Page 5 of Don't Say You're Sorry

“It’s not because youhavea dick; it’s because youarea dick.” I grab four sodas from the fridge and set them on the island. “I don’t want you within fifty feet of my stepmother.”

“I’m not interested in your stepmother.” Carter grabs the food Frankie passes him after she’s done with it. “It’s your hot daddy I want.”

I scrunch my nose in disgust. “Dude. Ew.”

Frankie’s gaze bounce between us. “How hot are we talking?”

With a sly smile, Carter pulls his phone out of his pocket, finds something on it, and shows it to Frankie. It’s a picture of my dad and Veronica at some charity event. I don’t even want to know where he got that or why he has it saved on his phone.

“Well, shit,” Frankie says. “Maybe I will make an effort for this party.”

“For his dad or his stepmom?” Carter asks.

She looks at the photo again. “Is it wrong of me if I say both?”

“Ew,” I say again, desperate to change the subject. “Where are Nate and Xavi?”

“Probably fucking,” Carter says. “Nate carried him in on his shoulder about an hour ago and took him upstairs. Xavi was laughing. Nate was pretending to be pissed. We haven’t seen them since.”

Good for them. It’s about time they sorted their shit out and finally be happy together.

While we eat, I think about the anniversary party. I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t want to go. Being around my dad and Veronica reminds me ofhim, the asshole I’ve done my best to forget. My neighbor and best friend since I was eight, who later became my stepbrother after our parents fell in love and got married. I remember the day they told us they were engaged. Adam and I cheered and hugged and jumped around the yard together before we fell into the pool. We were happier for ourselves than we were for them. We were going to be brothers. It was a dream come true.

Until it became a nightmare.

Clearly, I haven’t forgotten him, but I’m trying. Trying to move on. Trying to get over it.Stillfuckingtrying, even after all these years.

I do this to myself on every special occasion. Every Christmas, every birthday, every Mother’s Day…

What if he shows up? What if he finally returns? What will I do then?

Fisting my hand, I grind my teeth. I can think of a few things I’d like to do about it.

Carter raises an eyebrow at me, and I snap out of it, forcing myself to calm the fuck down. Veronica would have told me if he was coming.

He’s not coming.

I don’t think he’severcoming back.

CHAPTER 2

EASTON

Easton

This isn’t funny. When are you coming back?

PRESENT

He’s back.

I shake the tremor out of the hand I just hit him with.

Motherfucker.

He’sback.

Peeking at my bloody knuckles, I keep moving and slink up to Frankie’s side where she’s talking to some girl at the bar. “We need to leave,” I whisper in her ear.