“What going on?” Hugh rumbled. “Is everything okay?”
“Um…”
Joe moved up beside her, expression suddenly serious, and tugged on her hair. “Luce?”
She couldn’t take it. Forcing a snort, she rolled her eyes. “Christ, when did you two turn into a couple of old mother hens?”
Joe’s eyes narrowed. Shit.
“Fine. How about you cut the cute bullshit?” Hugh said, wiping his hands and walking over to join them. “What are you doing here, Luce?”
The smile on her face cracked, a nerve in her cheek starting to twitch. If she didn’t know it was physically impossible, she would swear there was a hamster running full speed on his tiny little wheel in her belly.
Fake it till you make it, remember?
If she didn’t brazen this one out, her brothers would get suspicious. They’d also run right over her and force her to spill her guts. If they learned the full extent of her stupidity, they’d lose their goddamn minds. Better they thought she was an uncaring, irresponsible delinquent than the ugly truth.
“I quit,” she said into the deafening silence.
One of her bags hit the concrete floor. “You what?” Joe barked.
“I left school. I’m moving back.”
Hugh stood motionless for several seconds then released a long breath, accompanied by a low growl that had the ability to start a mini tornado. “You what?”
“Hugh, seriously. Joe already said that.” She shook her head. “Keep up, big bro.” Her knees were locked so they didn’t see her shaking. Her thigh muscle started to twitch as well and she felt ill.
Now he looked concerned again. “Why would you do that? Is something going on, something you haven’t told us?”
She shook her head, the lump in her throat getting thicker. “No, nothing’s going on,” she lied.
“Does it have to do with that asshole, your psychology professor?”
“No.” Yes.
Hugh’s face went scary. “Is he getting pushy? Trying to start something back up with you?”
“No,” she lied again. Because it had everything to do with Daniel. Hugh knew she’d had an affair with one of her professors, that he’d lied to her, omitting the fact he had a family. Her brother had also confronted him, and things had gotten ugly. But Hugh didn’t know the full extent of what went on during that time, how bad things got, and she would do anything so he didn’t find out. Her brother was protective to the extreme, both of them were. If they found out what happened, they’d go after him again and this time would be a hell of a lot worse. They’d get into trouble and she couldn’t let that happen, not because of her, and not when they’d both finally found happiness.
Hugh’s brow furrowed, lips turning down. “I’m not buying it, Luce. This doesn’t add up.”
Why did he have to go and get all worried, why couldn’t he just lose his shit and be done with it? “I just…I don’t want that anymore, any of it. So, I left.”
He eyeballed her for so long she had to force herself not to start shuffling her feet.
He planted his giant paws on his hips. “Lucy…”
It was hard, but she held his probing gaze. “It’s not him, I promise.”
He let out a rough breath. “Okay. So now what? You have no job. No college degree. No money…”
“I haven’t exactly worked it all out yet, but—”
“You haven’t worked it out?”
“Well, no.”
He frowned, brows lowering. “If you think I’m gonna keep paying for you to sit on your backside, you’re seriously mistaken.”
“Have I asked you to pay my way?” His words hit like tiny daggers, each one slicing a little deeper. “I have money saved. You know I worked the whole time I was at school. I’m not here asking for a handout. You’re my brothers and I’m doing you the courtesy of keeping you in the loop.”
“You can’t be serious—” Joe said.
“I’m twenty-two years old. I don’t even owe you an explanation…still, here I am giving you one—”
“No, you haven’t,” Hugh interrupted.
“What?” She curled her fingers into tight fists at her sides.
“You haven’t given us an explanation, not really.”
Her pulse started to speed up, the vein in her throat throbbing. “It just…it wasn’t for me. Okay? I quit and now I’m home.”
“Lucy—”
“I’ll pay you back the tuition money, every cent.”
“Don’t want your money. I want you to tell me—”