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The idea of spending the entire day with Corbin and Cyrus together didn’t sound exciting. I enjoyed the quiet time with Corbin the last day and wouldn’t mind more of it, but not so much Cyrus.
Thankfully, before I objected to his brother’s plan, Corbin did. “We’re watching a Brad Pitt marathon. Going through the classics of the nineties. You like Pitt, right?” Corbin asked, but it was obvious he knew the answer.
Cyrus swallowed and readjusted himself on the couch, smacking his lips together. “He’s a total cad. Remember that party where he snubbed half the people? Someone should have thrown him over the boat. Jennifer is better off without him. She dodged a bullet if you asked me.”
I leaned over out of the way of Corbin. “You really met Brad Pitt?”
“Unfortunately, at a party in the Maldives.” Cyrus looked absolutely pained at the memories.
And then the strangest thing happened. Again.
I saw it from the corner of my eye, but Corbin’s eyebrow rose a fraction higher than the other one. Cyrus mimicked the motion but on the opposite eyebrow. The two of them stared at one another for a good forty-five seconds as if they were having an internal argument about the validity of Brad Pitt.
It was super weird and also cool to witness.
I worried the argument might go on forever, but eventually Corbin sighed and lowered his shoulders in defeat. Maybe they hadn’t been debating the merits of Brad Pitt but something else.
Cyrus gave us that jerky smile of his where one side rose higher than the other. It was definitely a smirk, and it annoyed me, even though I didn’t know what they’d argued about.
“Bro, if she’s going to be my new sister-in-law, we have to learn to get along.”
I froze, appearing a lot like Corbin had a few minutes earlier in the conversation. Who said anything about sister-in-law? Is that what the two of them were arguing about? Did one of them mind read my comments earlier when I called Corbin my boyfriend? I definitely didn’t say it out loud. Right? And I for sure never said anything about marriage.
As if he could sense my despair behind him, Corbin adjusted a fraction, just enough to lay his hand on my thigh and give it a reassuring squeeze. It didn’t work. The blood still thundered through my chest. I didn’t say boyfriend out loud. I’d remember. The muffin from Tabitha circled in my stomach, not as sure of my response.
“Relax, Hazel. He’s kidding.” Corbin gave my knee two more hard squeezes.
Cyrus laughed, jumping from the couch and clapping his hands together twice as if he had a spectacular idea. “Totally not kidding, but you guys can work that out on your own. If we’re doing this Brad Pitt thing, I need popcorn.”
The tension from earlier dissipated again as he left the room, sounding like a happy puppy. He’d been upset for a minute, but nothing kept Cyrus down for long. Again, weird.
Corbin and I stared at one another wordlessly. My mouth continued to open and close, looking like a fish, but I had nothing to say. I couldn’t find the right words, and I worried Cyrus might hear.
The door of the microwave opened and closed, the buttons beeping, and then Cyrus popped his head back into the living room. “You want popcorn, sister-in-law?”
“Um, sure,” I said only because he seemed so excited about the possibility of us sharing popcorn. It was the first genuine smile I’d seen him wear ever. When he really smiled, it shone brightly and full of life. Unlike the other times when it mimicked more of a leer.
“Great, so about the Brad Pitt movies? What’s on the docket?Oceans 11, Oceans 12, Oceans 13?” He listed each one getting more excited with the possibilities. “Seven?The Whole Nine Yards?Fight Club?”
Corbin shook his head slowly at each suggestion. “We already watchedFight Cluband I’m afraid the movie collection doesn’t go much beyond the new millennium.”
Cyrus’s expression fell. “Well then, what’s left?”
“I figured we’d watch a classic. You know, one of those feel-good friend movies,” Corbin said with a smile I describe as evil.
His twin grew more forlorn. “No. You wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, but I would do, brother. Plus, I want to guarantee we watch it. Hazel said it was her favorite. You don’t want to disappoint your new favorite sister-in-law. Would you?”
Cyrus looked at me, silently begging for something, but I didn’t know what because I didn’t even know my favorite Brad Pitt movie. Did I have one? Had I told Corbin I did? If I had to pick, I guess,Fight Club, but I didn’t remember telling Corbin. And if I did, we’d already watched it. Where was he going with the conversation?
“Surely there’s something else we could watch?” Cyrus pleaded. “Benjamin Button?”
I nodded, but Corbin laid his hand on my knee and gave another squeeze. “No, we’ve definitely decided on our selection. Right, babe? We’re watchingThelma and Louise.”
Cyrus lowered his head. “This better be damn good popcorn,” he mumbled before turning back to the kitchen when the microwave dinged.
CHAPTER18
