Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

38 | What Couples Do

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Chapter 38: What Couples Do

I sank into the brown sofa, with everyone's confessions echoing on repeat in my mind. I looked around at my friends, all of us with such different stories in life.

You never know what people are going through, do you?

Austin remains an enigma to me. Someone so upbeat and optimistic who harbors a darker side that he protects. That Luke protects for him.

Charlotte and Nicole, who I look up to as perfect people with perfect lives -

I can't imagine Nicole's loss. I didn't even know she had twin brothers, let alone that they drowned.

How does one wrap one's head around that?

And Charlotte. 

Carefree, beautiful Charlotte who had every boy wrapped around her finger. Who had done that to her?

Thinking about Charlotte made me think of Luke. I glanced over at him and saw that he had hung up his mystery phone call and was staring at his sister.

"Luke," Charlotte said, leaning against Nicole to get up and walk towards him.

Her focus was on him as well. Luke hadn't joined in on the game, but he had heard.

Brother and sister faced each other and when Luke spoke to her, it was words I couldn't hear. I could just see the pain and anger in his face.

He was her younger brother but he was very protective over her.

I've seen it every day to know how much he loves his sister. They fight a lot, but he loves her. And she adores him.

"Out of everyone here, the person I feel most sorry for is Chad," Austin said, trying to lighten the mood, "A week with no heating?"

"Same week the pool broke down," Chad nodded, rubbing a speck of dust on his suede shoes.

"I don't know how you survived," Austin shook his head.

"Are you not shocked by all of this?" I asked them, my mind still replaying everything again and again.

We need help.

I get that Austin uses humor to block out pain but I don't know how to do that.

"We've all been friends since we were kids," Austin told me, "I don't think much of this was a surprise. We're a f*cked up group, Millie. Welcome to the crew."

I watched Lara pour herself a drink, wondering what was going on in her mind.

Surely she was equally as shocked?

Then again, she's the one with the family trying to kill each other...

I looked over at Cearra who hadn't said anything during this go-around and I found Cearra looking back at me.

Her lips mouthed, 'What the actual eff?'

Well at least someone else thinks so.

I might be a little drunk right now and the little wooden wheels in my head might not be working so well, but something's not computing.

If Austin's not surprised by what anyone said, why would Luke be surprised to hear his sister's confession? 

Did Austin know that about Charlotte and Luke, her own brother, didn't?