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I’ve said the words out loud; I can’t back out now, because my brother almost fell apart. I had no idea he’d been so affected by my episode. But then I remember his careful questions when we talked about the business, the way he’d study the house when he came by the last few months. The questions I could see on his face at times, questions that we both pretended weren’t there. So many little things the last few months; they must have added up to an awful lot in his mind.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper again.
“Shut up,” he says, laughing a little. West is standing near the table, looking at us both, suspicion and concern plain on his face.
“Everything okay over here?” he asks, setting down his plate and watching us carefully.
“Better,” Finn says. I smile.
Finn gets pulled away a few minutes later by the photographer, leaving West and me in a charged silence.
“What was that about?” West asks, clearly done with waiting to be let in the loop.
“Sibling stuff,” I say, knowing the vague answer is going to irritate him. If the last couple of days have taught me anything, it’s that West does not like being thwarted. And that I apparently have a thing for his particular brand of punishment.
Not that he’s ever followed through on his threats. Hmm. Something to think about… We still have one night left.
“Callahan.” West’s voice is pure warning and I don’t even try to hide the smirk.
The music goes from low-key big-band background music to an upbeat pop song I remember liking, and the dance floor starts to fill with people.
“Weston,” I say, mimicking his tone. He frowns, and I laugh, pushing my chair back and taking his hand. “Come dance with me.”
His fingers tighten and he looks around.
“It’s a wedding reception,” I say. “People dance. Nobody is going to bat an eye if you dance with your best friend’s little sister, not even your best friend.” I nod in the direction of Finn, who was hamming it up for Joelle and her grooms by trying to dance as they posed for photos. That poor photographer.
West nods and lets me lead him out to the dance floor. He’s surprisingly light on his feet, and at one point I’d swear he might have even been enjoying himself. At some point, the music slows and this time West doesn’t hesitate to pull me closer. I close my eyes, savoring the feel of his body swaying with mine.
“I need to talk to you,” he says, his voice rumbling in my ear.
“So talk.” He’s so much bigger than I am. With his arms around me I feel dainty, maybe for the first time in my whole life. He holds me with care, but it doesn’t make me feel like I’m fragile. It makes me feel like I’m precious.
“Callahan.” I don’t open my eyes; I don’t want this to end. “I’m trying to tell you something here.”
I force my eyes open. West is worried and starting to sweat. He’s… nervous?
“About Raleigh,” he starts. “Well, sort of.” He takes a deep breath. Somehow we’re still swaying to the music. Nobody’s paying the slightest attention to us.
Except Raleigh. He’s sitting at a table farther away and I wonder why he’s not out here dancing, too.
“What about him?” I ask, trying to figure out where this is going.
“I want… I think he…” I’ve never seen West so unsure, but I have an idea where this conversation is headed.
“West,” I interrupt him gently. “Are you attracted to Raleigh?”
West takes a deep, uneven breath. “Yes.”
He’s shaking. My first impulse is to soothe, running my hand over his back. “It’s okay, West. It’s okay.” He nods, but his body is so tense I’m afraid he’s going to make a run for it any second now.
“West.” I try his trick and wait for him to look at me. I get such a rush when it works; no wonder he likes doing that.
“I’ve never told anybody that,” he says softly. It dawns on me then, what he’s saying. What he’s not saying.
He’s attracted to Raleigh. He’s been attracted to men before. West is bisexual.
“Thank you for telling me,” I say, just as softly. We dance for a moment, just holding on to each other. West’s body begins to relax.
