AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I laugh as I picture that playing out. “You know how he gets weird about you and men. He’s just being a typical protective brother.”
Not that I know that from my own experience, but I know how much Charlie loves his sister. If I had a sibling, I’d want to protect them too. And fuckboys are a real danger these days—that I do know from experience.
“Yeah, I know,” she grumbles. “I’m twenty-five now though. At least he doesn’t try and beat them up like he did in high school.”
“There you go, look at the positives,” I tease with a grin. I know it must be a pain to have to deal with Charlie, but the truth is, I’d love to have someone who cared about me like that. I find being an only child rather boring, and my childhood was spent mostly amusing myself. My parents are amazing ones, but they did work a lot, and were always busy.
“Now I just have to wait for him to call,” she says, eyes sparkling. “You should have seen him, Bree. Dark hair, stubble, tall, perfect build. He’s a dreamboat.”
“Sounds like a heartbreaker to me,” I say, earning myself an eye roll. There’s a type of man one should avoid, and they come in a package like the one she just mentioned. They are good-looking, confident, charismatic, and know exactly what to say and do. They pull you into their game, complete with head fucks and mind-blowing sex, and make you question yourself. About everything.
“You’re too young for such cynicism, Bree,” she says, and not for the first time. “And even if he is a heartbreaker, I’m not looking for someone to marry. I haven’t had sex in six months and—”
“Jesus Christ.” I hear Charlie groan as he walks into the front, catching his sister’s last line. “I really don’t want to know that shit, Chris.”
She rolls her eyes again. “We live together, Charlie. It’s not like I don’t see you bring girls home. Quit it with the double standards.”
He looks at me, cringing. “I need a raise. To move out and get my own place.”
I laugh. I wish I could give him a raise. Unfortunately, this place only just makes enough to get by. I need something, an idea, to make more profit, but until I come up with it, we’re all stuck here, barely making ends meet. I’m lucky—my parents left me their house, too. And it’s paid off, so I don’t have to worry about a mortgage. Christina and Charlie are renting.
“You can move in with me,” I tell Christina. “You can bring as many men as you like home. I’ll wear my earphones.”
“I hate you guys,” Charlie says with no heat, scrubbing his hand down his face. “And maybe that is a good idea. Then I can turn my place into a bachelor pad.”
“It’s practically one now,” Christina grumbles. “He leaves pizza boxes everywhere, and some mornings there are random women standing in my kitchen. How is that not a bachelor pad?”
“Because you decorated it,” he points out. “I want less colourful pillows and shit, and a more minimalistic look.”
Christina blinks slowly, then turns to look at me. “Do you see what I have to deal with?”
“Those pillows are pretty fruity,” I hesitantly say, unable to keep a straight face.
Charlie barks out a laugh while his sister narrows her brown eyes on me.
Just as she’s about to speak, the bell rings as two customers enter, and everyone quickly disappears to where they’re supposed to be.
Time to work.
