Shame: A Stepbrother Romance Read Free Page A

owned.
    “What’s the matter, mom?” I call out from the bathroom as I switch on the hair-dryer, hoping it would muffle her monologue.
    She’s suddenly perched right next to me, leaning on the door case. Though she doesn’t say a thing, I know that she is inspecting my hair-blowing routine and finding much to be improved about it. She must have a real problem if she’s stopping herself from picking on me.
    “Um, not much,” she starts, “Well, actually, it’s bad. Andrew is coming back next week.”
    “Andrew who?”
    “Andrew your brother ,” she says, outraged that I’m even asking.
    “Right.” I don’t know why she’s so surprised. I’ve never even met the guy. It’s hard enough to keep up with the siblings I do know. “So, isn’t that a good thing?”
    “Not really,” she says with a sigh, “Joe hasn’t seen him in years after they’d had the falling out. It’s putting a lot of pressure on your poor dad.”
    My brother. My dad. I hate that she insists placing me within this fake family as if I belonged with them. It was okay when I was younger and still needed a family to help me know who I was, to feel like I belonged somewhere. I made an effort with the first two families she thrust me into, but now I just don’t see the point. I’m twenty-seven and self-sufficient. I have my friends. I have my mother, who is more than enough of a family. I don’t need any dads or brothers.
    “I don’t see how that’s such a bad thing,” I say just to have something to reply to her, “Maybe he’s changed.”
    “That’s the thing. Andrew claims he is changed, but Joe doesn’t feel like he can trust him and give him yet another chance. He still remembers what happened last time Andrew came back all changed.”
    I have no idea what she is talking about, but I’m not going to ask now. I couldn’t care less about Joe’s family drama.
    “Mom, I don’t see how I can help with all this,” I say and run the brush through my now sleek long hair. I step out of the bathroom before the steam has frizzed it again. “It’s up to Joe.”
    “Oh, yes you can,” my mom says, following me to the bedroom and lying sideways on the bed, her head propped up on her hand. “You know Joe loves you, honey. You should be there. For support. It would really soften the blow, make things less awkward at dinner.”
    “How is me meeting a brother I’ve never seen for the first time making things less awkward? If anything, it will make it worse. I doubt Andrew would be thrilled to see Joe has this new daughter he now treats better than his own son.”
    “What are you wearing?” my mom says, her eyes growing larger at the sight of me pulling out my patterned pantyhose and the mini dress from the shopping bag.
    It’s inevitable. I can’t wait for her to leave.
    “Just… clothes,” I mumble. I wiggle my toes into the bunched up pantyhose and start pulling upwards, careful not to rip it. I think I even prefer to discuss Joe and his son than analyze my outfit.
    “Oh my God, honey,” she says and I have the feeling she’s about to tear up, “I knew you had it in you! Why do you never let me shop with you? This is fantastic! I love, love the dress.”
    “When is the dinner thing?” I ask, just to divert the conversation.
    “Next Tuesday. At home. Just us,” she says and jumps to her feet to zip me up and straighted the dress around my waist and hips. She is looking at my reflection in the mirror with such loving eyes as if she’s just created a miracle and she can’t believe it yet. The stupid dress is so tight, I can barely move my legs and expand my ribcage. It makes me feel about as comfortable as if I were in a straight jacket.
    “Mom, I can’t. I have a book club meeting then.”
    “Now stop with that bullshit,” she snaps, “A book club! You are not seventy for God’s sake! If you hadn’t bought this dress, I’d be seriously mad right now. And about Tuesday, you are coming. That’s that. Joe