Clickbait by E.J. Russell

Author:E.J. Russell [Russell, E.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Published: 2016-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

Alex’s eyes felt grittier than number-twelve sandpaper. The cup on the kitchen table in front of him was only half-empty, but he’d inhaled so much coffee in the last forty-eight hours, he couldn’t force down another mouthful. He pushed it aside and rested his head in his hands.

Every minute he hadn’t been at the jobsite, he’d been dealing with his dad, whose meds were still turning him into a night owl. If it weren’t for Toshiko, who’d stopped by every day for at least four hours since her first visit, Alex wouldn’t have gotten any sleep at all. He’d wanted to check in on Gideon, but he hadn’t had a moment to spare, and although he’d loaded Gideon’s number into his own phone at the ER, he didn’t want to call.

He couldn’t get past the notion that if he hadn’t goaded Gideon, and then given in to misplaced jealousy, the accident would never have happened. True, Gideon hadn’t seemed to blame him. In the ER, he’d even sounded as if he was open to taking things further.

But was it worth the risk? For both of them?

Alex pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. A guy like Gideon deserved better. Furthermore, Gideon was well aware of his own worth, and it was only a matter of time before he decided Alex wasn’t up to his standards.

Maybe it’s better to end it now.

A chair scraping next to him, accompanied by the faint tickle of jasmine perfume, announced his sister’s arrival.

“Are you okay, Alex?”

He conjured up a smile and hoped his eyes weren’t too bloodshot. “Never better.”

“You don’t look it.”

“Just a little tired. Dad’s decided he’s on the graveyard shift or some shit.”

“You don’t have to stay with him.”

“Yeah, I do. He gets upset if Mom shows her face.”

“I could—”

“No. You’ve got enough on your plate. Your job. Being here all evening. Besides, I want you to keep an eye on Gideon.”

Lindsay’s eyes narrowed, and Alex suddenly recalled preteen Lin, dressing her Barbies in ninja gear and kicking the shit out of his GI Joes. “Why do you want me to do that?”

“He’s crazy stressed with this job. He’s gonna go back before he should. He needs—”

“Alex. Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t get hung up on Gideon.”

“Since when do you interfere in my love life?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have to when you don’t have one.”

“Don’t sweat it, babe. I promise not to get hung up on Gideon.” Because I’m already there.

Lindsay’s speculative stare told him she wasn’t totally buying his bullshit. “Uh-huh. Just don’t lose sight of what’s important. We need to be here for Daddy.”

“Preaching to the choir.”

“Okay, then.” She stood up and walked out of the room, smiling tiredly at Ruth as they passed in the doorway. “Interesting fashion choice, Mom.”

Alex frowned at his mom’s faded blue scrubs. “Uh . . . Mom? You’re retired, remember? You’re allowed to wear real clothes.”

She cleared away his abandoned cup. “I tried something new this morning. Your father knows he doesn’t feel right, so I thought he might accept a medical caregiver more readily than .

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