"Even without ketchup," Colbie says suddenly then turns to Jace. "You should stay at the Love Hut. That's where I plan to lose my virginity. I'll be sure to email you when it happens."
"Sounds great. Who's the special guy?"
"I don't know."
A moment passes where Colbie daydreams about her first lover while I glare at mine.
"I'm staying at the Hampton Inn."
"Good deal, but can you afford a hundred a day? I mean, you're poor, right?"
"I'm not poor."
"Are you sure?" Bodie asks.
"Compared to you, yeah, but I can pay for the hotel room."
"Allow us to pick up the tab. It's the least we can do after I shot you in the ass last night."
"I shot him in the ass," Bodie corrects.
"Nope."
"Actually, I wasn't shot in the ass. I did get a few hits to the hip though."
"Did it hurt?" I ask.
"A little."
"I hope you're in agonizing pain."
Ignoring my anger, Zane asks, "So are you two going to hang out and reminisce while we nap?"
Jace and I share a moment where we both acknowledge the siblings are living in a different reality. He nearly gives me a smile until I narrow my eyes at him.
"Forever then?" he asks.
"What?"
"You're planning to hold the grudge forever."
"Only until I die."
"So if I die first, you'll still be pissed."
"What do you mean by if?"
"Ooh," Colbie says, winking at Bodie. "Feel that sexual chemistry."
"You couldn't say that shit in your heads like the stuff about the fries?" I grumble at them.
Bodie smiles. "The reality is we can do whatever we want. So to answer your question, yes, we choose to be rude. Feel free to take that personally too."
Pissed at how the day is turning out, I stand up and prepare to storm from the room.
"Hey, it's not my place to interfere with your tantrum," Bodie says, leaning back in her chair, "but we're having pie for dessert. Just wanted to make sure you know what you're missing."
I roll my eyes while Zane smiles at his sister. "You have a sweetness that can't be replicated."
"Hey!" Colbie cries. "I'm right here."
"I know. Feel free to take that personally."
Seeing how they're ignoring me and having some kind of sibling fight, I storm from the kitchen. Apple pie be damned!
"See you at dinner," Jace says with his mouth full of fries.
"Fuck off!" I scream.
Much like when I freak out at home, my anger elicits laughter rather than fear. I stomp past the dogs who growl at me. Up the stairs to the second floor, I hurry into my room and slam the door. Throwing myself on the bed, I know I'm being childish, but I can't shake the rage I feel at seeing Jace again.
Back in Ellsberg, he kept his distance, so I only saw him in passing. When he entered a room, I worked quickly to leave it. If I had to be around him like at a family function, I maneuvered myself to prevent us from having to speak. I was friends with his sisters Winnie and Harlow. He was a member of my family's motorcycle club. We existed in the same world, but avoided breathing the same air. When he dumped me, he tore my heart out, and I hated him for making me feel so low.
Now, he's taking over my new life, and I hate him all over again.
Chapter 8
Jace
Simple Man
Sawyer's tantrum leaves me stuck at a table with three strangers who I suspect view me as no more important than a bug. A part of me keeps hoping Zane will stop looking at his phone and do a little male bonding. Anything to distract from the identical women dissecting me with their deceptively pretty gazes.
"Why did you dump Sawyer?" Colbie asks because like the Johansson women she lacks a filter.
"It's complicated."
"No, it's not. It never is. Like when Zane dumped his girlfriend who was eaten by dogs. She left us to die, and he can't be with a woman who's disloyal."
"Technically," Bodie says, "she dumped him when she ran off."
"You'd think but no."
Bodie and Zane share a grin while Colbie returns to making her point.
"When Zane dumped the girl with worms, it was because she was gross and we made him. See how simple those reasons are? Now, share yours for dumping the gentle flower upstairs."
"I was young."
The siblings share a gaze, and I know my answer doesn't satisfy. If I wasn't a grown man, I'd run out of this house right now. A kid knows to be afraid and never thinks about looking cool. A man needs to hold his head up and stare into the eyes of weird people like these.
"So you're saying dumping her was a youthful mistake?" Bodie asks.
Yes, I think but don't dare say.
"No, what I'm saying is Sawyer was my first girlfriend, and I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment," I mumble, hoping my relationship jargon satisfies them.
"So you were horny for other women," Zane states, giving me a nod like we're friends now.
"That makes you look like an asshole. No offense since I don't think you know you're an asshole," Colbie says. "I mean, you are though. You're a giant asshole who breaks girls' hearts because you wanted to stick your dick in a new hole."
"She's paraphrasing," Bodie murmurs.
"It's not really any of your business why we broke up."