Fix Up by Stephanie Witter

Author:Stephanie Witter [Witter, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Nonfiction
Amazon: B00OGTM54K
Goodreads: 18633407
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
Published: 2014-10-12T04:00:00+00:00

***

DUKE

As soon as she starts walking stiffly toward her building, I drive away, making sure to put some distance from her, from campus, from anything to find some comfort. Mindless, I let my instinct take me somewhere, and when I finally stop and look around, I’m astounded to see I’m parked in front of my parents’ home, the same house I grew up in.

I sigh and climb out. My limbs feel heavy, just like my heart. I’m not exactly mad, but I’m so damn disappointed. Skye lied to me. If only she lied about getting better, I’d understand, but that thing with her shrink! No, it’s entirely different, and I can’t help but draw conclusions I’d prefer to ignore.

I knock at the front door, and immediately my father answers. As soon as he takes me in, his barely-there smile disappears.

“Duke? What’s going on?’’

I shake my head and lean against the threshold, my head hanging now between my shoulders. Everything is heavy, making it difficult to simply stand. “I think I’m losing her, Dad.’’

“What are you talking about? Come in, son.’’ He ushers me to the living room where I sit without grace. “Now, tell me what this nonsense is about.’’

I put my elbows on my spread knees and hide my face in my hands. I don’t want my father to see me on the brink of tears. He saw enough of my tears during the first few months after Juliet’s death.

“Skye. It’s Skye. She lied to me.“

The couch caves under my father’s weight when he sits next to me. His big hand pats my shoulder before he ruffles my hair like he used to when I was just a kid. He’s not big on huge hugs and open-hearted talk, probably something I inherited from him, but he’s not one to turn his back on his and others’ emotions either.

“Son, you know better than me that Skye is dealing with awful things. Give her the time. I’m sure—‘’

“Her psychologist is very young, and he has a crush on her. She didn’t tell me anything, Dad.’’ I look up and meet his surprised face. “How would you feel if mom hid this from you?’’

He takes a deep breath and leans against the back of the couch. He rubs the shell of his ear, his tell whenever he’s uncomfortable or deep in thought. “I’d be very upset, and I would probably have a huge fight with her because obviously it’s not … hmmm …’’

“It’s like cheating.’’

He shakes his head and points a finger at me. “No, cheating is cheating. When you cheat on your other half, it’s something else entirely. Beyond the betrayal of trust, there’s also a breach in the couple, something akin to emotional distance. It’s much worse, Duke, and from what I know about your girlfriend, she would never cheat on you.’’

I hide my face in my hands again, my elbows still firmly planted on my knees. “I never thought she’d do this to me, you know.’’

“Don’t you think it’s

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