Page 48 of My Best Friend's Brother
Chapter 17
Keke had stopped by her sister’s bakery to snatch some cupcakes before heading back to the campground. The sun still wasn’t up, and Keke couldn’t stop yawning, although her mind was alert. Kat’s parting words nagged her.
“You’re wrong to judge Mom. You don’t know what she’s going through. Freedom hasn’t been easy for her.”
“Not easy? She looked fabulous, or aren’t we seeing the same mother?”
“Yes, she looks better, but her marriage took a toll on her health.”
Keke had immediately thought about Mrs. Headley. She too had had a difficult time with Titus, but compared to Keke’s mother, she thought Mrs. Headley handled her husband better.
“What do you mean? What about her health?”
“She’s on a lot of medication for anxiety and stress. It’s like post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Keke had rolled her eyes. She’d heard enough. The woman chose that life and did nothing to change it during Keke’s entire life. Now she was on medication? Keke had grabbed a few mini cupcakes—much to her sister’s chagrin—and marched out, declaring she was done with her mother and she’d be done with Kat too, if she didn’t stop placating their mother.
Now Keke wondered about the medication. How much? And did a doctor officially diagnose her mother with PTSD? It sounded too weird, and Keke didn’t have time to find out. She had a few more days of camp, and then she was out of here.
Maybe she would return to see Kat. Well, of course she would—unless she could convince Kat to move out of state. California would be the perfect place for her sister. She could meet new people, get a date—for once—and open a bakery there. Why was she still just a baker in someone else’s shop?
She’d ask Kat that later after she settled in L.A.
Keke pulled into the parking lot. The campground was still quiet, but the office lights were on. Keke hoped it wasn’t Titus. She rounded the building to avoid him and heard her name called.
Bertie.
With a relieved sigh, Keke jogged back to the office and followed Bertie inside. “No offense, but I thought your dad was up, so I was going to avoid him.”
“None taken,” Bertie clipped.
“Something wrong?” Keke took a seat. “It’s too early to be mad at the world. Have you had any coffee?”
Bertie faced her, red splotches on her cheeks and neck. She was more than mad. She was livid.
“Yeah. You’re what’s wrong.”
Keke took a step back. “Whoa… I said no offense. And I got back on time.”
Bertie made a clicking noise with her tongue. “I’m not talking about that. You know what I mean.”
Keke slowly shook her head. “You gave me permission to leave last night—”
“About Peter,” Bertie hissed. “I saw the two of you.”
A hand went to Keke’s stomach, and she laughed awkwardly. “Oh, that. I was just teaching him—”
“Oh, please, Keighly!”
Bertie only called Keke by her full name when she was mad. She had Keke’s full attention. Keke bristled, ready to defend herself when Bertie launched at her.
“I know what I saw. There wasn’t any teaching going on. Pete looked perfectly capable of kissing, and you were all over him!”
“I was not!”
“Don’t even try to defend yourself. The way you two looked into each other’s eyes after it was over? You’re not going to stand here and tell me you don’t have feelings for my younger brother. He’s nineteen! You’re—”
“I know how old I am, and it’s not like a decade. Like you said, he’s nineteen.”
