A fter ignoring my family and friends’ calls, texts, and requests to come home for the holidays, it was finally time to stop running away from my life. When I had left the day after graduation, I did not really have a destination in mind other than the fact I needed to get as far away from that town as possible. After spending time in Surf City, North Carolina, I needed a change. I randomly picked a town on the map and drove north to Manchester, New Hampshire. As I drove through Maryland, I felt as though I had held my breath the entire time, overwhelmed with memories of the past.
I wasn’t even sure if my brother would answer the phone when I had called him three days ago. I sat there on the couch looking at my phone for hours before I had enough courage to press Send.
Ring. Ring. Ring. He’s not going to answer. This was a mistake.
“He…hello?” Say something, Dani. He sounded half-asleep. I pulled the phone back to see that it was only 9:30 p.m. He cleared his throat. “Hello?”
“Zach?”
“Dani?” His breath caught on the other end of his phone. It was so good to hear my brother’s voice. “Dani, are you there?”
There was no denying the emotions battling inside me now. My voice was brittle. “Yeah, I’m here.” I allowed the tears that I was holding in to release. We both didn’t speak for a few moments, and I pull my phone back to confirm he hadn’t hung up. The call was still going. There was some shuffling in the background. I hoped I hadn’t interrupted anything. Maybe I should just make up an excuse to hang up. No, I can do this. Just breathe.
“I didn’t think you would answer.”
“What?” His voice raised slightly. “Why wouldn’t I answer? Dani, you’re my sister. Of course I would fucking answer.” I pulled my legs up under me on my couch. I felt like such an asshole that I’d ignored him for so long.
“Where are you? Are you okay? Shit, I’ve had this conversation in my head over and over again for years, and now that I finally have you on the phone, I don’t even know what to say.”
I laughed. I guess it wasn’t just me feeling like this. “Well, that’s funny because I’ve been sitting here for hours rehearsing what to say, and a few times I almost backed out from calling you altogether. But just hearing your voice, I know I made the right choice.”
“I’m so happy you called.”
“Me too. Zach?”
“Yeah, sis.”
“I want to come home.”
ZACH TEXTED me his new address, a house in a small town just outside Philadelphia. When I park in front of the house, I don’t see my brother’s Jeep, but for all I know he sold it. There is a black Toyota Tundra truck parked in the driveway, so he must be home.
I take a deep breath.
Knock. Knock.
I look back at my car and wonder if I could run back to it and drive off before my brother even opens the door. No, Dani, you can do this. Breathe in and out. I push those thoughts aside and decide to keep my feet planted where they are. I really want to see my brother. I remember how good it felt to hear his voice after all this time.
I raise my hand to knock again, and the door opens. Standing there is a man about six foot two inches, with brown messy hair, and he’s shirtless—definitely not my brother. Wait, maybe I have the wrong house. I quickly check my brother’s text and then look back at this man, who is looking me up and down. I feel my cheeks warm at his stare. It has been a very long time since a man looked at me like that, at least that I’m aware of. I’ve kept to myself the past four years, no men, hell, not even very many friends. I’m not sure how I feel about this man, a stranger, staring at me like that. I’m not sure if I should run or worse, reach out and touch his tight stomach muscles. What the hell is wrong with me?
The man raises his eyebrows at me, waiting for me to speak. Finally, the words come to me. “I’m sorry, I must have the wrong place. I was looking for my brother, Zach Jacobs.”
He looks me up and down once more and then smiles. “You’re Danielle?”
I shrug. “Dani, yes.”
He puts his hand out to shake my hand. “I’m Kyler, Kyler Lawson, your brother’s best friend.”
His words almost knock me off my feet. Had he not been holding my hand at the moment, I would have fallen over. Umm no, you’re not his best friend. That job is Emmett’s.
“Zach should be home
any minute. He got held up at work. Why don’t you come in?” He opens the door wider and steps to the side to allow me to enter the house.
“So, you just hang out at my brother’s house when he’s not here?” I ask, confused. I have no knowledge of who this stranger is and why he’s in my brother’s house.
“Oh no, I live here too.” My brother failed to mention that part to me on the phone—he lives with a roommate. What else did he forget to mention? Maybe this was a bad idea. I begin to look around. This place is cute.
“Well, I need to get in the shower and head out. Feel free to make yourself at home, and just yell if you need anything before I leave.”