Page 34 of Instant Heat
16
RAELYN
Life was a rollercoaster ride.
One moment, you're up, sitting on top of the world feeling untouchable. The next, you're crashing to the ground at high speed. I needed to take my frustration out on something, anything. Preferably a six-foot-something idiot who shared my last name.
He wasn't in the vicinity, but unfortunately, my car door was. And so was the front door and the kitchen cupboards. Scouring the kitchen for Thatcher's whiskey, I opened and slammed door after door until I finally found the alcohol in the cupboard where we kept the pots and pans.
Grabbing a tumbler from the dry-rack by the sink, I poured myself a good three fingers worth of the liquid. Bringing it to my lips, I carefully sampled the contents of the glass. The moment the taste hit my tongue, everything went spraying out of my mouth.
"Ugh, that's disgusting." I groaned and immediately stuck my tongue in and out of my mouth in an attempt to get rid of the horrible taste that still lingered there. After I poured the whiskey down the drain, I grabbed an orange juice from the fridge and almost moaned when the citrusy tang hit my taste buds.
When my thirst was satisfied and just the zesty taste of oranges left on my tongue, I screwed the cap back on and slumped into the nearest seat. I cradled my head in my hands all the while wondering where the hell everything took a left turn.
As much as I wished it could, replaying the night's events over and over again didn't offer up any answers. In fact, it left me with more questions. I dragged my hand through my hair, my gaze turning toward the ceiling.
"Men," I grunted on a heavy sigh. I swear there wasn't a single one alive who knew what they wanted. And then they have the audacity to say us woman are complicated. Please! Give me a break.
I knew what, or rather who, I wanted. But apparently his thoughts on family values outranked me. And the more I thought about it, the more furious I got. At Griffin. At Thatcher. Because neither of them even took a moment to ask me what the hell I wanted.
"Ughhh!"
All this going in circles was hurting my damn brain. Slipping off the stool, I headed for my bedroom, flicking off the kitchen light on my way out. After I got a sleep shirt from my drawer, I stripped down to my underwear and pulled the soft cotton over my head.
Barefoot, I padded to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I bent over the sink to rinse my mouth a final time and when I came up my brother's reflection scared the life out of me. For an over-sized jerk, he sure moved around silently."What the hell?"
"Didn't think I'd find you here."
With the amount of eye-rolling Thatcher was causing me to do, I feared I was turning into a teenager."It's my house too; where else would I be?"
My brother pulled a face that made his disgust clear."Withhim."
"Oh come off of it, Thatch." I planted my hands on my hips and glared at him."You're being unreasonable."
"This town is full of decent, hard-working men who'd give their left nut to be with you. Why did you have to pick him?"
Shaking my head, I pushed past him and made my way to my room. I knew he'd be short on my heels."Are you even listening to yourself?" I asked."Do you honestly believe I saw him and thought:Oh look, it's the guy my brother hates, I think I'll date him?" Pivoting, I found Thatch standing in the doorway. With his brows drawn together and deep creases marring his forehead, I knew he was stewing on my words.
I took the opportunity while his defenses were down."I get why you don't like the guy, I really do. But did you ever stop to think about me?Ilike him, Thatch."
"Rae, I don't know what to tell you; this guy just rubs me the wrong way."
Tiredness seeped into my bones, I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed."If he wasn't the guy who took the job you wanted, you wouldn't be feeling this way." It was time for some hard truths I knew he didn't want to hear."Have you ever taken a minute and really thought about why you've been passed over so many times?" His jaw started ticking."You like doing thingsyourway, regardless of what rule you're breaking."
A strangled sound came from the back of his throat,"It wasn't enough that the bastard came into my town and took my job; he had to take my sister too."
"See? This is what I'm talking about. You don't listen, Thatch." Heaviness crept into my heart."I'm tired. Can we not do this now?"
Thatcher stepped into the room and sat down on the bed next to me, his hand on my knee."I'm not saying the right things, am I?"
I shifted so I could look into his eyes."I don't need you to say the right things, I need you to hear me when I talk." My hand found his, and I held it tight."I love you, Thatch. But you have to understand that I am a grown woman who needs to make her own decisions. You can't protect me from everything, even though I know you want to."
"If I don't look out for you, who will?"
Shaking my head, I stared at the carpet. Thatch would never surrender his role as protector, I could only hope that we would find common ground on the subject."I appreciate you always having my back, but do you think that you can step back a bit while I figure out where this thing with Griffin is going?"
The mention of his name had my brother's jaw ticking away again."I don't like him."
