“Fucking great,” Alex muttered.

Just what he needed—another reminder that his younger brother would clearly be getting his degree before him. Since his damn ankle had already put him behind more than a year, any progress he’d made this year to try and catch up was starting to feel like a bust.

He finished listening to Sofie’s message where she asked him to please call their dad and assure him things would be under control and that between them all they’d handle it.

“I think he needs to hear it from you,” Sofie’s message continued. “Since you’ve been the one in charge lately, he’d probably feel better hearing it from you.”

Alex hung up and explained to Gwyneth their night was done. “I’m sorry I made you come on such short notice and so late but”—he motioned toward the door—“I wasn’t expecting that, and now I’m having a bit of a family emergency. I’m gonna have to be on the phone for a while now.”

She assured him it was fine, gathered her things, and was out soon enough. Once again he didn’t have time to make Valerie his first priority. He did try calling her, but he knew it’d go to voice mail, so he texted her instead.

Baby, I’m so sorry. I swear to you I can explain it all. Please, PLEASE give me the chance to do at least that much. I know it looks bad, but I promise you it’s not. I have changed. Call me.

With a frown, he hit send then started to make those calls he knew he’d be on for a while. He was able to calm all of them including Sal who was so worried about having to drop everything and come down. Angel was at home with Sofie when he spoke to her, so she relayed everything he told her, including that his younger brother’s ass was not dropping this semester.

Alex would figure all this out soon enough. By the time he was off the phone, it was almost midnight, and he was so exhausted he contemplated just passing out right there on the sofa. As expected, Valerie hadn’t returned his call nor responded to his texts.

Before he’d gotten on the phone with his dad and siblings, he was certain he’d be giving Valerie a visit if not tonight first thing tomorrow for sure. Now he had no idea when he’d find the time to squeeze in some major groveling. He had every intention of groveling—getting on his hands and knees if that’s what it took—because there was no way in hell that after everything they’d been through he was letting things end this way.

The only good thing about this day was that it was over. From the looks of it, this was just the beginning of marathon busy days for him, but at least today couldn’t get any worse.

Until he sat up.

The moment his foot hit the floor he felt it. He’d lifted his foot up onto the sofa arm when that all too familiar ache in his ankle started getting annoying. Now that he let it down the blood rushed tothe joint, and the throbbing pain hurt like a son of a bitch.

He looked down to get a better look at his swollen ankle. “No f**king way,” he muttered through his teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut. He attempted to put a little weight on it and quickly fell back onto the sofa in shocking pain and complete exasperation.

~*~

Valerie

At least Alex had spared Valerie the temptation of wanting to listen to any of his voice mails. He had a thing about leaving voice messages, so even with all the missed calls she had from him in the few days since her massive meltdown outside his place, there were zero voice mails. Instead, he’d sent her numerous texts and even a couple of emails. She’d promptly deleted them all before being tempted to read any.

It was going to be a hell of challenge to stick to her guns this time and not give into him. But she was done this time. Her heart would just as soon jump out of her chest and whack her over the head with a bat if she put it through anymore of this bullshit. It’d been five days since that horrible night, and she’d finally dragged herself out of bed. Admittedly, the only thing that had straightened her up and gotten her out from under her blankets was hearing her dad’s voice at her bedroom door.

“How we doing, pumpkin?”

Valerie lifted her head out from under her blankets. The sight of her daddy had her lips instantly trembling, and her face crumpled. He was at her side in the next second, holding her against him and shushing her.

“Feels like the end of the world, doesn’t it?” She shook her head and cried even harder, holding on to his shirt. “I know it’s impossible to believe, but it’s not, honey. It really isn’t.”

When she was finally able to talk, she pulled away, and he handed her the box of tissues. She cleaned up as best as she could before managing a few strained words. “I’ve made so many dumb mistakes—been so stupid.”

“No, you haven’t,” her dad said immediately, and, as expected, his words were angry.

“Yes, I have. I’ve been this pathetic, insecure basket case living in a fantasy all this time.”

“What kind of fantasy?”

“That he ever cared about me. That he’d ever change for me.” She shook her head, wiping her nose and feeling the humiliation inundate her. “How did I let myself turn into this?”

“Honey, you’re one of the strongest people I know. But your heart—that’s a whole other monster. It’s still so young, inexperienced, and vulnerable. But don’t forget there have been other boys.” He gave her that look, the half-smile half are-you-kidding-me look. “None of them has even come close to making you feel and do the things Alex has. You’ve never been like this for anyone else. You didn’t turn into anything. It’s just what he did to your hopeful heart, and that, my love, is completely out of your control. But I don’t believe for even a second that he never cared about you.”