Page 19 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

“Holland…”

“What? You know I’m not wrong, Dean.”

The sad part is, she’s right. Our parents aren’t awful people. They’re just…misguided by money.

When I was thirteen, we hit the jackpot. My dad won theactuallottery, and he took the payout of about one hundred and fifty million. A lot of money to almost anyone, but it was especially a lot of money to us, a family of four living meager paycheck to meager paycheck. We didn’t live in The Heights—the neighborhood that seemed to sprout nothing but criminals—like Nolan did, but we were right on the line.

The money came at just the right time, and Dad was smart with his winnings. He set aside enough for college for both me and Holland, then invested the rest into a business idea he had been cooking up for years.

It worked, and in the first year, he made back twice as much as what he had invested.

Before we knew it, we were moving and starting school in the rich part of town.

“I mean, yeah, you’re kind of right,” I agree. “Except for the monster part. Mom’s not out to get you. She’s just—”

“Sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong? Like in my dating life?”

I chuckle. “Yes, that. If it makes you feel any better, she does it to me too.”

“And look how that turned out for you!”

She means my last relationship, which ended in disaster and me moving to a different city.

Holland clears her throat. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. But…does this mean you’ll help me get out of it?”

Do I want my sister dating some dude who’s clearly hung up on his stepmom? No.

Am I going to bend over backward to get her out of this date? Also no.

But I’ll talk to our mom and try to get her to budge. Holland has enough on her plate with our father ruling her life. She doesn’t need to add my mother’s meddling to the mix.

“I’ll see what I can do. You could always just not go, you know.”

“And disappoint your mother again? Since she’sstillpissed at me after our last blowout, I don’t think so.”

“I can’t imagine being on Mom’s bad side is any worse than being on Dad’s shitlist.”

Which is exactly where I am and have been for the last…well, forever, it feels like.

“I wouldn’t know—I’ve never been there.”

“Must be nice.” I push off the counter and drop my empty beer bottle into the recycling bin. “Speaking of Dad…when are you going to ask him about the promotion?”

“Um…never. He’ll never go for it.”

“You never know. Doesn’t hurt to try. Besides, it’d be nice. You could move out here and get away from that town, Holland. It’s no good. Sucks you in, chews you up, and spits you out all wrong.”

“You know when you say things like that, you implyour parentsare no good, right?”

“Momismeddling in your dating life when you’re nearly thirty.”

“Dean…” Her tone tells me to drop it.

It’s the same old fight we’ve been having for years now. I was smart enough to get away while I still could, but not Holland. My dad has her under his control because she feels indebted to him for some reason. It’s why she still lives in that asshole-infested community and why she’s still working as his secretary, even though she deserves a better position at the company.

Since I don’t feel like arguing today, I redirect the conversation. “When’s your date?”

“Friday night.”

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