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“It reminded me of our song. Blue skies, bluebirds. When the light hits it just right, it glitters with every color of the rainbow. It reminded me of…”
It reminded me of you.
My cheeks stain with blush at the realization that it had reminded me of him. Brant’s face had flashed to my mind the moment I saw it.
I lower my hands, sliding my palms down the front of his chest as my thoughts drift. He snatches them. “What did it remind you of?”
Our eyes pull back together.
I swallow. “My childhood. Lullabies and things like that.”
I’m not sure why I lie, but thinking of my brother as I purchase a dress for prom—to wear for a boy who probably wants to rip the dress right off of me—feels…strange.
Wrong, somehow.
He’d likely be horrified by that response.
Brant blinks, releasing my hands and taking a small step backward. He scratches at his dark hair, glimmering with various flecks of golden highlights in the setting sun. “Well, I love it, Junebug. You look—”
“Hell no, Peach. Absolutely, no.” Theo storms out onto the patio with a knitted shawl Grams made for Mom last winter. “You’re wearing this.”
I spin toward him as he drapes the scratchy cloak of yarn around my bare shoulders. My nose scrunches with distaste. “It itches. And it smells like ancient dust bunnies and dying plants.”
“It smells like no one’s gonna touch you tonight.”
I glower at him. “It doesn’t match at all. This isn’t even a color, Theo.” Is it brown? Burgundy? No one knows. “I’m not wearing this. Fuck mushrooms.”
“You—” He falters, blinks…then bursts into laughter. His whole body shakes when he laughs, and that always makes me laugh. Theo sighs, adjusting the holster around his waist. “Touché, Peach. Touché.”
Brant slips past us, giving Theo a smack on the shoulder as he sweeps by. His gaze trails to me for only a moment, and the smile I give him goes unseen as he disappears into the house. Swallowing, I return my attention to Theo. He’s looking at me funny. “What?”
His lips twitch. “Nothing.”
“You have a look.”
“I’m just thinking about how I’m going to get out of an assault charge when your date tries to lay a finger on you tonight. Felonies don’t mesh well with my line of work.”
I snicker. “What on earth will you do when I get married one day? And have babies?”
He visibly shudders, and I flash back to my fever dream from years ago. I think about Theo and his speech I never got to hear, and how it was more than likely a laundry list of threats toward my future husband. A grin crests with amusement, only to fade the moment I remember who my groom was in the dream.
My cheeks burn.
So weird.
“Well…” He sighs, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks and glancing toward the sky. He taps at his holster. “It’s a good day to save someone.”
“It’s always a good day to save someone.” I smile fondly.
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Theo’s eyes glisten with affection when they skip back to me. “I’m proud of you, Peach. You know that, right?”
My grin grows brighter as I shuffle in place on bare feet, tiny pebbles biting into my soles. “Yeah, I know.”
“You’re smart and wise, and so fucking kind. I can’t wait to see you light up a stage one day with your talent and with that big beautiful heart of yours. You’re going places, Peach, you really are. And I’ll be cheering you along, all the way to the top.” He raises his hand, placing it atop my shoulder and squeezing gently. His dark-blue eyes glint a little lighter when the sunshine hits them just right. With a cheeky smile, he finishes, “And I’ll kick the crap out of every single boy you try to take with you.”
I rip off the shawl and chuck it at the back of his head as he bolts into the house, his laughter trailing behind him.
I cup a hand over my mouth in shock.
