Page 117 of Dead Serious with Benefits
“I know, and despite not talking to me the first few times, he still let me visit. Eventually, he talked...a little at first, but he talked.”
“About?”
“Nothing really, he would mention something that happened since the last time I visited, and he would talk about what he used to do before...well?—”
“Before he tried to kill us.”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“And today,” Arlo sighed. “I told him about my mother and sister.”
My fingers tightened on the wheel, and I forced myself to take a steadying breath. “Not exactly the kind of thing I pictured you telling him.”
“Why not? We’ve both known loss.”
“The difference is you didn’t grow up and try to kill people over it.”
“True, but that was almost the point. For him to see the other side, to see that there is a way through the grief and the loss, and for him to be something other than a grieving brother,” Arlo said quietly. “And... he spoke of Olivia.”
“Okay?”
“It was the first time he mentioned her name. I’ve always avoided the subject because I didn’t want to upset him further, so I waited until he brought her up. And today, he did. I shared my pain and he shared his. And...I don’t know, it worked.”
There wasn’t much I could say, nothing that would add to the conversation. I had set out to accompany Arlo throughout this entire thing because it was important to him. I was appalled that he had told a stranger, that madman, the story of his greatest tragedy. It was something Devon didn’t deserve to know, not after what he’d done and what he’d tried to do.
“You’re allowed to be upset,” Arlo said softly.
“Thank you for permission,” I said sarcastically and immediately regretted it. “Yes, I’m upset. But at the same time, it’s your story to tell, not mine. So...you told him, and it made him open up.”
“Yes.”
“Why does it seem like you’re bothered?”
“I’m not.”
“Then why the silence?”
“When I left, he said...he told me he was sorry I never got to know my sister for as long as he knew his. That sisters are special.”
Well, there was definitely nothing I could say tothat. “Okay.”
“You’re still allowed to be upset,” Arlo said, and I groaned.
“Say that again and I’m going to drive us off the next cliff,” I grumbled as I settled into the seat. “Look, just because I don’t understand it and it kind of offends me on your behalf doesn’t mean jack shit, okay? You’re allowed to live however you want.”
“Okay,” he said softly, slowly putting his hand on my leg as if he expected me to shift so he could no longer touch me.
As if I werethatmad, sheesh.
“Matilda texted me while you were in there,” I said, sensing the conversation was over for now. It would come back around when Arlo had done some more thinking, so for now I would let it rest...and let myself cool down a little. “She wanted me to tell you there’s been a slight change of plans and that we’re going to have the family dinner next weekend, not tomorrow.”
“Did she say why?”
“Something to do with Mason and Jace not being there.”
“Huh, I wonder why.”
