—“done anything with his life.” But Tucker never—and I meannever—rags on his brother behind his back like Tanner does. Hell, apparently each time Tanner has come home on leave, Tucker has opened his apartment up to him, and Tanner takes advantage ofit.

I think Tucker resents Tanner for joining the military, but I have no idea what Tanner’s problem with Tucker is. Either way, it’s a shit-cycle of douchebaggery between the two, and the situation irritates me to no end because although I don’t have siblings, I have Rae and Perry. And I would never treat them that way.Ever.

I text him back, deciding to ignore his lastcomment.

Me: It was a blast. I definitely needed a nightout.

Tanner: That’s good. Gotta run, babe. I’ll calllater.

After finally stripping off my clothes from last night and getting a shower, I walk into the kitchen to find Kassi packing her lunch for her shift at thehospital.

“Hey, kiddo. How was lastnight?”

“It was…good.”

“Yeah? You don’t seem too sure about that,” sheobserves.

“No, really, it was.” I briefly consider not telling her about how bizarre Tucker was about the suit but decide to do so anyway. “Hey,Kas?”

“Hmm?”

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