Waiting for Wednesday by Mari Carr Read Free Book Online Page B

refute his comment, but he continued. “You didn’t tuck yourself away in the corner booth. You sat down at the end of the bar and you struck up a conversation. Regardless of the fact your marriage was shitty, you didn’t let James strip away your personality and you didn’t give up this freedom you seem so hell-bent on flaunting in front of me. If James had won, you never would have stepped a foot in the pub.”
    She’d blown thousands in therapy the past year to figure out exactly what Tris had said in three minutes. The thought made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.
    “You missed your calling,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “You were born to be a psychiatrist.”
    He shrugged. “Figure the only difference between that and a bartender is a diploma. And since I wasn’t going to spend eight more years in school…” She rose on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. “Why did you tell me all of that?”
    “You ran away the last time I said I wanted to protect you. You left for a whole year, Lane.”
    She was taken aback by the sadness in his voice and for a moment she wanted to disprove his words, deny the true reason she’d left, but she wouldn’t tell him a lie. “I needed to know I could survive on my own. You don’t know what it was like for me growing up. Always at the mercy of whoever agreed to let me live in their house. And then with James, no matter how hard I tried, I was never good enough. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to make people want me, Tris. And for what?”
    “Lane—” he started, but she kept talking, a lifetime’s worth of pain pouring from her.
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    “I woke up one morning and realized there was only one person whose approval I needed and that was mine.” She turned quickly, unwilling to let Tris see the tears forming in her eyes.
    Footsteps on the stairs saved her from having to see the pity in Tristan’s eyes over what she’d just revealed. Jesus, where had all that come from? Staying here was going to be harder than she’d thought if she kept baring her soul at every turn.
    Sean entered the room, grinning when he spotted her.
    “Hey, Lane.” He came across the room and gathered her up in a big bear hug.
    Though only nineteen years old, Sean was as massive as his older brother but lacked the physical restraints that age and experience had taught Tristan. Sean was in the height of his youth and his exuberance was contagious, as he barreled through places like a bull in a china closet. She laughed as he picked her up and spun her around, and she silently rejoiced at his very timely interruption.
    “I’m glad you agreed to take care of Pop. The old guy is crazy about you. Besides, with you here, maybe Tris will stop being such a prick all the time.” Lane looked toward Tris then back at Sean, shaking her head. “I’ve never seen your brother act like a—” She paused, uncomfortable repeating Sean’s word.
    “A prick,” Tris finished for her while Sean laughed at her modesty.
    “You’ve never seen it,” Sean continued, “because he’s only a prick when you aren’t around.” As he said the word prick , he tapped her on the nose to punctuate it and she swatted away his hand playfully.
    “You might want to watch your mouth there, brat,” Tris said.
    “Oh yeah?” Sean dared Tris to come closer, wiggling his fingers in invitation, and for a moment Lane was afraid they were going to get into a fight. “I don’t see anybody around here who’s man enough to make me watch what I say.” Tris grinned and took two steps closer to his brother. Lane struggled to decide if his intimidating stance was real or pretend.
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    “Is that right?’ Tris goaded.
    “Um, guys?” she said, but they ignored her as Sean shoved Tris away.
    “Back off, bro. You do not want a piece of this,” Sean taunted.
    Tris moved in so quickly, Lane had to jump back as the two enormous men fell into a heap and started wrestling on the