Meant To Be (The Callahans #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,18

awful. Swear to God, I hear shitty Muffin Top barking her head off. The sound of my mother’s feet stomping in the hallway at a breakneck speed. My bedroom door slamming open. The sickening scent of my mother’s perfume.

“What the hell, Eli! You had a party here? Just how many people were in my house last night?”

I roll back over so I’m facing her. The look on her face—she would kill me with it if she could. I close my eyes so I don’t have to see her. God, why did she even bother coming back? “Maybe.”

“And you weren’t courteous enough to clean up after yourselves?”

Cracking my eyes back open, I see that she’s standing there waiting for an answer, her hands resting on her hips.

“I thought you weren’t coming back until later tonight.” More like I thought I had plenty of time.

She looks around my bedroom, her nose crinkled in disgust. “This place is a pigsty. My entire house looks like a pigsty, and it’s all your fault.” She marches over to my bed and drags the blanket off of me, then takes a step back. “Get up.”

“Give me a minute.” Glad I wasn’t naked under the blanket.

“Get. Up.” Mom kicks out her foot and nudges my calf with her toes. She has high heeled sandals on and I swear the pointy heel scrapes against my skin and leaves a mark. “And start cleaning the house. Tackle the kitchen first. Now.”

I glare at her. She glares at me in return. I don’t say a word. Neither does she.

Finally, she stomps out of my room, Muffin chasing after her down the hall. I had no idea the stupid dog followed her to my room, but didn’t actually come inside. The little bitch is scared of me.

Good.

Sitting up, I hold my head in my hands, leaning over so I can rest my elbows on my knees. I close my eyes and try to ignore the roiling in my stomach. I don’t feel good. I need pain reliever. And food. I’m hungry, but I’m also nauseated.

Getting drunk and high immediately after a big breakup isn’t the smartest move I’ve ever made.

Speaking of my breakup…

I grab my phone and check my notifications.

There’s a text from Ava.

My heart pounding, I open and read it.

I haven’t forgotten.

That’s all it says.

What the fuck is she talking about?

I toss my phone onto the bed and get up and stretch. Then go to the bathroom and piss. Scrub a hand through my hair and glare at my reflection before I brush my teeth. I can hear Mom banging around downstairs, throwing stuff away while she curses up a storm. So glad she’s home. Can’t wait to help her.

I change into fresh clothes and collapse on the bed once more, re-reading what I sent her last night. Focusing on the last things I said.

I’m a stupid fucker who knows exactly where your clit is, and how much you like it when I touch it. Don’t ever forget that. And don’t give Wyatt the map. Or your heart. That belongs to me.

Now her response makes more sense. She hasn’t forgotten that I own her heart.

Good.

She owns mine too.

Six

Ava

I wake up Sunday full of hope. Seeing Eli’s text after the dance last night sent my heart into complete overdrive. It wouldn’t stop pounding. I pondered over what to say to him for what felt like hours.

Of course, it was a typical Eli text. Talking about my clit and how Wyatt would never find it.

I wouldn’t let him anyway so no worries there.

Then the second text where he basically claimed me—sometimes that rubs me the wrong way. Last night? I was all about it.

This morning, I’m still about it.

Once I got home and calmed down last night, I finally came up with a simple response. Something true. I haven’t forgotten anything. I am still his if he’ll still be mine. I can’t shut off my feelings like a faucet. I’m not a complete psycho.

The dance was fun at first, but that was me faking it. Faking smiles, faking laughter, faking having fun while dancing with Wyatt. My issues with my brother aren’t resolved. Nothing is. I’m half a person who feels like a piece of myself is missing. I’m hollow inside.

Wyatt kept wanting to dance with me and I danced a few songs with him, before I finally begged off and Ellie took over. They danced and danced while I sat alone at a table, watching everyone have fun. Dakota and Lindsey