Page 26 of Falling Back to You

“Ozzie?” I reached out to touch his arm, but he recoiled.

“I have a meeting to get to, so…”

When it came to us, Oz was living in the past. I could tell him we needed to go our separate ways till I was blue in the face, but, like a stray cat you’d fed on a few occasions, he would keep coming back, scratching at my door begging for scraps, and for my part I’d provide a plate and relish in the attention he showed me while feasting.

“I know you don’t believe me, but eventually you’ll see this is a good thing.”

“Maybe you’re right.” He shrugged. “I mean, you’re always right.” I decided to let the snark slide because he was upset. “Later, Dial.”

My feelings for Ozzie were complicated, but this was for the best. We were damaged, and it was damn near impossible to heal while still connected.

I needed a fresh start. We both did.

“Hello, asshole,” I said as I walked into Cyrus’s storefront office.

“That’s Mayor Asshole to you,” he replied with a smirk.

“So, this is what’s keeping you away from Figs and Twine?” I scanned the room with desks spaced out and various piles of papers scattered on top. Hume didn’t have a proper mayor’s office, so Cyrus conducted business from a leased storefront.

“As you can see, we’re very busy.” Other than him and me, the office was empty. “What brings you to my neck of the woods?”

“Maybe because you’ve ignored my many invitations to dinner. And Maple is beginning to forget what your face looks like. Honestly, so am I.” I moved closer, pretending to examine his features. “Yep, still ugly.”

“I’m a lot of things, but ugly isn’t one of them.” He winked. Cyrus was born and raised in Hume, but when he returned home after college, he no longer had an accent. Now he talked like a Californian. Which was weird, because Fancy had lived in California for close to ten years and her Southern accent was still pronounced.

“And by ‘a lot of things,’ you mean egotistical, non-communicative, and a shitty uncle.”

“Ouch, was that last one you or Maple?”

“Maple. She’s taken on quite the potty mouth of late.”

Cy smirked again, his eyes pinching at the corners. “You look tired, Dial.”

“Geez, thanks.” I grabbed a squishy stress ball with Birch for Mayor imprinted on it.

“I didn’t mean it like that. But I know you, and you’re always packing so much onto your plate.”

“I’m fine.”

“If you were fine, you wouldn’t be here. What’s wrong?”

Cyrus pissed me off, especially that stunt with Ozzie and the renovations, but at the end of the day he was my big brother and the smartest person I knew. I didn’t know why I was here, other than the fact that when you felt lost, you sought out people who knew you best and could help you find your center.

“Nothing,” I replied.

He pressed his hand to his heart. “Hey, it’s me, the guy who was there when Mom and Dad found you on the side of the road.”

“The side of the road?”

“You were just a feral newborn who was looked after by possums.”

“Well, Mom told me you were one of those creepy, lifelike baby dolls, and one night you came to life. If you check your lower back, there’s a manufacturing stamp.”

“Very funny.” Cyrus pointed to the chair in front of his desk and I took a seat.

“I came here for an apology, Baby So Real.”

My brother tucked his finger behind his ear. “Beg your pardon, did you say you came to apologize for hitting me?”