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“I said I’m not—”
“Bacon’ll be done in a minute.”
“But it’s yours.”
I smiled a little. “They’re overcooked anyway.”
“Oh.” She watched me, wide-eyed, as she ate a forkful. Finally, she smiled, too.
The bedroom door opened, and Tiffany came out in just a t-shirt. My t-shirt.
Lake’s eyes traveled over her sister, head to toe.
“What’s so funny?” Tiff asked.
I realized I was still smiling, so I stopped. “Nothing.”
She gave me a look as if I were in trouble, then went straight for the coffee. “How was last night?” she asked over her shoulder. “Did Corbin bring you?”
“Manning picked me up from the hotel,” Lake said.
I stared at the back of Tiffany’s head as she poured herself a mug, then moved by me to get her fat-free creamer from the fridge.
“She asked for you,” I said, sensing her irritation. “But I didn’t want to wake you. I was already up.”
“What about Corbin?” Tiffany asked. “Still sleeping?”
“Corbin?” Lake asked.
“He’s here, right?”
Like fuck I’d let that little shit into my home so he could take advantage of Lake. “No,” I answered.
Tiffany laughed, coming around the counter to hug a blushing Lake. “You didn’t get laid on prom night? I thought that’s why you came here. For privacy.”
I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t let that image into my head. I pressed the heels of my hands into my eye sockets, forcing blackness. “Jesus Christ.”
“What?” she asked, looking at me over Lake’s shoulder. “She’s seventeen, not ten. She can get laid on prom night if she wants. Lord knows I did, and if Corbin had been my date, I’d do it again. He’s got that hot surfer bod. Better get to him before his freshman beer gut kicks in.”
The room went silent except for the sizzle of bacon. Tiffany was angling to get under someone’s skin, but I wasn’t sure if it was mine or Lake’s. Lake looked at her lap. “I wasn’t—I’m not ready.”
“Well, you’re going to college soon. How much longer—”
“Lay off,” I said. “She’s a f—she’s just a kid.”
“I’m not a kid,” Lake said.
I wanted to shake her every time she denied it. She needed to be young and carefree as long as possible. If not for herself, then for me.
Lake stood up, dropping her fork on the plate. “Just because I’m not a slut like some people doesn’t mean I’m a child.”
“No, you’re not a slut at all, are you? You probably had the chance to lose your virginity to your crush and you couldn’t even do that. You’re a prude.”
Lake’s face went white, and maybe mine did, too. Did Lake have a crush on Corbin?
“Probably saving yourself for the one,” Tiffany muttered. “Like a baby.”
“What’s with you?” I asked, my temper rising. “Why are you being so vicious?”
She shook her head at me. “What do you care? And why don’t you ever make me breakfast?”
“I would, if you ate breakfast.” I held up the pan. “Here. Want this?”
She made a face. “No.”
“Then what’s your problem?”
“Nothing.” She came back to me and rose onto the balls of her feet. “I’m sorry. You know how I am in the mornings. Kiss?” When I just stared at her, she pouted. “Please?”
I leaned in and gave her what she wanted. I had no choice. When I pulled back, Lake had left the room. I didn’t blame her. Just seeing Corbin peck her on the mouth last night had put me on edge. Over the edge. I’d wanted to wring his neck.
“Why do you say stuff like that to her?” I asked, scraping eggs onto a plate.
“You know why.”
“No, I don’t.”
“She needs to hear it, Manning.” She took a sip of her coffee. “She has a crush on you.”
Fuck. I turned my back and opened the fridge, hiding my face. Why was she bringing this up? “She does not.”
“No? What about that night?”
I froze, not even daring to take a breath, racking my brain for a night, any night, she could be talking about that wasn’t that one. Dark highway, wind-in-her-hair, Summer Triangle on a black lake. “What are you talking about?”
“She forced her way into your truck the night you were supposedly committing robbery. What, you thought I didn’t know?”
Her tone told me she knew I didn’t. This was the first I’d heard of it. Lake had sworn to me she wouldn’t tell anyone the truth about that night, but could I really blame her if she had? It’d all gone bad so fast, and she’d had no one to confide in. Slowly, I shut the door. “Nothing happened.”
“Obviously—she doesn’t have the guts. And yet you were stupid enough to get in a car alone with her again. Why? Do you have a crush on her, too?”
I turned quickly. I was the crush Tiffany’d been talking about just now. The one Lake hadn’t lost her virginity to. Not Corbin. “Do I have a crush on Lake?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level. “What’s gotten into you? She’s your sister.”
