The Truth About Us by Tj Hannah Read Free Book Online

should talk to her though, Corb. She’s really changed.”
    I’ve tried to talk. She doesn’t fucking listen.
    “Well, I haven’t changed, Gab. Just accept that. It’ll make this a lot easier.”
    “You’re both stubborn as shit. Fine. Well, we’ll see you at the end of June, I guess. We were planning to leave the weekend after Parker’s done classes. Love you brother.” She holds the phone out, and Parker screams at me that he loves me too.
    “Yeah that’s cool. You too. Later.”
    I hit end. And now I definitely need another beer, so I push off the fence and head back to the bar. Good thing my boss, Leroy, doesn’t care when I’m there, as long as the work gets done before it has to ship out.
    I’m looking down, texting Garett to meet me at the bar. He works at the legal aid office, so he’s like me and can duck out whenever. Absently, I reach out to open the door to the bar and it slams open into me, knocking me backwards and sending my phone crashing to the ground.
    “What the fuck!?” I yell as I catch the wide eyes of Sophia.
    “Oh my God. I’m so sorry!” she squats down on her heels and scoops up my phone, and I join her. I’m super pissed that my phone is in pieces, but then I hear her sniffle. Ducking lower to check under her silky dark hair, I see a tear fall from her nose.
    “Whoa, hey? Sophia, are you crying?” My chest squeezes because I hate crying chicks, but I also get this crazy urge to pull her in for a hug.
    She doesn’t look up, so I reach out and pull her chin up with two fingers. “It’s okay. It’s just a phone,” I continue as her cloudy eyes swirl with tears. I see her chest pumping wildly, and it reminds me of last night, just before she took off with Garett.
    “This isn’t about the phone, is it?” I ask and wish she’d just answer me. I’m not feeling this one-sided conversation.
    Out of nowhere she laughs. A shoulder shaking, manic kind of laugh as she reaches into her purse and pulls out a pile of plastic similar to my own. My eyebrows pull together, and I look from her to her hands. None of this is helping my confusion.
    “I’m sorry, Corbin. God, how fucking embarrassing. I was just going to go get myself a new phone because I broke mine. Obviously. I thought I’d stop by here–” She stops stuttering and wipes at her eyes with the back of her forearm. I realize I’m grinning at her and shaking my head. She stands, and I slowly follow, taking the mess that is my cell phone from her hand.
    A loud thumping noise sounds and Kayla’s little silver car pulls up in front of the bar. Both Sophia and I watch her get out, and her nose wrinkles in confusion as she sees us, Sophia’s hand in mine.
    “What are you guys doing here?” She asks behind the fake smile that I know so very well, but she’s distracted. “Sophia, are you crying, sweetie?”
    Sophia shakes her head. “I just came to get my schedule.”
    Kayla’s eyes dart to me with this accusing glare. Fuck, she thinks I did something.
    Luckily Kayla doesn’t care about other people’s feelings and continues talking like the last five seconds never happened. “Anyway, I’m glad I ran into you two. I’m here early to start planning for the Mills Bash, and I’ll need you both. The DJ backed out. Asshole. He knows all the good ones are booked out like a year in advance. And you’re fucking dad, Corbin, I swear to God. I wish I could just buy this place and kick him the hell out. Do you know how hard it is to find the money for all this shit when he drinks half the bar?”
    Sophia stares blankly and I shift. For some reason, I feel really not okay with Kayla airing out all my family problems in front of Sophia, but she doesn’t seem fazed by it at all. Actually, she might not even be keeping up with Kayla’s rapid fire statements and hand gestures.
    “I do know, Kayla. I am the one that balances his books. Which are never balanced,” I say and she glares at me.
    “Well then I really need you