Page 44 of All I Feel

Much to my surprise, I was wrong.

The last person I would’ve ever guessed to find on the opposite side of the door was my sister. Like Tessa, Lark had an issue with time. She often showed up late everywhere. Itblew my mind that she’d managed to get up this early and make a trip over to my place.

“What are you doing here?”

She stepped inside, moved past me, and said, “Good morning to you, too, big brother.”

Closing the door behind her, I said, “Good morning, Lark. Now, will you tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m starving. Do you have anything to eat here?”

My brows pulled together, and I followed my sister into the kitchen. “Yes, I do. But did you run out of food at your place?”

Lark came to a stop in front of the refrigerator, spun around to face me, and asked, “Do you honestly think I’d come here in that instance?”

I shrugged. “I’m still not sure I understand what you’re doing here, then.”

“I need food first.” She opened the refrigerator and peered inside. “I don’t think you understand the amount of energy I had to exert to wake up so early and get ready as fast as I did to make it here. I didn’t have time to eat anything.”

“Would you like some of my breakfast?” I offered, too curious about her actual reason for being here. “I have plenty.”

She stood, glanced at the food I’d prepared, and closed the fridge with a smile on her face. Snatching a piece of toast off my plate, Lark got comfortable in a chair. Only after she’d taken a few bites, did she speak. “I have some questions for you.”

“Okay. About what?”

Lark arched a brow. “Are you really going to pretend youhave no idea what I’d find so important that I’d show up here this early to address it?”

“So, this is about Tessa.”

“She’s my best friend, Ace.”

That wasn’t news to me, so I simply nodded and waited for additional clarification. When my sister didn’t say anything else, I said, “I’m aware she’s your best friend. Is there a problem?”

“I don’t know. That depends on you.”

My fork was halfway to my mouth when I stopped. “Me?”

Lark leaned forward and snatched a strawberry off my plate. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her.”

“Yes.”

“And you went out of your way to speak to Ryan on her behalf.”

“Better me than Tessa, don’t you think?”

She bit into the strawberry and studied me in silence. I continued to shovel eggs into my mouth, waiting for whatever was coming. When I picked up the other slice of toast, Lark asked, “What are you doing?”

“Now?”

“With Tessa, Ace. Is this you simply being her best friend’s big brother looking out for her like he would his little sister?”

My lip curled with disgust. “No, Lark. I don’t look at Tessa as a little sister.”

“I had a feeling. What do you look at her as?”

“Not a sister.”

“Ace, I’m being serious.”