“Hailey?”
Her voice wafted into my ears as I slowly panned my gaze over to the side. My jaw dropped as tears clouded my vision once again. She took a step closer to me, sniffing deeply before pity fluttered over her gaze.
“Oh, Hailey,” Anna said.
I threw myself into her arms and sobbed into the crook of her neck. She held me closely, swaying my body in front of my little apartment as her hands rubbed up and down my back. I sobbed for the hurt I was feeling, and I sobbed for the ache that was still in the back of my head. I sobbed for my heart that had been shattered, and I sobbed for the mistakes I made with Bryan. I sobbed for John’s demise, and I sobbed for my responsibility in it all.
But mostly, I sobbed tears of joy at the fact that Anna was here.
My sister had flown in from Phoenix to comfort me.
“Let’s get you inside,” she said as she peeled my key from my fingers.
Chapter 9
Bryan
It was time for dinner with my parents, but even as I sat there, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about anything. We silently spooned our soups between our lips while my parents mindlessly talked about bullshit subjects, but my mind was totally blank. My bones were heavy from all the alcohol I had been drinking, and every time I jumpstarted my brain, her fuckin
g face would be right there.
Hailey fucking Ryan was still in my thoughts.
“So, Bryan, have you given any more thought to developing that commercial property branch of your business?” my father asked.
“Not really,” I said.
“Oh, you should really consider it. Bringing in rent and things like that would be a good monthly stipend for your business,” my mother said.
“Then I’d have to open a branch of the business that deals specifically with rental properties, too,” I said.
“Well, trust me, son. It’s well worth the new hires and the development of your business,” Dad said.
“I’ll look into it soon,” I said.
We finished our soup, and our bowls were promptly taken away. I knew I was distracted, and I could tell my parents were picking up on it. I was always a bit distant from them during these dinners, but this time was different. They were trying to get me to talk about things, so I would open up to them, maybe start spewing my guts to them like I used to when I was ten.
But I wasn’t ten anymore, and John wasn’t alive anymore, and Drew was thinking about leaving the business, and Hailey was just another lying, manipulative bitch.
“How’s Drew?” my mother asked.
“Why do you care?” I asked.
“She’s just trying to make conversation,” my father said.
“Drew’s fine. Thinking about opening his own tattoo business,” I said.
“Is that why you’re holding up on the development of that branch?” Dad asked.
“Not really, though I was going to hand that over to Drew. That was more his passion anyway,” I said.
“Still like hiring the hobos?” Mom asked.
“If you’re going to address the homeless community in my presence, please do so with a bit of respect. Otherwise, keep your opinions to yourself,” I said.
“Don’t you talk to your mother that way,” my father said.
“Then tell her not to talk to me that way. I’m not the only insulting person at this table.”