Page 7 of Forced to Share
A shudder raced down my spine as Jeremy addressed me directly for the first time in years. It was friendly and familiar.
“I have to agree with him, sis. I brought everything with me, straight down to that garland that thankfully didn’t get ruined. You need to help me put it up later.”
She beamed, throwing her arms around me in a hug. “Oh, Austin. You’re such a spoilsport.” Leah devolved into a fit of giggles, and that was my sign that she’d more than had enough. I waved over the bartender and slid across my card, paying the tab for the three of us. It wasn’t that I made a ton of money... Hell... I was asoftware designer for a spyware company, but it paid decently. It had to, considering that San Francisco was so damn expensive.
After someone gave me back my card, I tucked it into my wallet before draping one of my sisters’ arms over my shoulders. Jeremy did the same on the other side of her, and we escorted her out of the restaurant.
I helped Jeremy load her into their tiny ass car before I turned to face him. This was easy. I could handle talking to him like a grown-ass adult and not dwell on where we’d fucked up in the past.
“Do you know how to get back to the house?”
He laughed, scratching at his neck and looking around. The wind blew off the lake, causing his hair to fall into his eyes. He pushed it away before answering me. “I haven’t the faintest idea, and I’m pretty sure she’s too blitzed to be much help.”
I had to fight back the urge to laugh. There was still a petty part of me that wanted to leave him to fend for himself. To figure it out. But I wasn’t that person.
“Follow me. I’ll do my best not to drive too crazy, but I can’t make any promises about other drivers.”
He chuckled, the sound sending vibrations through me I wanted to forget.
“I just spent the last three years learning how to dodge New York drivers. I think I’m solid.”
I wanted to smile, to join him in the laughter, but it was a reminder that he’d left me and not said a word. So, instead of saying anything, I turned on my heel, clicking the key fob for the SUV so he could see where I’d parked. I climbed into my rental and tried my best to ignore the pangs of loneliness that settled in my chest. At one point, we’d had a connection, but he’d severed it without a care in the world.
Chapter 4
Jeremy
The house was dark by the time we got back. It felt strange that I hadn’t met the parents yet, but Leah had been pretty persistent in getting me and Austin out of the house. Leah had always been a little more wild, but I’d never seen her get as drunk as she had tonight. In retrospect, she honestly hadn’t had that much to drink, but I knew IPAs could have a little higher alcohol content and really pack a punch.
Talking to Austin was strange. Every part of me felt this familiar pull, like the years we’d been apart hadn’t existed. But I’d caused the fissure. It was my fault that he had his guard up with me.
Thankfully, I hadn’t been kidding about learning how to drive in New York. Those people were fucking brutal. The taxi cabs were suicidal on the best of days.
Austin pulled into the driveway, which took the last of the parking. I had to park on the street, and it made me a little annoyed because carrying Leah into the house would be a pain. She’d fallen asleep on the drive, so I was thankful I’d had someone to follow. She would have been completely useless.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to get her into the house alone. Austin came rushing to the passenger side of the car, opened the door, and helped scoop his sister up.
Leah babbled against his shoulder as I followed them through the house.
“I’m not going to help you undress my sister. We might have shared a womb, but I have to draw the line somewhere.”
I shook my head, trying not to laugh. Then the statement struck me as odd. I figured they were close in age, but I didn’t know how close.
“Shared a womb?”
That seemed to grab Austin’s attention. “Uh, yeah. We’re twins. Did she not tell you?”
No, no, she had not. And maybe that was another sign that Leah was a huge mistake. Sure, she’d told me abouther “baby brother,” but that didn’t always mean he was younger.
“Is there a reason she calls you the baby?” I asked as he dropped Leah on the bed. She groaned as she curled into a little fetal ball.
“Because she’s older by maybe two minutes. But don’t get too excited about that. Mom had a hell of a labor. Her water broke, and she had contractions right away. Dad rushed her to the hospital, but we refused to descend at first. I’d like to think that it was because we were racing each other and fighting over who would come out first. She obviously won that fight. She’s been showing me up ever since.” Austin shrugged before helping me to pull the blankets up over his sister.
As much as Leah hadn’t told me about Austin being her twin, he’d failed to mention a sister. Then again, it wasn’t like I’d given him much of a chance. Maybe if I hadn’t pulled away like I had…
“Are you two close?” I didn’t know why I had asked it.It seemed personal after so many years between us, but as we left the room and headed back down the stairs to the living room, it seemed appropriate to fill the gaps.
Austin sat back on the couch, rubbing his hands against his thighs. “I mean, we used to be.” When he didn’t elaborate further, I didn’t push. It was strange enough to be in this position, much less in the same room after all these years.
