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“You left your coat.”
She rolls her eyes, but her face is flushed. “How’d you know where I live?”
Right. I invited myself over to her house.
“Um, Pax came by after… after you left, and he offered to tell me. I planned to drop off your coat, but you weren’t here, and then Braids, um, I mean Garrett, invited me in.”
Winnie’s face is even pinker, but she still manages a scary glare. “And you decided to make yourself at home?”
My eyes dart to Jesse and Garrett for some assistance, but the former isn’t even trying to hide his glee at my discomfort and the latter has eyes only for her big sister.
“I didn’t—”
She mutters a curse under her breath and gestures to herbrother. “Get some plates and set the table. Make it for four,” she directs in an overly polite tone. “We have a guest.”
“Oh,” I say awkwardly, making to stand. “That’s okay. You don’t have to feed me.”
She levels me with a look. “Sit your butt down, Case. We have plenty.”
Her tone is as brisk as ever, but there’s something warmer around the edges I’ve only recently learned to recognize, and I decide to take the offering for what it is. “Okay.”
The Sutton siblings chat during dinner, and I listen. It’s captivating the way their conversation flows round and round. Everything is familiar and easy. I’m a little envious, which is a mind fuck, considering everything else at play here.
“Case was telling us about barrel racing,” Jesse eventually blurts.
I choke on a piece a cheese sticking to the back of my throat. I reach for my glass of water and drain half of it in a single gulp.
Winnie doesn’t seem too fazed, however. She sighs and glances at me. “He did, did he?”
“Garrett says you ride like the wind,” Jesse continues, his tone a little accusing and a lot exasperated.
The corner of Winnie’s lips quirk. “Well, sure I do.”
Have I ever mentioned how hot her confidence is? Like, if her siblings weren’t right there, and also, if I wasn’t trying to be a good friend…
Jesse nods thoughtfully. “I think I’d like to see it sometime.”
Winnie’s eyes soften, and she focuses on her brother. Something private passes between them, and I don’t want to intrude or interrupt. Much.
She clears her throat and nods. “That can be arranged. After school, of course.”
Jesse nods, picking up a slice of pizza and eating as if nothing’s happened. I watch the siblings, chewing in silence, feeling like I’ve missed something. It’s like they have their own version of sibling speak. A secret language.
I only eat two small pieces. I know what Winnie said about them having plenty to share, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m taking from them, and anyway, this entire day has been pretty unsettling. I’m not that hungry.
After they finish eating, I’m trying to figure out a way to make a graceful exit when Winnie turns to me. “I could use a walk. Wanna join?”
My eyes grow wide, but I keep them on her. “S-sure.” I think I hear a snort coming from Jesse’s vicinity, but I ignore it. A walk. Alone. Yes.
Unless. Oh, shit. Is this where she murders me for interfering in her life and inviting myself into her house, spilling her secrets to her siblings?
Well, Win, your ten-year-old sister insisted, so it’s not like I had a choice but to insert myself into your private life…
Walker’s ghost snickers in the back of my mind.I’m so happy to provide you with endless afterlife entertainment, I think.
Great list, by the way. Totally killing it.
I help the siblings clean up dinner and then move to the door. “I have a coat in my truck,” I say. “Meet you out front?”
