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FINN: I know. He’s been walking around like a zombie most of the day, hence the dinner party.
ME: Are you sure he wasn’t just hungover?
He said he was fine. That he got drunk last night. If he’s not coping well, I want to be there for him. Why would he lie to me?
FINN: He was but that wasn’t his hungover face I was seeing. Why?
ME: Tell you later. See you in a few.
Stubborn. Hard-headed. Stupid fucking Max.
He’s trying to be so strong for the rest of us that he’s not taking care of himself. And that’s going to stop today. Because Dad would be irate if he knew Max was walking around like a zombie. He’d give him one hell of a lecture and kick his ass into gear.
Which means that’s up to me if it’s as bad as Finn has me thinking it might be.
Thirty minutes later, with a bottle of wine in each had, Kendall and I arrive at Max and Finn’s loft. Brady’s already here, judging by the choice in music. Hard rock blares through the surround sound speakers at an almost deafening level. When he appears in the hall, a look of irritation on his face, still in his black leather jacket, I’m not surprised.
Stomping over to the entertainment system, he lowers the volume before shrugging out of his jacket and tossing it on the couch. Kendall and I both watch in awe of his graceful moves.
Brady’s a hottie for sure. Six-foot tall, beautiful gray eyes, clean cut but with a bad boy vibe. Tattoo’s cover both of his arms. His right is a full sleeve, and his left will be when it’s finished. Right now, the ink stops just above his elbow. And the best part … he drives a Harley.
Not that I’m allowed to ride on it with him. Max shut that down years ago. My dad backed him up on it.
I’ve known Brady since he moved to our sleepy little town in high school. He hit it off with Finn quick, helping Finn rebuild his car. Max and him seem to have a love hate relationship sometimes. They get along great but like to fight each other. Mostly with snarky comments, calling each other names, but fists have flown a few times.
“Lo!” Brady exclaims when he finally catches sight of us, rushing over and pulling me into his arms. “Your brother’s being a little bitch tonight.”
“Isn’t he always?” Kendall whispers as he pulls her in for a hug.
I tried fixing them up at the beginning of last summer. They mix about as well as oil and water. Kendall’s too high maintenance for him. Brady’s too laid back, go with the flow for her. So instead of dating, they became great friends.
“Don’t I know it,” he says as he takes a bottle of wine from each of us. “Do you really think we needed four bottles?”
“Well, from what I was told, there’s going to be at least six of us at some point. Piper and Alexis might come but they didn’t want to commit to anything. Both of them are taking summer classes that start tomorrow and you know how they are. Probably studying already.”
Brady’s hella smart, too. Not many people know it, because he doesn’t flaunt it, but he was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He could have gone to school anywhere but had moved so much growing up, he was sick of starting over so he came here with Finn and Max. I’m sure the scholarship he was offered didn’t hurt either.
One day I might be calling him Doctor Coleman. He’s studying pre-med but not sure what he really wants to do with it.
“Too bad. Those girls are fun to talk to. What about your sister, K? Why isn’t she here?”
A giggle bubbles in my throat and I swallow it, covering my mouth just in case.
If there’s one person Max detests more than Kendall, it’s her twin sister, Kora. They can’t even be in the same room as each other without getting into a verbal altercation. Which makes life interesting when Kora hangs out with us.
“She’s working as a flight attendant this summer. She wanted to travel the world before she graduated college, and so she’s doing it and getting paid. My mom did the same thing when she was our age.”
“That’s dope as fuck. Where is she right now?”
Kendall and Brady migrate toward the kitchen, deep in conversation. I follow, wondering where Max and Finn are hiding. As soon as I step around the corner, I have my answer.
“Thank God,” Max exclaims, immediately tugging the strings on the black apron he’s wearing, whipping the fabric over his head, and tossing it at me in one swift motion.
“Hello to you, too, big brother.” He pulls me in for a hug, kisses my cheek, and then disappears into the living room without another word.
“Hey,” Finn says, his eyes traveling the length of my body, leaving a prickle of heat in their path, as he takes in my outfit.
I kept it simple with dark, skinny jeans and a low-cut white blouse with bright yellow daisies on it. I figured the jeans would hide the stains, and I could bleach the shirt if I spilled anything on it. Or toss it. I’m not that attached to it.
When his eyes flick back to mine, the corner of his mouth lifts in a dangerous smile.
Checking behind me to make sure Max isn’t around, I notice we’re completely alone. Kendall and Brady slipped out at some point. Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out the one condom I had in my nightstand and toss it to him. He catches it with ease and lifts his eyebrow at me.
“Just in case,” I state, setting my purse on the island before sliding the apron over my head. “What’s on the menu tonight?”
“You.”
