Page 36 of Make Me Trust Again
The place hasn’t been renovated in years. Not since before my dad died. Rebecca didn’t want to do it before because we weren’t sure how our mom would deal with the change due to her Alzheimer’s. But she wasn’t here anymore, so now is as good a time as any.
“Like seriously, doesn’t she have anything better to do than bug me all the time? I’m not going back to college.”
“I don’t think that’s the issue,” I say evenly, my gaze fixed out the window.
“I think her constant nagging about me getting my head out of my ass and rethinking my life choices suggests otherwise.”
“Considering you dropped out of college with one year left to go and decided to enroll in the police academy out of the blue, I think she might have a valid reason to bug you.”
“Pot meet the kettle.” There is no missing the sarcasm in his voice. “If I remember correctly, somebody could barely wait to finish high school before joining the military.”
A muscle in my jaw twitches. “That was different.”
“So you’d like to think.” Matthew’s deep grumble echoes in my ear. “You’re just happy that she’s focused on me, so she’s ignoring your grumpy ass.”
“I’m not that lucky,” I scoff. Just then, as if I called it, I catch a glimpse of a white truck slowly taking a turn toward the cottage.
If I were actually lucky, I wouldn’t have a new neighbor living on my property, now, would I? But I don’t bother saying that out loud because I don’t want my brother to start asking questions.
Thankfully, Matthew is on a roll. “Like seriously, shouldn’t she be focused on her own family now? She has a husband and a kid; she should leave us alone.”
“Have you ever known Becs to leave anybody alone?”
Our sister couldn’t help but meddle.
There is a short silence, followed by my brother’s sigh. “Guess not.”
“She’s just worried about you, kid. She loves you, God only knows why, since you’re an annoying little brat.”
“Fuck off. Besides, I’m hardly little. I’m probably taller than you are now.”
“Only in your dreams, kid. Not that it makes any difference. To me, you’ll always be my baby brother.”
This has him groaning even louder. “You’re an ass, Chase. I don’t even know why I bothered calling you.”
“Because you’re too afraid to talk to our sister, and you wanted me to run interference with her instead? It’s as if you forgot she can multitask just fine.”
Matthew grumbles under his breath. “I guess you’re right on that one.”
“Of course I’m right, dumbass. But seriously, get back to Becs and benice. She’s just worried about you. You know how she is.”
“I’m sure you say that when she gets to the ranch and tries to kick you out of your house. When was the last time that happened again, by the way?”
“I went out just this morning.”
“And talked to real people?” he challenges—the little asswipe.
“Yes—”
He interrupts me before I can finish. “That aren’t connected to your work, therapy, or store employees?”
I grind my teeth, irritated by the fact that he knows me so well. “Go figure out your life, Little Brother.”
I hang up, but not before I hear his parting words shot right back at me. “Sure, when you figure out yours, old man.”
I glare at the screen as it goes black.
As the youngest of us, he’s had it the hardest. First, he lost Dad, then I left to join the army, only for our mom to be diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. He lost both his parents before he was in high school, and on top of that, he has two older siblings who had their own shit and demons to deal with. Is it even strange that he is fucked up in his own way?
