Good Girl : An Enemies-to-Lovers, Roommate Romance (Alphahole Roommates Book 2), page 3
Me sticking up for him and trying to play peacemaker with Dad meant my father all but stopped speaking to me, too. Not that Dad and I have ever been close, but he told me not to come to him for help when Shane ruined my life.
My brother wants to be well; I know this. He struggles through phases where things are mostly good but then something goes wrong. He runs out of meds, or he loses them, or he decides to try to go cold turkey to see if he can get by without them.
I know I’m out of my element with his cycle of issues, but how can I give up on my brother? Mom gave up on all of us a long time ago, Dad on him.
When I was small, especially after Mom left, Shane was the one person always there for me. Tucking me in. Chasing away the monsters under the bed. Getting between me and bullies. It’s always been me and Shane against the world. But I hit adulthood and somehow I took on the protector role.
I take a shower and get ready for my shift. As I’m on my way to the door to leave my dated, small one-bedroom apartment where I have the tiny bedroom and Shane sleeps on the couch in the living/kitchen combo, I see he’s zoned out in front of the television.
“Call your doctor, see if she can get you enough samples until we can get you back in.”
She did this last time.
“Yeah,” he says.
He looks almost catatonic.
“Shane?”
“Have a good day,” he says slowly, “Gonna grab a nap.”
“You’ll call her when you wake up?”
“Yep.” He flashes me an empty smile with barely meeting my eyes and then his bloodshot eyes move back to the screen where he’s watching an infomercial about a steam mop.
I trudge with heavy feet and a heavy heart out the door and hold my breath as I descend three flights of stairs quickly, as if I can outrun the smell of that stairwell. A minute later, I’m out on the filthy street, breathing in the equally pungent smell of fast food and garbage. My neighborhood sucks. My apartment is small, with noisy pipes, awful drafts, and shitty water pressure. But it’s cheap and near transit.
Despite how cheap, I can barely afford it. I work temp jobs in between shifts at the coffee cart and do the odd writing gig at night on my laptop for money and extra experience writing.
Writing is what I want to do. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. But I dropped out of college when – after I couldn’t stand living in my dad’s house a minute longer – I took on rent and bills that meant finishing school would have to wait.
I had a sweet housekeeping and personal shopping gig that meant I could spend more time on my passion, and was almost ready to go back to school, but then the job ended because my boss moved to California. Good things seem few and far between for me and the good never seems to last long, but I’ve always tried to be an optimist. I feel like I’m failing at that effort right now, though.
I’m trying to get another server job or something that pays cash tips as well as an hourly wage, but no luck so far despite a few interviews.
The guy I was working for on the personal shopping and cleaning job made it easy. I feel like that spoiled me. He paid me well to clean his apartment and stock his kitchen. Sometimes I’d pick up dry cleaning, or grab him new clothes or do other errands, but mostly it was about cleaning up after him and making sure he had food, cigarettes, and booze at home.
He wanted fresh food to choose from daily, never sure what he might want so I’d keep his kitchen stocked with a couple pre-made meal choices several times a week. He didn’t expect me to cook, only shop, and so I was there often, clearing out leftovers and dropping off new food. A lot of the time, the leftovers were perfectly edible, so I had practically no grocery bill because Aiden Carmichael’s leftovers pretty much fed me and my brother. I was in his apartment a couple hours a week plus errands, and he paid me enough to keep me afloat.
He was messy to clean up after, but he was drop dead gorgeous and paid well.
Alas, he met a girl and moved to build a life with her. They kept me on for a bit, saying he was going to be back and forth, but he clearly couldn’t justify my salary any longer. I was cleaning an empty apartment, not stocking it with food because he wasn’t there often, and that was the end of that good thing.
I was a little sad at first when he got a girlfriend. Not that I had the nerve to make a move and he didn’t seem at all interested in me, but I had a crush.
He was aloof, arrogant, but also jaw-dropping gorgeous with this tousled hair, his huge muscles, his sexy voice. I was smitten despite that he had no manners, never bothered to even make small talk. But man, was he nice to look at. And though he was messy to clean up after, drove my OCD cleaning tendencies a little nuts, the money was well-worth it.
I’m missing that money. I’m missing the free groceries.
Aiden’s girlfriend was even better to work for. Whenever they’d been here the last few months, she’d keep the apartment clean and give me my orders for food or whatever else was needed. I only did deeper cleaning and the food shopping the last few times they were here. My only complaint about her, besides the fact that she has Aiden all to herself, is that she stopped me from removing leftovers every second day because she, too, had ascertained they were perfectly edible. She probably figured they were being tossed in the trash and went on about hungry people lining up for free soup as she stashed leftovers in the freezer.
What little I knew of her, I guessed that if I said I was the one on the soup line, she’d have kept letting me take those leftovers.
The last few times they’d been here, she wanted ingredients to cook with, too, rather than pre-made food and stuff I bought that I knew would probably wind up in my freezer later. Carly was not wasteful like her boyfriend. And she was way nicer and tidier than the other girls he’d had around in the time I’d worked for him.
Aiden told me he’d call me if they were coming to New York and if they were, I could take care of them when they did, provided I had time. I didn’t turn that down, but it’d been a month and a half since they’d been here.
Aiden tipped me extra well last time and Carly slipped me two fifties on their way out the door, too.
It’s nice that a nice girl got the attention of a hot guy with money. It gives me hope. Not for money, more for a hot guy who gives me the time of day. I’d settle for a nice guy, too, even if he’s not totally hot.
So, it was nice having enough money to pay my rent, the free gourmet food, and having to not work forty hours a week to get it. I only worked for him for not quite a year, but since then, things have been a lot harder. And my big brother isn’t making them any easier.
***
When I get to the coffee cart, there’s no actual coffee cart.
I must look idiotic as I twirl in the empty spot where it’s supposed to be. When it doesn’t magically appear somewhere in my peripheral vision, I pull my phone from my pocket and see a missed call. Mr. Bolliano, the owner.
I call him back.
My luck just went from bad to worse.
He said he lost the cart spot because of a business deal, whatever that means.
What it means for me is no job. And evidently no pay tomorrow, either. He tells me he’s sorry, he’ll do his best to pay me back as soon as he’s back on his feet. Whatever that means.
What it means for me is that I’m totally screwed.
4
Austin
My brother and Carly didn’t need any of us here at their wedding. It’s as if nobody’s even here but those two as they say their vows to one another.
Carly glows as she makes her promises to Aiden and my brother says his vows in a soft tone, a tone I might never have heard from him before.
I feel a stab of jealousy for a split second, but it goes fast and instead swells into happiness for them, especially for Aiden. Carly has already made Aiden and in fact our whole family better these past few months.
Carly’s mother Charlene and her Aunt Susan are both openly weeping with big smiles on their faces, their arms around one another. My mother is holding herself nearly stoic, never one to overdo the facial expressions lest her face crack, but her lips are upturned slightly. My eyes move back to my brother as he leans in to kiss his bride, looking like he’s just won the lottery. That’s when I hear a choking sound and my eyes move to where the sound comes from. My mother. It came from her throat. She’s doing her best to not lose it, but she’s failing.
Well, shit. Audra Carmichael isn’t made of complete stone after all.
She’s holding that sob in her throat and doing it badly, so this sets my sister Adele off. Adele bursts into an audible sob that morphs as she tries to hide it with a loud wolf whistle. Adele then laughs loud and wraps her arms around our mother as Aiden and Carly’s mouths fuse together.
I hear the shutter clicks as the photographer captures it from beside me. The videographer is on the other side of Ally, doing his thing, too.
The backdrop of St. Kitts is wild, because we’re on the beach outside a resort where Aiden and Carly have themselves a private beach house. The rest of us are inside the luxury hotel.
My brother and Carly just tied the knot in the sand with the backdrop of pinks and oranges flowing through grey clouds. It’s like the sky has a split personality right now and can’t decide if it wants to show us the sun setting or erupt into a nasty storm.
The pinks and oranges are above Aiden and Carly who have their feet in the water and a local minister with them, his suit pants rolled to his calves and water shoes on his feet. Ally, Braeden, and I stand back a little and the rest of the guests sit on chairs on a raised deck.
Aiden lifts her off her feet by her butt and her legs wrap around him. He walks off toward their beach house and she says something, looking back at all of us. Her eyes go soft as she kisses him again, weaving her fingers into his hair. My brother changes his mind, turns, and runs toward the water with Carly in his arms.
She screams, “Noooo Aiden! My dress!” but it’s too late, he’s running full speed through the water until the depth gets to his knees and slows him down. He keeps moving, though slower, and then he kisses her again before things drop off and they’re in up to his shoulders. They then go under, as if getting baptized and come up with mouths attached. There’s continuous shutter clicking beside me and laughing all around.
My nephew Braeden throws the ring pillow toward Adele and runs toward the water in his little tux. Adele passes her husband Dirk the pillow and follows, lifting the length of her dress up on one side and catching Braeden’s hand with her free hand.
Dirk stands back with baby Lilly in his arms, a big smile on his face and then I hear, don’t you dare from my mother who is pointing at my dad. Dad has a mischievous grin and he’s got bent knees, reaching and obviously about to lift my mother up.
I spot two things then that send the blood in my veins to ice.
I see Sienna Greer, Aiden’s ex, standing off in the distance about two hundred feet away near a group of people packing up their beach gear.
How fitting that Aiden and Carly are in the water kissing and laughing under a pink and orange streaked sky and Sienna stands off under a dark grey cloud.
She has sunglasses on, and her arms crossed as she watches them. I straighten, ready to go over there and make sure she doesn’t approach. I’ll sprint and tackle that bitch to the sand if need be.
A group with volleyball gear moves and I spot Sienna’s father Roger rushing up behind her. He says something to her, putting a hand on her shoulder, also seeing me watching them. Sienna twists and walks off.
This whole thing pisses me off, but I’m not shocked. At least I don’t have to draw attention to them now that they’re leaving. It wouldn’t just upset the bride and groom, it’d get my father riled, too. The last thing we need is a big smackdown happening here between my father and Roger.
Our mother and father split and Roger, Dad’s former best friend is the reason. Well, one of the many reasons. My mother wasn’t just having an affair with Dad’s best friend, the husband of her own best friend, Mom was cheating on both Roger and my father with anyone who’d give her the time of day, with a penchant especially for men under the age of forty.
A case of a fifty-something former beauty queen fighting the clock while drowning her sorrows in a bottle, she’s also just recently out of rehab and her and my father lasted all of about five minutes after she moved home before Roger declared that they needed to be adult about all this and not only would Audra and he be starting their life together, but the rest of the family would need to be on board. That was not taken well by my father. Nor Roger’s wife, Suzette. Or Sienna, Roger’s daughter and Aiden’s ex. Mom moved into her own house and I heard that a week ago, Roger moved in, making all sorts of declarations, and altering his life plans to put my mother first.
But as far as I can see, my mother is doing okay with him. She’s off the booze and trying to be a better mother and grandmother now that she’s not spending all her time focusing on punishing my father and battling with Aiden.
The second thing I spot is Meryl after a frizzle of static shoots up my spine. She’s obviously arrived late as this is the first I’ve clapped eyes on her, and though our party is small, only forty or so people, she managed to escape my attention until now because she’s sitting in the very back, behind a row of Carly’s relatives who flew in with her parents from Buffalo.
Meryl looks good, which doesn’t make me any happier. She’s wearing a pink dress, pink low-heeled sandals and her long, dark hair is up in a twist. She has on more makeup than she usually wears, and I’m not sure it’s an improvement as she has that natural beauty that doesn’t need makeup. Her hands are in her lap, toying nervously with a handkerchief and she’s watching me. My eyes immediately move to her left hand. No ring on that finger. And then my eyes land on her face and stop there.
Her expression? She’s looking like her dog died. Sad? Fear mingled with what… remorse? I don’t know, but I fail at hiding my reaction before I turn away and scoop Ally Kingston into my arms and carry her into the water, too.
Ally squeals in delight when we both wind up underwater. When we come up, she cackles with glee and then splashes me. I splash back and then dive under and come up under Ally, getting her on my shoulders.
This reaction has a chain reaction and more of the wedding party wind up in the Caribbean Sea. Someone from the beach tosses over a beach ball after a wolf-whistle request from Adele. Carly gets on Aiden’s shoulders. It breaks into a game of water dodgeball that doesn’t last long because suddenly Ally shouts Carly’s name and Carly dives off Aiden’s shoulders into the water.
It doesn’t take a genius to realize it has something to do with Carly’s white wedding gown being wet. Now she’s in the water up to her neck, blushing and covering her chest.
***
We’re on the decking again and an attendant has brought out towels for our mostly soaked wedding party.
The mood is great, from most everyone else and I feel like I’m doing a decent job of hiding how I feel about Meryl being here.
I say nothing and don’t make eye contact as I hear Meryl talking to the girls. She’s hugging the soggy bride and explaining that her flight was delayed. Her voice is shaky, like she’s been made to do a presentation in front of a stadium of people and I know it’s because I’m here.
Ally breaks the ice in her Ally way.
“So, let’s get some drinks and toast the bride and groom. Austin, say hi to Mer, will ya? Put the poor girl out of her misery.”
I give Ally a cutting look before I say, “Hey.”
Everything goes quiet. We’re not a big group but clearly everyone else in the group is picking up on something, thanks to Ally.
“Hi Austin,” Meryl whispers.
“Don’t you work for me?” my father, moving closer to her, asks.
“I – I was with the Manila office and I spent some time at your head office a few months back.”
“You’re the one who took off with no notice, right?” Dad asks, looking like he’s searching the memory banks.
“Dad!” Adele snaps.
Meryl squares her shoulders. “I am so sorry about that, Mr. C. There were circumstances beyond my control and –”
“It’s fine, Meryl,” Aiden says. “Dad, not the time. Meryl’s a guest at mine and Carly’s wedding. I want everyone to make her feel welcome.” Aiden doesn’t look at me, but I know that’s aimed at me, too, probably so it doesn’t upset Carly.
My father’s eyes bounce between Aiden and me. And then he gives me a quizzical look for a beat before a server comes over with a tray of glasses of champagne.
“Before my bride and I head to our room to consummate our marriage-” Aiden starts.
“You mean… get out of these wet clothes,” Carly corrects.
“That too,” Aiden winks at her.
“To change and come back,” she says quickly, giving him a look of murder as color climbs up her cheeks.
Carly’s father scowls. “Give me some proper hooch, please there, dude.”
The server nods and hurries off.
Aiden laughs and slaps his back good-naturedly. “I can legally see her naked now, Pops. Don’t sweat it.”
“Call me Pops again, and you’re getting a knuckle sandwich.”
Carly’s mother laughs while her father continues to stare at my brother without blinking. The guy looks like he wants to murder him.
“You can call us Mom and Dad if you like,” Charlene Adler corrects, giving her husband a scowl before her smile returns. “Or by our first names. Whatever makes you most comfortable, Aiden. And, Darryl, be nice.”
Finally, Darryl Adler’s face relaxes. “I need bourbon.”
“Get my father-in-law some bourbon, somebody!” Aiden bellows, then kisses Carly’s lips again. “I want to make a toast. Everyone, grab a glass.” He passes Carly one and takes another for himself before the rest of us grab ours.
Carly’s face goes as pink as the contents of the glass she accepts from my brother, eyes darting briefly to her father. A bottle of bourbon and several tumblers are now beside the tray with the ice bucket and two more bottles of pink champagne.
