I shyly pop my shoulders.
“Vee, you’re my best friend and my favorite person on this entire planet. I’ve never once compared us, not once. I’m so impressed by you every single day. For doing the things you love, for not staying in Tennessee and settling for the first guy you met like so many of the people we grew up with did.” He pauses. “For not doing the things Mom expected you to do.”
My eyes dart to his and I have to bite my lip to keep it from trembling.
“I’ve never wanted you to feel like you’re in my shadow, Stevie, because that’s just not fucking true. I wanted you at UNC with me because you’re my best friend. I wanted you in Chicago because you’re my best friend. I make enough money to have you here, but that’s not me feeling burdened or shit like that. That’s me being selfish, wanting my sister in my city and having the means to do so.”
He nudges me with his foot again. “Don’t keep things from me anymore. I’m going to have your back no matter what.”
A grateful smile slides across my lips. “Love you, Ry.”
“Love you.” He begins to unwrap the ice on his shoulder. “Anything else you wanna throw out there? I’m all ears.”
“Yes,” I surprise myself by admitting.
“Mom stuff?”
My chest rises with a deep inhale. “Yes.”
“Tell me.”
“You don’t have to agree with me, and I don’t expect you to pick sides or anything like that, but I just want to let you know that I’m creating some boundaries, and currently, I have no desire to speak to her. Not until she can do it without her underhanded comments.”
“It’s really that serious?” he gently asks. “I know you always say things about Mom being a mean girl, but I thought it was just a weird mom and daughter dynamic.”
“Honestly, Ryan. She does it when you don’t hear, and she rarely does it around Dad anymore, but she’s made me feel like absolute shit since college. She comments on my body and volunteering and my lack of a relationship all the time, and I can’t do it anymore. Our relationship has done a massive number on the way I think about myself, and I have to start standing up for myself.”
A soft, understanding grin slides across his lips. “Lack of relationship? You haven’t told her about Zanders, huh?”
“Hell no. Anything important to me now, I keep away from her.”
“He’s important to you.”
“Yes. Besides you, Zanders is the most important to me.”
A moment of silence lingers between us, understanding covering my brother’s face.
“I’m not trying to put you in the middle of it, but I’m just letting you know that when she calls or visits, I will not be here for that.”
“Then she won’t visit,” my brother plainly states.
“What?”
“She won’t visit. She’s not invited here. This is your home too, Stevie, and anyone who makes you feel shitty about yourself is not invited into our home or in our lives. I’m not okay with that.”
“Ryan, you don’t need to cut her off because of me. That’s not what I’m asking.”
“I know. And I’m not cutting her off, but like you, I’m creating boundaries. Once you’re comfortable with her again, if ever, then she can be in our space, but until then, no.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“Of course.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know what else I need to say to convince you that I have your back. And that includes your relationship with Mom. It’s perfectly okay to create boundaries when someone isn’t treating you the right way.”
My shoulders sag. Why did I not trust my own brother to understand me all these years? But at the same time, I didn’t trust myself enough to stand up for what I needed.
“Thank you.”
He leans back on the couch, casually crossing one ankle over his knee. “So, Zanders,” he begins. “I can only assume the confidence to stand up to Mom is coming from him.”
“He makes me feel really good, Ryan. He treats me like his first choice every day, and I’ve never had that. He constantly reminds me that I’m...I don’t know…that I’m worthy of being chosen.”
A soft laugh rumbles in his chest. “And here I thought I was going to hate the guy.”
“So, you don’t hate him?”
“How could I? He’s had your back the way I should’ve. I don’t know him, but from what you’ve told me, maybe I had the wrong impression of him all along.”
“You did.” I quickly nod. “Everyone does.”
The buzzer on our door rings as our doorman’s voice wafts through our apartment. “Miss Shay, there’s an Indy in the lobby. Says she’s your friend.”
My brows furrow in confusion. Indy knows I’m spending the weekend with my brother, and she couldn’t wait to get home to Alex. So why the hell is she here?
As soon as she steps off the elevator, it becomes perfectly clear. Her brown eyes are swollen and puffy, steaks of dried mascara decorate her cheeks, and her naturally sun-kissed blonde hair is a tangled mess. She’s not in her uniform, but it’s clear from her face she’s still in last night’s makeup.
“Indy? What’s going on?” I usher her through my door.
“I’m so sorry for interrupting your weekend with your brother,” she cries. “I didn’t know where else to go. My parents are in Florida looking at retirement properties, and I can’t go to my apartment.”
I wrap her up in a hug, her tall and thin frame melting into me. “You don’t need to apologize,” I soothe. “What’s going on?”
She sucks in a few short and broken breaths. “I found Alex with someone else.”
I pull her away from my body. “What?”
She frantically nods. “Last night. When we landed early, I was trying to surprise him, but I found him in bed with someone else.”
“Indy.” My head tilts with sympathy. “I’m so sorry. He’s a piece of shit.”
“I know!” She throws her hands up. “I’ve been so good to him for six years, and we’ve known each other our whole lives. How could he do this to me?”
“Come here.” I usher her to the couch. “Where did you stay last night?”
“In my car,” she whimpers. “I grabbed what I could out of our apartment and drove to my parents’ place before I remembered they were out of town.”
“Oh, Indy.” I run a soothing palm down her arm as she frantically wipes her face, trying to regain her composure.
“Can I stay here?” She sucks in a deep inhale. “Only for the night? Until my parents are back?”
“Of course.” My head darts to my shirtless brother in the kitchen. “Ryan, Indy is going to stay with us for the night.”
Indy’s eyes follow mine, finding my brother. She quickly cleans up her face. “Who are you?”
“Um...I’m Ryan.” He offers her an awkward wave. This has got to be uncomfortable for him, having a random crying girl in his living room, not to mention he’s shirtless right now.
“Why? Who?” Indy turns towards me then back to my brother. “Why are you hot?”
That causes a relieved laugh to escape me, but my brother awkwardly chokes on his saliva in response.
“Indy, this is my twin brother, Ryan. Ryan, Indy.”