Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
I snort because that’s ridiculous. “Whatever.”
CHAPTER 15
Simone
Anna kisses Malik on his neck before she pushes up off the love seat. “I’m exhausted and going to bed. Love you.”
“Love you back.” Malik holds on to her hand until their arms stretch and fingers slide against each other before breaking apart.
“Good night, Anna,” I say, and Lucas and Max echo me.
When the door to the master bedroom closes, we’re all silent for a moment. The Fournier siblings are all together in Malik and Anna’s living room. They’re staying the night and flying back commercial tomorrow, taking the opportunity to spend time here with us all in the same city. It’s close to midnight, but I’ve got nowhere to be tomorrow. I decided to stay here tonight so we could all hang out as long as we wanted to.
I know Lucas and Max are exhausted as they played a well-fought game. Lucas is currently sprawled out on the big couch and I’m sitting on the floor with my back resting against it near his feet. Max is cocked back in the recliner and Malik is still sunk into the love seat Anna just vacated.
“Get me a beer, runt,” Lucas demands, moving his knee to bump me in the back of my head. He’s got two empties sitting on the coffee table.
“Bite me,” I reply.
“Twerp.” Lucas swings his legs over my head and rolls off the couch. “Anyone else want one?”
“I’ll take another,” Max says, draining the last of his bottle.
Malik lifts his chin. “Me too.”
“Sis?” Lucas inquires.
I hold up my bottle of water. “I’m good.”
I’d told them earlier I had an upset stomach and wasn’t in the mood to drink. I was patted on the head while they got busy with the beer. This is typical for a Fournier get-together. It’s not often we’re all under the same roof, but after the parents go to bed, the kids usually stay up late and talk. In the last handful of years, that’s included significant others, but Max’s wife, Jules, and Lucas’s wife, Stephanie, stayed back in Raleigh with my adorably perfect nieces and nephews. And, of course, Van’s not here.
No, he’s holed up in a hotel somewhere, avoiding me.
When Lucas comes back in, he delivers each beer and then plops onto the couch, but this time he doesn’t lie down. He pats the available seat cushion. “Get your ass up here and let’s talk.”
It’s not the offer to give up the hard floor that has me dubious, but the tone in his voice that sounds like this was preplanned.
I glance around, eyeballing Malik and Max, and yup… they’re no longer casually slouched in their chairs but sitting up straight. Apparently, they’ve been waiting for Anna to go to bed to gang up on me about Van.
“Actually,” I say as I stand, stretching and giving a huge fake yawn. “Kind of tired. I’m going to bed.”
I try to walk past Lucas but he grabs the back of my shirt and slings me toward the seat next to him. I can’t stop my momentum and the minute my butt hits the cushion he points at me. “Stay.”
“Woof, woof,” I mutter, but I stay. I scoot back into the corner of the couch and cross my legs. “But I’m going to talk first.” I look pointedly at Lucas. “You’re an asshole for fighting Van tonight.”
“It’s just hockey,” he says smoothly.
“You’re full of shit. Everyone saw you instigate it and it was uncalled for. Christ, Lucas… you split his cheek open.”
“Max was in on it too,” Lucas says petulantly. “Why am I the only one getting yelled at?”
I snort. “Because Max ended the fight.”
Lucas’s gaze snaps to Max and he narrows his eyes. “You weren’t joining me to avenge our sister?”
“Sorry, dude,” Max says, shaking his head. “I was stopping it and the only way was to get Van on the ground.”
“You traitor,” Lucas exclaims dramatically.
I blow Max a kiss. “It’s why you’re my favorite brother.”
“Whatever.” Lucas scoffs and faces me. “But now that we have you alone and can talk some sense into you, I want you to give Van the divorce he’s seeking. He’s killing you slowly… death by a thousand paper cuts. Can’t stand the fucker and I say good riddance.”
He doesn’t elaborate but after that kind of statement, what more needs to be said? My head turns to Malik who I suspect has similar feelings.
Malik’s expression is sympathetic, but he shrugs. “You tried, Simone. Now it’s time to move on. While I love having you in the same city as me, you have a career back in Vermont that you should go back to. Dive into work. Take your mind off things.”
“And divorce Van?” I ask for clarification.
While his expression is still soft in understanding, his nod is firm. “Yes. And divorce Van.”
I swing my head toward Max, now perched on the edge of the recliner. He’s got his elbows on his knees, beer bottle held loosely in one hand. “And what about you?” I ask.