“I’m barbaric like that.” She smiles over another bite. “This is really good, by the way.”
“Let me see if you’re just being nice.” I tear into the rib, the meat falling off the bone easily. “Mmm.” I nod as I look at her. “It is good.” We spend a few seconds taking more bites before I ask, “So, tell me about your friend that we’re decorating cookies with tonight.”
Summer straightens as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. Surprisingly, her red lipstick stays put. How that’s happening is the world’s best-kept secret, but I’m grateful for it. “Her name is Vivian, and we’ve been friends since kindergarten. Best friends, actually. We do everything together. We both even work at the property management firm.”
“Best friends are important. I’ll try to channel my inner Justin.”
“Actually”—her gaze drops, and I sense some embarrassment—“she knows about our little arrangement, so you can just be yourself tonight.”
“She knows?”
“Yeah, I tell her everything, so…”
“And you still want me to come?”
Summer’s eyes pop wide, confirming the embarrassment I thought I saw earlier. “Oh, I guess you don’t have to come. You’re just the stand-in for Justin, so if Viv already knows, then there’s no reason for you to be there.”
“I think I have to come. I mean, if we’re really going to see whose Christmas agenda is better, I need to experience everything you have planned.”
Her expression lifts. “Yeah, that’s true. I totally forgot about that part of the deal.”
“Plus, you already came to pick me up. I wouldn’t want your drive over here to be a waste.”
“Gas is so expensive these days.” She nods. “And you’re feeding me dinner, so I owe you some Christmas cookies for dessert.”
“You do owe me that.” We smile at each other, eyes hinting that we both know our excuses to hang out are flimsy at best.
Summer is the first to look away. Her eyes drop to her plate, and she picks up the next rib, taking a big bite. Barbecue sauce paints the side of her cheek, but she doesn’t notice.
“You have some sauce—”
“Oh.” She wipes at the wrong side of her face.
“It’s…” I point to the other side, and she wipes again, somehow still missing it. “Here.” I raise my hand, slowly brushing the thick sauce off her cheek with my thumb. Her blue eyes watch me, and her breath hitches as my skin connects with hers. It’s silly that I used my finger instead of a napkin, but it’s also the best decision I’ve made in my entire life. Because touching Summer gives me all the butterflies that accompany falling in love. “I think I got it.” I reluctantly pull my hand away, but the sensation in my chest stays. It’s like the rush of freefalling through the air, spiraling and turning as I go. Up until this point in my life, no other feeling has ever matched that. But with Summer, there’s a tangible rush that I could easily get addicted to. Let’s be honest. I’m already addicted.
“Thanks.” She peeks at me, and I wonder if she feels it too. Hoping that she does would mean that I’m the worst brother in the entire world. But I’m starting to think Justin could never care for her the way I could.
The front door opens, and as if on cue, Justin waltzes into the kitchen, and everything I thought I was feeling moments ago crumbles into guilt—like, make-you-feel-like-you-suck-at-being-a-brother guilt.
“Hey, I’m glad I caught you guys.” He throws his computer bag down on the counter.
“Oh, yeah?” The smile Summer wears seems strained.
Justin comes to her side, picking up the last rib on her plate. “I’ve been texting you both. Don’t you ever check your phones?”
“Mine is on silent in my purse.” She watches him take a bite of her food. “You’re home earlier than usual. Are you going to finish up work here?”
“No, my head will explode if I look at another spreadsheet. So I thought I’d go with you tonight.”
My heart plummets as if somebody put Santa’s bag full of presents in the center of it.
“With me?” She glances at me, then back at Justin.
“Yeah, aren’t you going to Vivian’s or something?”
“Yes.” She smiles, and I still feel like there’s something tense about it. “That was the plan.”
“Well, I’m here and not working, so let’s go.”
