Free For Her (Broken Promises #2) by M Dauphin Page B

more like home than my apartment does. This is where we’d stay up late at night just drinking and hanging out together when neither of us felt like living the LA lifestyle; when we both just wanted to not have to be busy models or musicians anymore. He was the only person I could do that with, now he’s gone and I have nothing. No one.
    I need to get Alexis back here. I need to show her she’s better off here, with me and the rest of our friends.
    Taking a deep breath, I start making my way around his apartment, absentmindedly running my hand along the surfaces, feeling his life wipe away like the dust that’s settled on the surface.
    He’s really gone.
    That night I don’t go back upstairs. That night, after hours of sitting and staring at his apartment, I fall asleep on the couch one last time. 

Alexis
    “Dad are you watching this?” Grabbing the remote from the arm of his chair, I walk over to the couch and stare at the TV. Snorting and opening his eyes from his afternoon nap, he sighs and grumbles something before standing to walk out of the room. This is becoming a daily ritual. He takes me to physical therapy in the morning, we have lunch, he naps while I job hunt, and then I wake him up to watch a little TV before calling Braydon. We’ve been going at this long distance friendship thing for a few months now. Each day is a little easier being away from him, but each day I spend at my parents house under their care also reminds me of how much I’m missing back home.
    Home.
    In the past few years of living in LA, I had really made it feel more like home than my parent’s house ever did. I had friends; I had a job that I could support myself with. I had a boss who turned out to be my best friend and boyfriend all the way up to the end. I had it good. And in one night I lost it all. So here I sit, on my parents couch in their living room watching Jeopardy as my dad starts on making dinner. I feel like I’m thirteen again and without a purpose.
    It’s insane how one event can completely wipe away all of your purpose in life. And now I don’t know how to get it back. I’ve been job hunting, but I can’t for the life of me find something that I’m going to make enough at and be happy with in my current situation. I can’t help but think that maybe had I moved back to my place in LA… well, Lane’s place… that I’d be able to find a job easier there since I know so many people. Maybe moving back here wasn’t the smartest move, but I can’t change that now.
    When my phone dings I glance down to a text from Braydon.
    Bray: What’re you up to tonight?
    Grinning, I swipe out my response and hit send.
    Me : Netflix night with my parents. I think I may skip out and go to bed early. How’s your week going?
    Bray’s been fantastic with keeping up with my progress and keeping in touch. He makes sure to come out at least two times a week if he can, but the band is starting to get a bigger name for themselves, which in turn has made the bar busier than normal. I know he’s busy, so I know he can’t make it out as much as he’d like, but I’m thankful for any time I get to spend with him. We haven’t talked about that night that he kissed me. I’m afraid to bring it up because I know it was probably just him hurting and searching for something to hold on to. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it, but I can’t. I couldn’t. I needed to find myself.
    Hell… I still need to find myself.
    If I keep telling myself that, then I’ll one day believe it. Truth is, I miss him so damn hard. I miss his randomness. I miss his brash, unapologetic tone when the truth needs to be spoken and no one else has the balls to speak up. I miss the way he smiles. I miss his music and his god-awful early morning squawking when I’d spend the night, because I didn’t feel like driving home. I miss it all… but I shouldn’t have it, so I’m staying away.
    Thing is… I’m lying to myself. Lying when I tell my