Page 18 of Falling With You

So, I sat there for a little bit longer and then I made my way back to my car, saying goodbye one more time.

I didn’t know if I would be back. Didn’t know if it would help anything. I was just feeling out of sorts lately, not able to do what I normally did. I couldn’t work out the way I wanted, couldn’t cook the way I wanted. Couldn’t do anything the way I wanted. So, I had been feeling a little petulant and, because of that, I needed to center myself.

Though seeing the place where Allison had been laid to rest hadn’t really helped like I thought it would.

Nothing helped these days.

I got home, anger still coursing in my veins just because I felt useless. But I would go to work later, and maybe things would fall into place.

I liked living in Denver, well at least in the suburbs. I wasn’t really a downtown guy, though I worked there. I had worked there before I started at the bar, although it had been at a Michelin-starred restaurant where I never would’ve moved up because of the nepotism.

It hadn’t mattered that I was a better chef than any of the people in there. Hadn’t mattered that I could run the place better than anyone I worked with. I hadn’t been blood, so I hadn’t been wanted.

And when Jack and Rose died, leaving the bar to us, I left.

Yeah, it was a step down to anyone who didn’t know me, but I felt more like I was home at the brewery. I wasn’t putting on airs, wasn’t pretending that I was someone I wasn’t. I was doing something for family. Something I hadn’t done enough in recent times.

I just hated the fact that I couldn’t actually do it now because I had broken my damn hand trying to protect Sienna.

And I hadn’t even really seen her since the attack. Because she didn’t want to talk to me. She had fuckingrunfrom me.

Just like she had run from me after the one night we’d had.

But I wasn’t going to think about that.

I really wanted a beer, but it was in the middle of the afternoon, and I still had to work later. So, I opened myself a soda, something I didn’t really want, but I needed a boost of caffeine. My front door opened as soon as I took the first sip, and I glared at Cameron as he walked in.

“What did I say about using that key for emergencies?”

“You probably wouldn’t have let me in if I’d knocked.” Cameron just shrugged as he closed the door behind him, and I glared.

“Well, you didn’t give me the option, did you? I could’ve been walking around naked in here.”

“We’re twins. Pretty sure I know what you have.”

“We may be identical, but maybe not in every single way,” I snapped.

“Okay, do you want to compare dicks? Because I can whip mine out right now and show you exactly what I have.”

“Well, that’s just weird,” I said and snorted. “Like, really weird.”

“You’re the one that brought it up.”

“Did I?”

“Oh, shut up. I’m here to check on you.”

I flipped my twin off and took another sip. “I’m fine. Just like I was fine before. And I’m going to be fine later. I don’t really need you all up in my business, acting like an asshole.”

“Only one of us is acting like an asshole right now, and it’s not me.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Sorry. Can’t do that. Remember? You’re my brother. And that means I get to annoy the shit out of you.”

“Go annoy Brendon. Oh, wait, go annoy Dillon. He’s the one who needs to be annoyed the most in our group.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. Hey, did I tell you that we’re thinking of putting him in the dorms or something close to that next year?” Cameron asked, and I stood up straighter.