Page 72 of Creed

“Be sure to fill me in.”

“You know I will.”

Before he had a chance to say anything more, Devin walked over and stood next to me with a smile. I slipped my arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Ready for this?”

She looked up at me, that spark in her eyes I loved and nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Then, let’s ride.”

And just like that, the day felt like it was ours for the taking.

16

DEVIN

Mondays were the worst, especially when you have summer school.

I hadn’t planned on doing any summer classes, but the pay was good, and I couldn’t afford to turn them down. But now, I was stuck trying to get a room full of half-asleep college kids to care about procedure and reports.

It was going to be tough, but someone had to do it.

It was just before seven when I forced myself out of bed and dragged myself to the shower. I’d just gotten out and had wrapped a towel around me when I heard my phone chime with a message. Thinking it might be Jameson, I rushed into the bedroom. My hair was dripping down my back, and the chill from the water brought goosebumps as I reached for my phone.

A smile was tugging at my lips as I glanced down at the screen, but that smile immediately vanished when I saw that the message was from Brian. Rage washed over me when I read:

Brian:

You told them about Brooklyn.

Real classy, Devin.

Me:

I didn’t tell them anything, Brian.

It had beenweeks since my conversation with Austin, so I had no idea where this was coming from. But when those three dots appeared on the screen, I knew he was about to lay into me. Damn.

Brian:

Bullshit. They would’ve never known if you hadn’t told them.

Now they don’t want to come over this weekend.

You’re poisoning them against me.

Me:

You know what’s funny? For MONTHS, you let them think I left you for no reason. ThatIwas the villain. That I broke up the family for my own selfish reasons. And I never said a damn word about you and your girlfriend. I took the blame. I let them be mad at me, so they didn’t have to see you for what you really are.

Brian:

Don’t act like you’re some fucking martyr, Devin. You left. You broke this family. That’s on you. You had no right telling them about us.

I suddenly feellike the towel is strangling me. I yank it tighter, ignoring the drip of water down my legs as I sit down on the edge of the bed and type my response.

Me:

I hate to break it to you, but it wasn’t me.