“Maybe it will be,” I finally say, to keep the peace. “But I need to figure that out on my own. Once I know what I want to do, I’ll call you. I promise.”
“Oh you’ll call me before that,” he answers. “I want to hear from you every single day until this mess is sorted out.”
“Every day?”
“Every day,” he orders. “And I want your address. I’m going to send you a few things.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Don’t tell me what I need to do. You’re my baby sister. Just because we don’t see eye-to-eye on stuff doesn’t mean I want to see you living on the street. I love you, Tori.”
He doesn’t say it often. We don’t say it often, so the fact that he’s saying it now, when he should be turning his back on me to keep my dad happy…
“I love you, too.” I have to work to keep my voice steady. “I’m sorry about the vid—”
“Shut up. The only thing you’re guilty of is having as bad taste in men as I do in women. Now give me your freaking address before I lose my mind completely.”
“You really don’t need to send me anything,” I tell him after a second. “I’m okay here for now.” Even as I say the words, I hope they’re not a lie.
Now it’s his turn to be silent. “Are you sure?” he finally asks.
“Yeah. I’m trying to figure out what to do about this mess and I feel like that’s something I have to do alone.”
“That’s bullshit. What the hell is family for if not to help you out when you’re in a mess?”
“I don’t know. I—”
“Look, Tori, I know I don’t have to tell you how much our parents suck. Especially Dad. But just because he and Mom don’t know the meaning of family doesn’t mean we don’t. So if you need some time to figure things out, take it. But don’t forget that I’m here if you need something. If you need anything. Okay?”
“Okay.” I can barely choke the word out of my too-tight throat. And damnit, when am I going to stop being such a sniveling crybaby? I clear my throat a couple of times, try to sound normal.
“I need to get going,” I tell him after a second. “But I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay. And Tori?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t take too long to figure things out, or Ethan Frost is going to find himself with another houseguest, whether he wants one or not. Got it?”
“Got it.” I take a deep, shuddering breath. “Bye, Jason.”
“Bye, sis.” The line still buzzes between us, almost like he’s as reluctant to hang up as I am. Which is why, in the end, I hang up first. I’ve already got enough on my plate trying to figure out my relationship with Miles. Adding to it the murky waters of my (very) dysfunctional family relationships would require more energy than I currently have.
So I will take my brother’s call at face value and, for once, let the chips fall where they may…
Chapter 18
Miles
“Grovel? What the hell do you mean I need to grovel?”
“It’s a verb, Miles. It means to humble oneself in an—”
“I know what grovel means, Frost. I just don’t know why I need to do it. I felt bad for her so I bought her a few things. What’s the big deal? Were the shoes not fancy enough for her?”
As soon as I say it I know it’s a cheap shot, but I can’t help it. I’m pissed as hell over Tori’s earlier accusations and now Ethan’s telling me that I’m the one who needs to apologize? No fucking way. Not when I was only trying to help. And not when she accused me of treating her like a prostitute.
“Dude, I know you were trying to help. Chloe knows you were trying to help. Hell, deep down even Tori knows it. But just because she’s in a bad place right now doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her pride. When you bought her all those things, you stomped all over that pride. You didn’t mean to, but you did.”