“How are you always the favorite?” Calvin asks, shaking his head. “I’m the one who actually lives here year-round.”
“Natural charm,” I tell him, setting Chloe down but she keeps her arms wrapped around my legs.
Theo laughs. “That’s what you get, Cal, for being the boring writer uncle. Hard to trump race car driver. Though if it makes you feel any better, Alex put broccoli in her mac and cheese last week at the restaurant, so he’s officially dropped to last place.”
Calvin grins. “Ah well, at least I’m not the broccoli guy.”
“Will you dance with me?” Chloe’s bouncing now, pulling on my hand. “Please!”
“Okay, Monster,” I say. “Let’s show these people how it’s done.”
She squeals and drags me toward the dance floor. The DJ’s playing something fast, and Chloe immediately starts spinning in circles with her arms out, nearly taking out an elderly woman in the process. I grab her hand and spin her properly, and she giggles so hard she almost falls over.
“Do it again! Again!” she shouts, so I spin her again, then dip her dramatically. She shrieks with laughter.
We dance through two more songs before she demands I pick her up and spin her around, which I do until we’re both dizzy. When I finally set her down, she makes a monster face at me, complete with clawed hands and a growl that’s more cute than scary.
“Perfect monster,” I tell her, laughing. “Ten out of ten. Absolutely terrifying.”
We head back toward where my brothers are standing. Calvin’s gone now, back by Maren’s side looking like he can’t seeanything but her, but Dominic and Theo are there with beers, mid-conversation about something that involves a lot of hand gestures.
“You’re actually a pretty good dancer,” Theo observes when we approach. “Would have never guessed that.”
“Full of surprises,” I say, grabbing my beer from where I left it on the table.
“Laila!” Chloe shouts suddenly, spotting the golden retriever across the lawn. She takes off running without so much as a goodbye, pigtails flying behind her.
“Full ofshit, more like,” Dominic says, grinning at me.
I flip him off. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Dom.”
Theo laughs, nudging Dominic, then looking back at me. “How are you doing being back home anyway? This is like the longest you’ve been in Dark River in who knows how long.”
“It’s good,” I say. And it is, in some ways. I like being around my brothers, being here for this. But it’s weird, too. Dark River has never really been home for me. Not the way it is for them. It’s just where my family happens to live. Where I visit between races, between seasons, between lives. I left young, just barely fifteen, heading to Europe to chase my Formula One dreams. Been gone more than I’ve been here ever since.
Even now I feel that gap between my brothers and me. That distance that never quite closes no matter how many years pass. Mom and Dad were incredible people, truly good humans, but they already had their hands full with four boys when they adopted me at age six. I was the add-on. The one who never quite fit into the existing family dynamics. They loved me, I know that. But I also know I disrupted the balance.
“I give you one week before you start going stir crazy and causing mayhem,” Dominic says, taking a sip of his beer.
“Already am going fucking stir crazy,” I admit, grinning. “Not much to do around here. But I don’t have much choice.”
“We’re so touched you’re gracing us with your presence,” Dominic says, his voice dripping with fake sincerity.
“You’re welcome,” I say, matching his tone. “I know my company is a gift.”
Theo laughs, shaking his head. “You two are exhausting.”
Chloe and Laila dart past us, nearly knocking Theo over in their chaos. He stumbles back, beer sloshing. “Careful! I—oh and she’s gone.”
“She’s getting big,” I say, watching her barrel through the crowd with Laila at her heels. “Last time I was home she was still talking about unicorns. Is she still into unicorns?”
“Oh, unicorns are so last year,” Theo says, taking a sip of his beer. “Now it’s all race cars and speed machines. Which brings me to something I’ve been meaning to mention.” He narrows his eyes at me. “She’s been asking when you’re going to teach her to drive a go-kart.”
“Really?” I perk up at this. “She’s actually interested?”
“God help me, she really is,” Theo says, running his hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have let her watch all your races with me these last few years. Now she thinks driving fast is a career option.”
“Itisa career option,” I say immediately, nudging him with my elbow. “And a damn good one. Better money than running a restaurant.” I’m grinning now, enjoying the horrified look on his face. “Just think about it. Little Chloe Midnight, racing sensation.”
