My Forbidden Doctor - Stephanie Brother Page 0,40

an annulment, at least. But... you know what... I don't care. I feel bad for your mom, but it's not..." I trailed off, not really knowing how to put my opinion into words, but Carl squeezed me comfortingly. "I don't know if I could get married."

"I don't think it matters, Mel. There's other ways to tell someone you like them— much, much less stressful ways. Like... breakfast for breakfast? I'll make a trip."

"I think that's a great way to tell me you like me."

Carl smiled, a tenderness in his eyes, and I rested my cheek on his shoulder. Reaching to smooth his half-open shirt, a content, hoarse sigh escaped my ragged throat. "I'll make it, though. The less the door opens, the better."

Chapter 20

Carl

Stroking Mel's cat leisurely, I watched my phone ring for the thirtieth time in a row, my mom's contact flashing insistently on the screen. The cat purred away, happy as could be to have some extra attention, but I was anything but happy. One the one side, Melissa and I were finally going on a date... or, we were in the middle of one? I shook my head a little as I rubbed Kimi's head, and her purring intensified.

On the other hand, two things had happened last night that made me realize I was a bald guy fighting over a comb. My mom and Mel's dad didn't come to the hospital, and my opinion of him hit an all-time low. I could understand the money-grubbing part, the secret marriage, the slime... but to not show up when Mel went through a mild overdose...

That he effectively caused with his negligence. Again, he'd pushed her to do something that affected her health horribly, and for what? Augustus had already married my mom, so why plan to get all the kids together? To impress her? To try to get us to warm up to him?

"Hello? Hey, Matt—" Melissa's nasally tone echoed from the kitchen, and I peeked over the arm rest of the sofa. "I don't know where he is, no. Why?"

She was so sexy in her little, loose shorts, and I could see every individual freckle on her arms and legs. If only she wasn't wearing anything at all... the smooth curve of her back teasing under her spaghetti-strap shirt.

"What do you mean he disappeared? How can my dad just disappear?" Jolting up at Mel's harsh words, I winced when Kimi scratched me in her haste to jump off my chest. Melissa whipped around, gesturing wildly in confusion, and my mouth dried. "He sold the auto shop? I didn't know that. We haven't talked since I told him off."

Wordlessly, Mel pointed at my phone as it began to buzz against the wooden coffee table, and I scowled lightly. I had half a mind not to answer and leave my mother high and dry, but I found myself reaching for the device anyway.

"Hello?" My mom was sobbing uncontrollably on the phone, and I held the speaker away from my ear as half my attention flew back to Mel.

"No, I mean, I was in the hospital last night, so I don't know what happened. He didn't show up, but I wasn't exactly expecting him to, you know?" Leaning on the counter beside her pancake batter, Melissa frowned under brows furrowed with trouble. "I'm not surprised, though. At least he paid you before skipping town."

"Mom— stop crying." Honestly, I was kinda pissed. Actually, that was an understatement. I was extremely pissed. I was angry that my mom had the fucking gal to call me crying over this douchebag. I was surprised Augustus had the balls to do whatever slimy shit he did so soon. He probably took advantage of my mom in the confusion last night, but at what point was it still his fault?

Laurie and I had told Mom over and over again that Augustus was no good, and she ignored us. What did she expect to happen? He made her think getting married was her idea, and while that didn't take any wild hoop-jumping...

"Did your new husband disappear in the night with all your jewelry and stuff?" He's probably been planning this since meeting her. Memories of Mel and me at the tea shop, when she first learned of her dad's shenanigans, flashed behind my shuttered eyelids. Reaching to pinch the bridge of my nose when my mom let out a strangled sound, I blew out a hot breath as a dreadful laugh flooded my chest. "Are you kidding me