Page 50 of The Hardest Hit
“Going to give him a thorough check-up? Play a little doctor?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.
“Don’t start with me,” she said, smacking at his arm and he chuckled. Over his shoulder she saw Sofia round the corner, her lips pinched tight in anger.
“Well, at least I know why we don’t have any coffee,” said Sofia, her tone was one of quiet martyrdom. “You can’t be bothered to look after your family in their time of need because you’re too busy talking about sex with Tyler.”
Tyler eyed their younger sister. “Take it down a notch there, Sofs. If you get any higher on that cross you’ll be going head to head with Grams on who’s suffering more.”
“That is blasphemous,” snapped Sofia.
“So’s acting like Saint Sofia,” said Tyler. “We all know who’s been up in your jim-jams.”
“Well, at least I don’t go around talking about it where everyone can hear!” hissed Sofia, her red curls bouncing in anger.
“I have sex,” said Olivia loudly. “With Evan. A lot. Pretty much all the time. We have Naked Tuesdays.”
Tyler spluttered out a laugh of surprise, and Sofia made a squeak of horror.
“I’m done pretending that things are other than they are. And I’m done being ashamed of who I am or what I want to do with my life. I’m sorry that you’re upset by that, but you’re going to have to get over it because I’m not going back.”
“It’s behavior like this that gave our father a heart attack,” said Sofia, and she ran back into the building.
“That’s not true,” said Tyler.
Olivia blinked back tears. “I’m going to get everyone coffee,” she said, turning on her heel and heading for the cafeteria.
“It was bacon for breakfast for fifty-five years,” Tyler called after her. Olivia waved but kept walking.
19
Evan – Car Trips
Jackson picked him up in the morning.
“You don’t have to come get me,” Evan said as they settled into Jackson’s car.
“Amazingly, I don’t think you’d actually get in if I just sent a car,” said Jackson.
“I could drive myself.”
“Another amazing thought—I don’t think you’d actually do that either.”
Evan stared out the window, annoyed.
“It’s just for a few days,” said Jackson.
“I’m perfectly safe on the train.”
“Really? How’s your nose?”
“Fine,” grunted Evan in irritation.
They stopped at a stoplight and Jackson reached over and pulled one of Olivia’s long red hairs off of Evan’s jacket. “Nice to know you’re dating,” said Jackson, disposing of the hair out the window. Evan didn’t know how to reply to that, so he didn’t. Instead, he turned his shoulders slightly and looked out the window. A few minutes later, his phone pinged. It was a message from Olivia with her flight time. She’d get in late tonight, but they might get a tiny sliver of Naked Tuesday.
“Good news?” asked Jackson.
“Yes,” said Evan, and put the phone in his pocket without saying anything further.
Jackson exhaled in exasperation and shook his head. “At least I never have to worry about you blabbing family secrets.”
