Free Breaking the Rules by Hb Heinzer Page A

everyone back home to know yet.”
    Seeing the wounded look on Adam’s face, Carly wondered if she was making an enormous mistake. She wanted to explain to him that it was hard enough for her to admit to herself how she felt about him without having to tell other people, but she worried he wouldn’t understand her feelings. He should, given the fact that they’d been through similar situations with parents leaving them, but hers was different. He had memories of his mom. He was old enough to know why she left when he did. Carly, on the other hand, still had no clue why her mom found it so easy to cast her aside.
    “Why not?” Adam groaned. They had talked about all of this before, and each time seemed to frustrate him more. Was she going to push him away if she didn’t give in?
    “I worry about Julia,” Carly said softly. “She’s been through a lot already , and she just moved back. With everything going on with Micah, I just think hearing that we’re together might be too much.” It wasn’t what she wanted to say, but she feared telling him the full truth would send him running. Who wanted a woman whose damage was so obvious? That was one more hurdle she wondered if they would ever be able to get over; she didn’t need him worrying about that too.
    Adam’s eyes grew wide , and his face tensed. “Back? As in back to Brooklyn? And what about everything going on with Micah ?” he asked tersely raising his fingers to make air quotes around the statement about his sister and her ex.
    Carly dropped her gaze to the floor. How did Adam not know Julia was back in their hometown? For whatever reason, Julia hadn’t mentioned it to Carly , but she didn't realize Julia would have kept something like that from her family.
    If Gran hadn’t called this morning, Carly still wouldn’t know. She should have never mentioned anything to Adam about Micah and Julia seeing each other . Their break-up had been hard on everyone within their circle. The fact that Julia hadn't mentioned that tidbit to her overprotective little brother didn't surprise her in the least.
    “You didn’t know?” Carly asked meekly, her eyes still fixated on the stained tile floor.
    Adam growled, “No, I obviously didn’t know. All she told me was she was coming back to Wisconsin. If she’d mentioned anything about moving back to Brooklyn, I would have told her it was a terrible idea.”
    “Gee Adam,” Carly said sarcastically, “why do you think she didn’t tell you then? She's probably sick of everyone telling her what to do. So how, exactly, do you think it would have helped her? If anything, it would have pissed her off and she would have come back sooner.”
    “And what's going on with Micah?” Adam snapped. “Don't even tell me they're getting back together. That would be the worst--”
    Carly shook her head, “No, I don't think it's anything like that. Actually, from what Gran said, it's most certainly nothing like that.” Satisfied with her appearance, Carly turned off the bathroom light, and ducked under Adam's arm to escape his glare.
    “What did Gran say?” Adam asked through clenched teeth.
    Carly shrugged, “Apparently he was pretty upset when he got home last night. This morning, all he would tell Gran was that he blew it with her again. He told her everything. ”
    Even in a city with over eight million people, Adam and Carly were still managing to churn the rumor mill of their hometown of five thousand people. If it weren’t for the fact that this bit of gossip came from her grandmother, and dealt with Adam's sister, Carly would have felt guilty about the conversation.
    “Everything?” Adam asked, failing to hide the shock in his voice and on his face.
    “Yep, everything ,” Carly nodded. “And if that's the case, I just worry that adding us on top of the news she's processing about him and getting used to being single might be a bit much for your sister to take on right now.”
     
    It didn't sit well with Adam