Free Wrecked: A Stepbrother Romance Novel by Arabella Abbing Page A

was completely done with me, just like he told me all those years ago.
    So why did the reminder hurt so much?

Chapter 9
    L ater that night , I was staring up at the ceiling in my room when I heard a soft knock on the door. I turned my head towards the sound, mentally debating about feigning sleep for a long minute before I finally sighed and called out, “Come in!”
    The door creaked open slowly and I could just barely make out the silhouette of Brandon as he hesitantly stepped into the room, shadowed by the darkness. After the door clicked shut behind him, I heard him shuffling around awkwardly on his feet by the door, obviously second-guessing his decision to come by.
    I had to give him points for effort when he finally spoke and asked, “Can we talk?”
    “I don’t know. Can we?” I fired back, propping my pillows up behind me and leaning against the headboard so I could cross my arms over my chest.
    Even though I doubted he could see my stance in the dark, it still made me feel a little better. More prepared for whatever was coming.
    Brandon sighed heavily. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just… this isn’t easy for me. Having you here.”
    Before I could even think to stop it, I snorted. “And you think it’s easy for me? I just decided yesterday to actually go through with this.”
    There was a long pause where the only thing I heard was my own slightly labored breathing. When he finally broke the silence, his voice was soft.
    “I honestly didn’t think you’d show up. I think that’s the biggest reason why I’m having such a difficult time with it.”
    I shrugged despite the fact that he couldn’t see it. “I wanted to see you. But I wasn’t under the illusion that it was going to be all happy smiles and rainbows. I just wasn’t expecting such hostility from you of all people.”
    “I’m sorry,” he repeated, the sincerity evident in his tone. “I’m… I’m not really used to interacting with people anymore. Especially not…”
    “Me?”
    “Women. I never got used to interacting with women in general.”
    I scoffed. “I find that hard to believe. I mean, I remember how it was in high school, but don’t forget that I saw you when mom and Harold renewed their vows. You were probably beating them away with sticks.”
    Brandon laughed, but the sound was forced—hollow. Done purposely for my benefit. I frowned as I considered what it could mean, but the thought was interrupted when he spoke again.
    “I wouldn’t go that far.”
    “Well, what about your girlfriend? The one you mentioned last time we saw each other?”
    Even without seeing him, I could still sense the tension that rose in the room, making his voice strained.
    “That hardly counts.”
    “Why not?”
    “It doesn’t matter,” he said curtly and the sound of his footsteps moving towards the door told me this conversation was over. “I’ll see you at breakfast. Sleep well.”
    “Good night, Brandon.”
    I wanted to push him more, but figured it really wasn’t my place to do so. I imagined it must have been a rough break-up if he was so unwilling to talk about it, but hopefully he would open up more to me later. After we at least partially repaired the incredible rift between us.
    As the last of the light from the hallway drained out of the bedroom, so did the last of my energy. I fell asleep before I could even finish replaying the conversation in my head.
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    “ G ood morning !” I cheerily called when I found Brandon in the kitchen the next morning.
    He turned towards me briefly, the scarred cheek cleverly tilted away as he nodded in acknowledgement. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was a start. I waited and watched as he fiddled with the coffeepot, tense with uncertainty as he struggled to come up with something to say.
    “How did you sleep?”
    “Like a baby,” I said with a sigh, taking his question as an invitation to move further into the kitchen and make myself a cup of coffee by his side. “That is