揑t wasn抰 a date. It was like, the world抯 most confusing make-out session, and I抦 not talking about it anymore because then it抣l just keep being fresh.?
揃ut this is fun.?Peggy seesawed a hand between them, finally having caught up. 揕ook at us. Talking about boys and whatnot. We抮e early-stages Thelma and Louise right now.?
揊unny you should mention that, because I抦 thinking of driving off a ledge into a fucking canyon.?When Peggy made a sympathetic noise Rita wanted to interpret it as genuine, but how could she? Peggy couldn抰 walk ten feet without someone offering her a white picket fence and two-point-five children. Interpersonal dysfunctions were not her territory. Rita had bought up every square foot of that particular real estate.
揑 think you like him or you wouldn抰 be this upset.?
揌抩kay.?
Peggy抯 nose wrinkled up like an adorable bunny抯。 揑 guess it doesn抰 matter, since we抮e leaving in the morning anyway. But I had high hopes for Jasper.?Rita hoped her sister would drop the conversation after that stomach-tightening statement, but no dice. 揙h, well. If I know one thing for sure, it抯 that you can抰 win them all. My senior year of college棓
Rita groaned up at the night sky. 揚eggy, you can抰 be serious. Our experiences are not even remotely similar.?
When hurt slashed across Peggy抯 features Rita started to apologize for her outburst, but Peggy held up a hand. 揘o, it抯 okay. You抮e right卭ur experiences are not similar.?They stepped into the glow of the motel抯 sign and Rita saw an uncharacteristic weariness in Peggy抯 gaze. 揊or instance, I doubt you抳e been carrying a torch for someone so long you can抰 let another man梖our good, honest men, actually梘ive you a happy life. Because being miserable for him is better than being semi-content with anyone else.?
揚eggy.?Rita couldn抰 swallow. 揑 had no idea. 匢 didn抰棑
All at once, her sister brightened, but her speech was stilted. 揑t抯 fine. I抦 just blowing off steam.?She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. 揑抦 going to head in.?
Rita started toward the outside corridor that led to their room. 揑抦 coming with you.?
揂ctually,?Peggy started, giving a subtle head tilt toward the parking lot, 揑 think Bel might need some company. And he appreciates my attempts at comfort about as much as you do. So卋atter up.?
Rita looked back over her shoulder to find Belmont sitting on the curb of the parking lot, still as a statue. The sight yanked her by the hair straight out of her pity party, but it didn抰 distract her from the guilt she was experiencing over Peggy. 揥ait,?she called to her sister, who was already heading toward the room. Peggy stopped at the sound of Rita抯 voice. 揟hank you for trying to make me feel better. It worked. Even if you just annoyed me into feeling less like shit.?
Peggy dipped, twisting her hips in a little boogie. 揑t抯 a start.?
揝ee you inside,?Rita said, even though Peggy had moved too far away to hear her. Wondering when her sister had developed a complex side梐nd how she抎 missed it桼ita went to join Belmont on the curb. He didn抰 acknowledge her right away when she sat down, which wasn抰 a surprise. Her oldest brother spoke through silence. What worried her were the lines of strain around his eyes, the way he stared out at nothing in particular. Knowing he needed to be the one who broke the quiet, Rita took a moment to study her surroundings.
Hurley was a mighty contrast to San Diego. Even in winter, the air was dry and soundless as it filtered through the cars in the motel lot. While San Diego County was certainly spread out in a way that required a vehicle to go most places, New Mexico was actual desert. It stretched and stretched so the wind had nothing off of which to buffer. Rita didn抰 know if it was simply being out of her usual surroundings that made it easier to hear her own thoughts, to take a deep breath despite scaling Mortification Mountain tonight. She felt more at ease without work hanging over her head. Without pressure to maintain the restaurant抯 sterling reputation.
揂aron snores.?
Belmont抯 monosyllabic announcement startled a laugh out of her. 揑s that what you抮e doing out here??
He rolled his massive shoulders.
Rita folded and unfolded the hem of her shirt. 揑 think Peggy might have a broken heart and we never realized it.?
Her brother抯 frown was ferocious, but he didn抰 comment.
揑 mean, I don抰 know why we would know. We never see each other to find out these things. They just come out during an argument or on the Internet,?she said. 揑 like knowing Aaron snores.?
Belmont grunted, but she knew that meant: Why?
揑t means he抯 flawed. I抦 going to think about it next time he calls my souffl?decent.?She picked at her shoelaces. 揓ust big old, window-shaking snores.?
揑t was a good souffl??
That brought her head up. 揧ou were watching??
Another grunt.
Pleasure ran circles around her rib cage. 揑 probably shouldn抰 be happy you witnessed my almost knife attack,?she said, rubbing the toes of her boots together. 揃ut it抯 nice to know卻omeone was rooting for me.?
Headlights illuminated the parking lot and Belmont抯 easy demeanor vanished. His hands clenched into tight fists, body tensing as if preparing for a fight. Before she could question herself, Rita reached over and laid a hand on her brother抯 shoulder梐nd he jerked like she抎 burned him, dislodging her touch.
揑抦 sorry,?she blurted, alarm replacing the pride she抎 felt a few seconds prior. Time moved very slowly as the car pulled into a parking spot about fifty yards away and an older gentleman got out, ambling toward the motel, a fast-food bag tucked into the crook of his arm. It seemed very important that they not move or be noticed, so relief washed over Rita when one of the motel doors opened and shut behind them.
Belmont didn抰 relax right away; it happened in degrees. His hands flexed and dropped to his knees, where they rested. His barrel chest rose as he drew in a deep breath and let it out. 揇on抰 be sorry.?
揙kay.?
揑抦 not out here because Aaron snores. The walls feel too close.?
He looked irritated with himself for having revealed that. Rita could see him already beginning to clam up again and rushed to insert a wedge. 揑s that why you live on the boat? No walls厰
Belmont stood abruptly. 揑f I抦 not here when you wake up, I抦 at the garage.?
Rita came to her feet as well, although much more slowly. 揙kay.?Neither one of them moved. 揋o ahead inside. I抦 going to sit here a while.?
Her brother shook his head no and pointed at the motel. 揧ou go inside first.?
The protectiveness was simultaneously annoying and梟ice. Usually, all the macho brotherly instincts were reserved for Peggy, and while it felt odd to be on the receiving end, it wasn抰 so bad. She was pretty sure her eye roll wasn抰 very convincing as she passed him, clomping toward the motel. Her spirits dipped again, however, when she turned to wave good night to Belmont and saw that the faraway look was back in his eyes.
Had the road trip been a mistake? Her older brother was obviously suffering some sort of anxiety over being in unfamiliar surroundings. She抎 pushed Peggy away梞aybe even farther than before梬hen her sister had only been attempting to help. And Jasper梟ow that the worst of her embarrassment had cooled, she remembered the way his voice had vibrated with emotion when he抎 called himself the town tramp. It hadn抰 been male ego talking or some kind of joke. It bothered him. Instead of being remembered fondly, she抎 be the girl who stopped in Hurley long enough to prod his demons.