Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Just as I get settled, Chase reappears. He sees Mason in his spot and goes around to the other side.
“Here.” He grins, passing back a cream soda and a pack of cheese crackers.
A small chuckle leaves me at the sight, my muscles locking when, in my periphery, Mason’s body shifts this way, but I don’t look at him.
I thank Chase and sit back, hiding my own snack in my bag so he won’t feel bad, and cover my head with a blanket to pretend I want to try and get some sleep.
Yes, it’s a coward’s move, especially when I know I won’t be able to sleep for several more hours.
Still, I sit there silently, breathing through a mask of fleece until the car rolls to a stop and my brother announces we’ve arrived.
That’s when I learn about the sleeping arrangements.
If I thought this trip was going to be tense before…
It just went into overdrive.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Mason
Now, September
“Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine…” I reach my goal, then do two more. I quickly pop up from the push-ups and jog in place for thirty seconds. My shoulders ache, my core muscles pulsing, but I drop back down again, this time into a five-finger plank.
The burn in my abdomen is intense, but I breathe through it, counting down from forty-five, then hold a little longer before collapsing on the mat.
“You’ve been in here for almost three hours.”
I push up onto my ass, folding my arms over my bent knees, and look toward the door.
Chase shoves off the frame, slowly stepping into the garage of the Airbnb we rented. He glances around, noting an elliptical, a treadmill, and a station of free weights. “So this is the home gym included, huh?” he says quoting the ad.
I scoff, nodding toward the bucket in the corner. “At least they have mats to put down. Saw a couple of jump ropes in there, too.”
Chase nods, moving over to the treadmill and climbing on. He ties his hoodie up over his head and starts with a slow jog. “You skipped breakfast.”
“I had a protein shake.”
“You went to bed without talking to anyone last night.”
“I was tired. Why you so worried about me?” I snap, shoving off the ground and pulling my shirt over my head. I use it to wipe the sweat from my face.
“Because I see what’s going on.” When I say nothing, he adds, “You didn’t come to class on Thursday. We had a test.”
I look away, wrapping my T-shirt around my neck, and move for the door.
“We’re here to relax and hang out with our friends a couple of days, Mason.”
“I’m aware.”
“Don’t fuck it up.”
“Me?” I whip around. “What could I possibly do to fuck it up?”
He eyes me a moment, increasing the speed he’s running at and hitting an incline. “You’re in your head. You have been for a while. I’m not sure what’s going on exactly, but I think I know enough, and you’re running toward ruin. Try to let it go.”
I scoff, turning my back and heading for the door. “I bet you would just love that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he shouts after me, but I close the door.
The house is quiet aside from the TV running in the living room, Kenra asleep on the couch.
Grabbing four cold water bottles from the fridge, I down one and carry the other three toward the room down the hall. With a soft knock, I push the door open.
Brady is out cold on the twin bed on the right side of the room, his skin clammy, while Cameron and Paige are sitting up on the other bed. Cameron has a box of tissues and a blanket wrapped around her, reading from a school textbook, while Paige is staring at the TV that has no sound coming from it.
Fuck, I guess I should have brought my books, too. Not that it would help. There’s no way my professor lets me make up the test, not when I’m already behind in her coursework. I grit my teeth, pushing the worries aside, and meet the girls’ gazes.
“Hey.” Cameron smiles through a light cough.
I wiggle the water bottles. “Brought you guys something cold to drink.” I set them beside her and look to Brady. “He good?”
“He’s been snoring like a bulldog for the last two hours.” Cameron shrugs. “So he’s alive at least. Thinks he can sleep off the ick.”
Paige laughs, then groans, her hands flying to her temples. “I’m so sad. I can’t believe we’re going to miss the game tonight. Who gets sick sitting in a car for six hours and doesn’t get better when they get out of it?”
They were hoping the vomiting was from car sickness, which neither usually gets, but all three woke up feeling just as shitty as they did when they went to bed.
“There will be plenty more games to go to. Just rest, maybe try to sleep it off like Brady.”