That did it.
The floodgates opened in the face of my cynical bestie’s uncharacteristic gentleness. I started crying in earnest and let her pat my back as I blubbered on and on about how tired I was and how hard this assignment turned out to be and how…
“He hasn’t texted me back!” That last part came out on a wail that rivaled Buttercup’s.
“He’s an idiot,” Max said as she squeezed me tight.
I nodded, but I felt so freakin’ pathetic it hurt. I would have felt pathetic in front of anyone right now, but having to be comforted by the one friend who should rightly be saying ‘I told you so?’
It was painfully humiliating.
Max pulled back and tugged the baby out of my arms.
“Careful!” I reached forward to help her hold the thing properly. “I’ll lose points if you don’t support the neck right.”
She arched her brows as she twisted her neck to eye the weird doll on her shoulder. “Seriously? You lose points?”
I nodded. “There’s some software in it and I get docked if it doesn’t sleep enough, or if it’s not handled gently, or if it’s neck wobbles, or—”
“Okay,” Max said in that gentle voice that was starting to creep me out. “I get the gist.” She nodded toward the bathroom behind me. “Take a shower, get some real clothes on, and—”
She held up a hand when I went to protest. “I can take care of this ugly thing for the twenty minutes it will take for you to turn into a human being. I promise.”
I nearly started crying again as I nodded. “You’re a good friend,” I said in a wobbly, tear-filled voice.
She just rolled her eyes, and all was right in the world again.
A shower and a fresh change of clothes helped immensely, but I didn’t bother to dry my hair or put on makeup since I was on edge about Max’s babysitting skills. But when I showed up in the kitchen, I found her making me some eggs as she cradled the baby in her free arm.
“Well, look at you,” I said, aiming for a teasing tone but just sounding tired. “You look like a natural.”
She rolled her eyes as she nodded for me to come over and get the baby from her.
Baby transfer complete, I let my bestie take care of me for a little while longer until I couldn’t avoid the inevitable any more. “Just say it,” I said.
“Say what?”
I eyed my friend steadily. “This…” I gestured to the baby. “Bad idea.”
She pursed her lips but she didn’t agree. Instead she said, “So he really hasn’t texted back? At all?”
I shook my head, tears threatening again as the list of excuses I’d compiled on his behalf came to me and made me embarrassed. Yesterday I’d told myself he was busy with basketball, or maybe his phone wasn’t working, and then even this morning I’d come up with reasons why he might not be able to communicate.
Hospitals were involved. Sometimes a car wreck.
But then I’d made the mistake of looking at social media while pretending to feed Buttercup with a fake bottle and…
I sighed wearily as I lifted my head to face my friend. “He was at a party last night.”
She winced.
“And he was posting today, too, about a video game he was playing.” My voice did that wobbly thing again and I shoved a bite into my mouth to make it stop. But really, I was so freakin’ tired, and so freakin’ sad, and so….did I say tired already?
I was so, so, so tired.
I also didn’t love the way Max was looking at me right now. Like she was getting ready to give me some tough love.
I closed my eyes. “Hit me,” I said.
She sighed loudly. “You know you can’t let him get away with this.”
I nodded even as my stomach sank. I’d known she was going to say something like that. I opened my eyes and met her stare. I’d known it, but I’d still dreaded it.
“It’s not fair for you to do all the work and him to get the same good grade,” she continued, as if I didn’t know this.
I nodded again. “Yeah, I know.”
A heavy silence fell between us. Maybe it was because I’d been listening to Buttercup cry for so long, but the silence felt ominous.
When Buttercup let out a little squeak that marked the start of another crying fit, my head dropped to my chest.
Max groaned. “You know I’d stay the night if I could, right?”
I nodded, my chin bobbing against my chest in weary acknowledgement. “You’ve got new family duties?”
Her sigh was answer enough. Her mother had recently remarried and her mom and stepdad were hellbent on forging their two families into one, ala The Brady Bunch. It didn’t sound like anyone was enjoying this new family closeness, least of all Max.
“Want me to come back later?” she asked.
I shook my head. “That’s okay, thanks though.”
Much as I might have wanted to take her up on her offer to help, my conscience wouldn’t let me put her through that. It wasn’t her assignment, it was mine.
No, it was ours.
I closed the front door behind her after wishing her good luck and that was when it started in earnest. The crying.
The wailing.
Buttercup was crying, not me. I was too busy trying not to lose my mind. The incessant neediness was only broken by short breaks, during which all I could do was sit in front of our TV and stew.
No, stew was too mild of a word.
I raged.
For years I’d been telling Max about the many and myriad qualities that made Alex Luven so great. He was so sweet and kind and thoughtful and generous.
And, you know...hot.
But that wasn’t the only reason I liked him. I liked that he wasn’t too cool to be into school spirit or to laugh loudly in the halls. I liked that he was so friendly to everyone, even the nerds and the losers. I liked...I liked…
Well, I liked a lot of things about Alex. Obviously. But right now it was hard to remember any of the reasons I liked my crush because he’d royally pissed me off.
What was one supposed to do when one’s crush was a thoughtless coward who leaves one alone with a crying plastic nightmare?
At one point I actually picked up one of my beloved magazines as if that might honestly have the answer, but I ended up throwing it across the room with a growl as Baby Buttercup erupted into another fit of whimpering.
As the long afternoon turned into evening and I still hadn’t heard a peep from my beloved, I did the only thing I could think of.
I took Baby Buttercup to him.
4
Cristian
I was alone when the doorbell started to ring. Finally, happily, contentedly alone and reading a book as a light rain tapped on the windows. The soothing sound of rain on the window panes seemed to ease the toxic tension that had been building up all day between my dad and me.
My dad was out with some clients, schmoozing it up on a Saturday night, because that was how he rolled. As for Alex...well, who knew where that kid was?
And who cared?
I ignored the doorbell the first time because—it wasn’t for me. How did I know? I no longer had friends in town. They were all off at college. And if it was some sort of delivery, they could just leave it at the door.
But whoever it was did not give up. The ringing continued. And then it continued some more until my head was starting to hurt from the incessant buzzing coming from the front door. I threw the door open and stared at the girl standing there, a bundle in her arms and rain dripping down her face and...a scowl so fierce it had me backing up a step.
“Where is he?” the soggy girl said through clenched teeth.
I blinked a couple of times as I realized that this...this was… “Avery?”
My use of her name seemed to shake her out of her angry trance and she swiped some raindrops out of her face with one hand as she clutched the package to her chest with the other. Her voice softened a bit. “Oh, hi Cristian.”
How did she e
ven know my name? That was the ridiculous question that popped into my head as I stared at her. There were so many other questions to ask first, but she beat me to it, her chin tilting up as she said again, “Where is he?”
“Where is who?” I asked. Stupidly, I’d admit, but I wasn’t feeling super sharp at the moment, not when there was a cute blonde standing before me dripping with rain.
Oh crap. I officially sucked. I’d just left her standing out there in the rain. I opened the door wider. “Do you want to come in?”
She didn’t hesitate, marching past me with that bundle I now knew was a...baby.
I blinked as it stared at me over her shoulder as she paused, still dripping, in the middle of the foyer. It wasn’t just a baby. It was a plastic creepy baby.
She spun around. “Is Alex home?”
I shook my head.
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you covering for him?”
I blinked about eight times as I tried to make sense of that. Of her. This girl right here was like the exact antithesis of the chick I’d seen grinning like a fool at my brother the other day. I wouldn’t have even recognized her if those features of hers weren’t such a giveaway. Even rain-soaked, with her hair up in a messy bun, those eyes were ridiculously big on her face and even scowling, her mouth was too wide.
She was now a pissed off anime caricature and that was…
Adorable.
I had to clear my throat to keep from laughing and I dipped my head to hide a smile.
She huffed. “Are you laughing at me right now? Because let me tell you…” She lifted a hand, her finger jutting in my direction. “I am not in the mood.”
I held my hands up. “I’m not laughing. But I’m also not covering for my brother.” And if she knew the first thing about me and my brother, she’d know just how ridiculous that accusation sounded.
Her hand dropped suddenly and just like that she went from angry to exhausted.
I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Are you alright?”
I sounded like an idiot. Of course she wasn’t alright.
Her stare made me feel even more idiotic. “Do I look like I’m alright?”
Her voice was soft. Deceptively sweet.
This was a trap.
I cleared my throat. “No. Not necessarily. I guess what I meant to say was…” I shifted from foot to foot. For the first time all evening I was starting to wish I wasn’t home alone.
Not that my dad would know what to do with a wide-eyed blonde who looked two seconds away from a meltdown. But this...she was clearly Alex’s problem to deal with.
“Can I help you in some way?” I finally finished.
Her brows came down. “Yes. You can tell me when Alex will be home.”
I winced. “Sorry, no idea. Have you tried calling him or—”
“Of course I’ve tried—” She cut herself off, pinching her lips shut and squeezing her eyes closed as if praying for patience. When she opened them I was pretty sure I saw the flames of hell flickering in her baby blues. “I’ve tried calling him,” she said with exaggerated patience. “I’ve tried texting him. I’ve even tried getting his attention on social media.”
I winced again. I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t sure who I felt sorrier for...this girl who was so clearly desperate, or Alex, who would eventually have to face her wrath.
Her gaze darted around the foyer and up the curving stairs that led to the bedrooms. “Are you sure he’s not here?”
Okay, fine. I felt worse for her. She might have seemed pitiful the other day, but whatever was going on here, she was beyond pathetic right now.
I moved toward her slowly, warily. “How about I let him know he needs to get in touch as soon as he gets home.”
I was aiming for gentle, but gentle wasn’t really my thing. I had a low voice and a big body and my attempt at gentle could be described as ‘gruff’ at best. Probably more like ‘intimidating’ right now when it was just the two of us. With that thought in mind, I stopped before I got too close but she didn’t back away. Instead she tipped her head back to look at me and...
It happened.
She cried.
Not outright blubbering or anything, but her eyes welled up with unmistakable tears as her lips trembled dangerously.
Oh crap.
Oh crap crap crap.
I was not prepared for this. “Uh…”
I watched her swallow, her gaze dropping to my chest as she took a long deep inhale before letting it out slowly. “Sorry,” she said softly. “Sorry, I’m just...” She looked up at me, her watery gaze pleading. “I’m just so tired.”
The tears were so close to the surface I found myself holding my breath. “Why don’t you and, uh…” I pointed to the doll. “Your thing there take a seat.”
“No, I shouldn’t,” she started, but I was already leading her toward the family room off the kitchen which had the most comfortable couches and the big-screen TV.
“I really shouldn’t,” she was still saying as she patted the baby’s back like it was an actual living, breathing baby. For the first time I started to wonder if perhaps her sanity was in question. I mean, from their conversation I’d overheard the other day I gathered this was the baby for some health class assignment, but I had no idea why she was here and why that creepy doll had to be a part of this insanity.
“Do you…” I looked around me like help might have suddenly arrived in the last few minutes. Nope. Still just me. “Do you want some water or club soda or tea or...something?”
I had no idea if we had tea. Or club soda. They just sounded like things you should offer a girl who was on the verge of tears.
She shook her head. “No, I just need Alex.” She looked at the doll. “He’s supposed to be helping me and my mom is out of town and I...and I...and I….” She stopped, her whole face seeming to collapse in on itself as she caved and started to cry in earnest.
“Hey.” I sank down onto the couch beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. For the first time since she arrived I didn’t hesitate because I might not be an expert on crying girls, but I was a human and I knew when someone needed comfort.
She surprised me--and maybe even herself—by turning into me, pressing her face against my shoulder like it was totally normal to be cuddling up to me.
Something inside me melted.
That was the only way I could explain it, even to myself. I wasn’t sure anyone outside of my mom had ever turned to me for comfort and it made me want to excel at the job. “It’ll be okay,” I said, my voice gruff rather than gentle, but I was trying, at least.
Was that excelling? Possibly not. But it was the best I could come up with given the strange circumstances. Were she and Alex together? Was that what was going on here?
Or was she really this distraught over an assignment?
I looked down at the top of her head. Did girls typically cry over their health assignments?
I thought not.
Something else happened to my insides again, but it wasn’t that pleasant warmth of a moment ago, it was more like the warmth that acid gives off when it burns you.
“I’m sure you two will work it out,” I mumbled.
That was a lie. I might not have known much about this girl, but I knew Alex, and I knew that he didn’t do commitments. He took after our jerk of a dad who’d cheated on our mom and then somehow managed to score custody of us while he shacked up with his new girlfriend.
That girlfriend was gone, but now he and Alex seemed to be in a battle to see who could be more of a lowlife player.
My money was on Alex. He still had the perfect hair and the up-and-coming basketball star edge while my dad might have had money, but his looks were starting to fade.
All of this was to say...I was lying to the poor girl in my arms when I gave her hope.
She sniffled and moved back, swiping at her nose with her sleeve. “I’m sorry, I really am. I’m just…”
“Tired,” I filled in for her, a smile t
ugging at my lips despite myself because...well, because this girl was kind of cute even when she was a mess. Like a loveable muppet or something.
She nodded. “Tired,” she repeated sadly.
My arm was still around her shoulders and I had no idea if I was supposed to move it or if that would set her off again so we just sat like that, oddly intertwined but not exactly hugging for several long moments.
She smelled good. That was pretty much the only coherent thought my brain was capable of putting together as we sat there.
“Do you know when Alex will be back?” she asked.
I shook my head.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Do you want to wait?”
I honestly wasn’t sure which of us was more surprised by my question.
She blinked. “Do you mind?”
Yes. The answer was obviously yes. “No.”
And so...here we were. Alex’s girl and me. Just hanging on the couch with a fake baby.
Like we do.
“So, uh...what are we supposed to do with this thing?” I asked, pointing to the baby, which she’d shifted so she was cradling it in her arms.
“Take care of it like you would a real newborn,” she said with a weary sigh. “Buttercup is a spectacularly needy baby.”
“Buttercup, huh?” I shifted so my arm wasn’t around her but we were sitting side by side as I studied the doll in her arms. “It’s also a spectacularly ugly baby.”
She made a choking noise which I realized was a sort of laugh-snort combo that had my lips twitching with amusement.
“She is pretty ugly, huh?”
I nodded. That was an understatement. “Where’d the name come from?”
She gave me a smile—a smaller, less enthusiastic version of the megawatt smile she’d been wielding the other day around Alex.
Alex. The guy who should be here right now helping this girl but who’d shirked his duties.
My hands clenched into fists but I forced myself to relax as she started talking.
Saved by the Crush's Brother (How to Catch a Crush Book 2) Page 3
