Thank God.

My face flushes hot and my body runs cold. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t look my way before disappearing into the gym, or that there would be no way that he would remember me the way I remember him. I still feel a flash of utter shame.

“…so that’s why I’ll need your help the next few nights,” my brother is saying.

“The next few nights,” I echo stupidly.

“Look, I know it’s a lot. But this thing with Dad’s back is a bummer, and there’s really no way we can get through the next month without a lot of extra hassle.”

I must still be experiencing an adrenaline rush, because I suddenly snap. “Hassle for who? You want to pull a shift at the bar, where you can earn extra money and hit on women. And tomorrow you want to go to the movies, but it’s with Dad so you think that excuses your lack of planning. And I zoned out for that last thing you said, but I’m sure it doesn’t matter. Because unless you said you’re going to save babies from a burning building, I can’t understand why you think it’s okay to bail on me three or four nights in a row.”

There is a deep, stunned silence after I deliver this tirade. I never go off on Kyle, although maybe it’s time I did. My life is ridiculous. I work like a dog, and I never complain. I never do a thing for myself, and all I wanted tonight was a goddamn workout.

“Well,” he says a moment later. Then he clears his throat. “Tell me how you really feel.”

I feel like a dick, that’s how I feel. A wave of cold remorse washes over me.

“I won’t take the bartending shift,” Kyle says. Then he hangs up on me for the first time in his life.

Standing here in the gym parking lot, I’m breathing a little too fast and my heart is hammering. I can’t believe I snapped like that. Yes, it’s time to stop doing everything my family expects. Standing up for myself is a fine idea. But I didn’t have to be a dick about it.

And Roderick Waites is back in town.

My gaze travels back to the gym door. He’s still in there. Which means that I just blew up at my brother for nothing, because I’m not going into that gym.

My thumbs are tapping out a text to Kyle before I can even think twice about it. Take that bartending shift, I say. It’s fine. I’m on my way home to move the cows.

By the time I get into my truck and start the engine, he’s already replied.

Dude. Are you sure? You just lost your shit at me.

I’m sure. But tonight when you get home we have to make a plan for the rest of the week. Because I’m not doing all your chores again tomorrow just so you can go to the movies.