Love Triangle Six Books of Torn Desire - Willow Winters Page 0,251

in some ways the headache is more comforting than my thoughts. And then a Vail song comes on, and the cycle starts over.

I should’ve deleted their music off my playlist before I got in the damn car.

I skip past their songs, the songs that’ve comforted me in hard times, been with me in good times. It’s hard skipping past them. They’re still my favorite band despite everything, and I miss their music. I miss his voice. I miss the sound of his deft fingers plucking guitar strings. But it’s too hard, too fresh, too close to my heart.

Brian’s calls have been short and curt since his confession about his ex. I don’t blame him for being a little mad at me for forcing the truth out of him when he wasn’t ready, but if we have any chance at surviving a future together, it starts with honesty.

God, I’m such a fucking hypocrite.

It’s probably better if I just let Brian go. Start over, find someone else, someone whose brother I don’t have such an emotional attachment to.

But my feelings for Brian are strong, too, and the selfish side of me can’t let him go.

A tiny piece of me can’t help but wonder if I don’t want to let Brian go because he’s my connection to Mark. He’s my guarantee I’ll see Mark again. Whatever happened between them must be in the past now if Brian is staying with him. Brian’s heart might be bigger than I’m giving him credit for and he might’ve already forgiven his brother.

I don’t know because I don’t have any real details about what happened—what led up to it, what caused it, what the aftermath was, how it changed a relationship between brothers.

When I finally pull into the driveway of my parents’ house, a sense of relief washes over me. I’m twenty-seven, but Mom and Dad’s house is still comforting.

My mom throws the door open and grabs me up into a hug. She hasn’t changed. She has the same short hair, the same brown eyes she gave my sister. “Reese!” she exclaims as she holds me tightly. Heat prickles behind my eyes. Am I really about to cry just because my mother is hugging me?

I look up at the ceiling to ward off the tears, and then I pull back. She kisses my cheek. “You’re beautiful. Glowing. Is it this new boy you texted your sister about?”

I roll my eyes, the threat of tears subsiding. “She has the biggest mouth ever,” I whine.

My mom laughs. “Come on in and tell me all about him.”

I came here to get away from thoughts of him. I don’t tell her that, and I’m certainly not about to rehash my love life with my mother, but I hope to have a big gab session with my sister later.

“Is Rachel coming by for dinner?”

“She said she’s going to try to stop by after dinner. She has some work thing with Ben tonight.”

I miss my younger sister and her adorable boyfriend, Ben. They’ve been together since she was in college. I’m certain they’ll get married someday. Sometimes I wish I had it all figured out the way she does.

My mom’s arm is around my shoulders as she ushers me into the family room.

“I’m just gonna run upstairs and drop off my bag,” I say.

“Take your time and I’ll get a snack together.”

I head up to my childhood room. I haven’t visited home since spring break. I feel like a jerk. I know my mom loves when I come home, and I need to do it more. It’s a long drive, though, and when I’m in the middle of the school year, it’s hard to find the time. Plus, who sees Phoenix as a vacation destination in July? Not that Vegas is much better, but the heat can be crippling. I should know since I grew up here.

I glance around my bedroom. Nothing has changed since I left this place almost a decade ago. A few framed photos still litter my dresser, and all of them are from high school. I pick one up and look at four friends with arms linked around one another. I remember this picture—it was at Jill’s house before we left for a concert. It was our senior year, and Vail was opening for some other band I can’t even remember now. Jill and I were obsessed with Mark Ashton, as were our friends.

Out of the three faces in the photo aside from mine, I only still talk to