Rise (Rise & Fall Duet #1) - Grahame Claire Page 0,26

Yet there was still this distance between us. As if we were close strangers.

“I know nothing of your social life either.”

“I tell you all the time about places I’ve been, people I’ve hung out with.”

“You never introduced me to Lexie.” Why had I brought her up?

“How many times did I invite you out with me? Every time, except when I wanted a girls’ night. You always turned me down because you were working.” She spoke the word as if it were the vilest in the English language.

It was true. I had declined every invitation to socialize.

“At least now you can understand why.”

She set her glass on the floor. “No. No, I don’t understand.”

How did I explain my rationale? I was so used to keeping everything guarded, especially from my siblings. It was my responsibility to bear all of the burden so they could enjoy life.

I’d asked her why we were strangers. The answer was that it was mostly because of me. And I still couldn’t make my mouth open and form words even now.

“You’re a clam. I get it. That’s how men are. But you’re zipped up so tight, you’re impossible to get through to.” She yanked on her necklace. “I used to think it was our age difference. That I was the annoying little sister.”

“You are an annoying little sister.”

The streak of hurt on her features slashed through me. I clamped a hand on her ankle.

“Beau . . .”

She bolted to her feet. “Maybe it’s better when you don’t share your feelings.”

Her shoulders were slumped as she hustled to the door.

Open your mouth. Say something.

But she was right. It was better to stay silent than hurt her again.

Chapter Fifteen

Lexie

“Has he texted yet?”

It had only been a day since Lincoln’s promise to text, and Eric had asked me the question no less than one hundred times.

There was still a lot of time between now and Sunday. Lincoln hadn’t said exactly when he’d contact us.

But if he disappointed my brother, I’d personally find him and pluck every hair from his body one at a time. That torture wouldn’t be enough to make him understand how Eric felt.

Eric was much more forgiving than I was. It was his nature to be kind and bright and forget when others let him down.

Me? I kept a list. And if Lincoln didn’t do what he said, he’d quickly jump to the top.

“Not yet.”

He wasn’t deterred. His smile even brightened. “Maybe we’ll see him at Mrs. Johnson’s building again.”

I wouldn’t point out that we’d never seen him in all the times we’d been there before so the likelihood was slim. Yesterday, I could’ve made the same observation and it would’ve been irrelevant.

Because Lincoln seemed to be everywhere we went lately.

As much as I hoped we’d never run into him again, that would hurt Eric. Though if we kept up these interactions, when they stopped, it would hurt him a lot worse.

“Are you looking for an empty spot?”

We crawled down the block. Eric craned his neck to do his part. We passed by the crazy good parking place we’d had a donut break at yesterday. It was filled, probably never to be had again.

Eric frantically rolled down the window. “Lincoln!”

Impossible.

I didn’t want to look, but my eyes drifted to the sidewalk. There in the flesh wearing a stunning grey suit was none other than Mr. Hollingsworth. His strides were long and confident as he moved with grace. A gust of wind tousled his dark hair somehow, making it look better instead of unkempt.

Half of Eric’s body was out the window. “Lin-co-ln!” He shouted and waved again.

I had the urge to floor it but didn’t want to risk my brother flying out the window in the process.

Lincoln’s pace quickened, yet he still seemed unhurried. Like things would be done on his time frame.

“Eric.”

I couldn’t see Lincoln any longer because my brother blocked the view. Normally, I would’ve said a prayer of thanks for small mercies, but it only made that rumbly voice more potent.

How did he exude so much authority just speaking someone’s name?

Better yet, why did I feel it move something inside me?

Eric wiggled back into his seat, and I wished he’d stayed put.

That dark gaze lasered on me. I hated I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed, happy, pissed off.

Intense.

Of that much, I was certain. The rest was shielded behind a steel wall.

“Lexie.”

My name rolled off his tongue in a way no one had ever spoken it. If I thought I felt something when he greeted