Chapter Three
Gia
I snap my laptop shut and let out a long sigh. As always, an email like that will derail the rest of my day. I might as well resign myself to not getting any work done.
I could probably move past the family drama that was just revealed in my inbox if I had someone to talk to about it. There is just one slight problem: the fact that no one from my new life knows about Todd. Morgan has no clue I have a twin. Am I ashamed of that fact? Absolutely. But it just kind of happened that way and it’s bound to bite me in the ass sooner or later.
She knows that we moved from Wisconsin for a fresh start. Honestly though, I think Morgan suspects there is something more that I'm not telling her. She pushed about it at first and I shut it down. She's always just been there for me the way I need her to be. She's my best friend for a reason. I love her for that.
I hear a knock at the front door, and I assume it’s probably Dex. I could really use the distraction from my thoughts, so I decide to go hang out with them. I won't admit this to anyone, but I kind of miss the guy being here 24/7.
As I reach the living room, sure enough, I see Dex standing at the bar that faces into the kitchen. Morgan is standing at the sink filling up a glass of water from the filtered pitcher.
"Hey there, stranger," I say to Dex.
"Yo," he says with a grin. "What? It’s been about twenty-four hours, you missed me already?"
"Yeah, but not as much as our girl here has," I counter and head into the kitchen for a drink of my own.
"You get used to someone living with you and taking care of your sorry ass all the time, of course you’re going to miss them." Morgan laughs.
"Oh, that's the reason? I thought it would have been because you missed seeing my panty-melting smile and devilishly good looks at all hours of the day," Dex scoffs. I round the corner with a chuckle when I hear a deep, familiar laugh in front of me.
I miss Morgan's reply but distantly hear lips smacking and I'm suddenly aware that Simon is sitting on the couch.
He’s all lean and muscular. Not at all the gangly teenager I used to know. His crew cut, dirty-blond hair is still thick, it looks more like an Ivy League cut. He’s wearing his black, plastic-rimmed glasses today, which does nothing to mask his dark, inquisitive eyes. I’m instinctively drawn to him and my traitorous fingers itch to run through his hair, much like they used to when we were younger.
I quickly realize that I've stopped walking, so I continue with caution and flop into the recliner next to the couch.
We make eye contact briefly before his gaze slides back to Dex and Morgan. A shiver runs down my back and I quickly focus on my can of pop.
We don't talk to each other. Ever. The eye contact? It’s brief but it’s a recent development. I like it, but it always makes things a tad awkward for a while after. I know Simon is still mad at me, after all these years. I would guess that he doesn't even like me. I just don't understand why he continues to tag along with Dex—and sometimes Link—when they come to our apartment. It's not like he doesn’t know I’m here.
We've only been back in each other's lives for about a year now, and at the beginning, you could cut the tension in the room with a butter knife. We've said very little to each other. I can count on one hand the number of verbal interactions we've had.
He’s around me so often now, throwing me the occasional stink eye, maintaining his air of distance … but what makes this all worse is that I miss him even more now than I did when he wasn't in my life.
"Gia! Earth to Gia." I shake the thoughts from my head and look over to Morgan who is crossing the room to sit next to Dex on the couch.
"Yeah, sorry. Brain fog. Too many margaritas last night," I say, trying to focus on her and not the steely gaze coming from Simon.
"We were thinking about going out tonight. I want to do something fun. I haven't really been out on the town since before the accident," Morgan says wishfully.
"Ah, I think I have a date tonight," I say. I’m trying really hard not to be distracted.
Morgan pouts.
"How do you not know?" Simon scoffs.
I wouldn't call his tone malicious, but as my eyes shoot to him, I see his jaw ticking. I wonder if he meant to ask that question out loud or not.
"Well, I set up the date a week ago and I haven't heard from him since. I just realized that we haven't confirmed. Therefore," I draw out slowly, "I think I have a date tonight, Simon."
I don't mean to be snippy, but he has no right to question me about my personal life when he seems disinterested in me 95% of the time.
He rolls his eyes. "You’re right. Forget I asked." His gaze falls back on the phone I hadn't noticed in his hand.
"Damn. It's always a treat to witness actual verbal exchanges between the two of you," Dex says, looking from me to Simon. Morgan elbows him.
This was not the distraction I was hoping for.
I stand and head to the kitchen, noticing that the dishes I told Morgan I'd clean are still there. Ah, cleaning should do it!
It’s a bonus that the running water from the sink should drown out Simon's voice as he becomes the nice, funny, and interesting person that he is with everyone else. His bitter side is only for me, it seems.