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The strange flutter in my tummy surprises me.
Composing myself, I hit back with, “Did you do that? Find out about me?”
He smirks. “More than you know. I heard you were doing well.”
“Same.” I rest my hands on my hips. “My dad told me you were excelling.”
Reid angles his head, brows crumpled. “I wonder how Uncle Jeff would know when he and my mom weren’t speaking.”
I scoff. “What about Aunt Helena? How would she know anything about me?”
“Perhaps both your parents were secretly checking on the other,” Genevieve chimes in, snickering as she returns to the counter. “Don’t be hard on each other, huh. Anyway, salad for lunch.”
Reid responds with a groan. “Is there anything else?”
I click my tongue and roll my eyes at him. “Salad is fine. I’ll have whatever you make, Genevieve.”
He snorts. “Suit yourself.”
My heart leaps with the anticipation of a hug when he starts over. As if purposefully toying with me, he pauses before me for a beat, only to sniff and walk to the large fridge, grabbing juice.
Disappointment weighs my body down. I try to brush it off and sit on a stool at the island. Every guy isn’t like Logan. Maybe Reid isn’t the hugging type. At least, not anymore.
“So, are you still into sports?” I attempt to catch up, intrigued about the older version of my cousin.
He drinks a bit before answering. “Played soccer in high school so it’d look good on college applications.”
“Speaking of college,” I point out. “Congrats on your acceptance to Yale.”
“You too, on Penn State.”
“I can’t believe you’re both eighteen and about to go off to college,” Genevieve gushes while setting glass bowls of veggies on the island. “It feels like you were running around the place only yesterday, getting into mischief.”
Her words slingshot my mind down memory lane, and I steer my focus back to Reid. Warmth floods my skin when I notice he’s watching me with a partial smile.
As if he just realized what he’s doing, he blinks away and picks up the bowl, eating without meeting my eyes again.
It’s mostly Genevieve and me chatting, with Reid adding a few words here and there.
When we finish, Genevieve moseys off to handle other tasks. Reid stays behind in the kitchen.
“Want to walk around?” I suggest. “I’m curious as to how much has changed.” I perk up at a thought. “The fort. Is it—”
“It’s rundown,” he deadpans. “I stopped going there after you left. And it’s at the far back of the property, so no one cares. Mom’s tearing it down soon.”
My stomach sinks at the news. “That’s too bad. We spent so much time there as kids.”
The hiss that follows lets me think he doesn’t give a damn. He steps out to the patio and sticks his hands in his pockets.
I walk outside, staring in awe at the beauty of the backyard. “I forgot how massive this place is.”
“Guess everything here is forgettable to you.” His harsh tone and remark hit me like an invisible slap.
Gritting my teeth, I turn to him. “Look, that’s—”
“Thought you wanted to walk around.” He strides out to the yard and halts as if waiting for me.
“Geez,” I grumble.
