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“Sorry. Are you—I mean, am I still needed?”
“Dude, you fill in for me once a year.” I give him a pointed stare.
“And whenever you have an appointment or mom has an appointment or you need to run to the bank or—”
“Fine. Whatever. Yes, I still need you. We’re going to the park.”
“We are?” Meredith says.
“With bikes. So–” I stare at Miles, “you stay put.”
Miles grabs the helmet on the shelf behind him, the one Meredith’s been using. “How are lessons going? Does this mean you have it?”
She tilts her head to the side, the ends of her wispy, blonde hair swinging. “Not yet.” Meredith exhales with her entire body, then straightens her shoulders. “But I think today might be my lucky day. I did increase my balance with yoga.”
“Can we go?” I say before yoga can be brought up again. My brothers will never let me live it down.
“Hey, Owen practices yoga.” But Miles is still smiling at me. We’re both thinking the same thing—yes, Owen does, but Levi—Levi does not.
“Oh!” Meredith claps. “I need to meet Owen.”
I snatch the helmet from Miles and push it into Meredith’s hands. Then, I keep pushing. I walk that girl all the way outside. “Wait for me.” I clear my throat—I’m jittery because of Miles, not annoyed with Meredith. “Please,” I add before heading back inside.
“Spending the day with Meredith, huh?” Miles follows me to the back room where Meredith’s bike is parked. I walk it to the front and he keeps talking—so un-Miles-like. “I think that’s great, Levi. She’s a nice girl.”
“She’s twenty-three,” I grumble. Can’t I help a girl learn to ride a bike without the rest of my family assuming there’s something more to it?
“I like her.”
“Good for you.”
“So,” Miles says before I can push through the front exit, “you don’t like her then?”
“I like her fine. Just not in the way that you or Coco or Mom believes I should like her.”
“Huh.” Miles’ shoulders give a slight shrug. “Twenty-three. She’s Owen’s age. They both like yoga. Maybe—”
“Can you get to work? When did you become a matchmaker anyway?”
He lifts both hands in the air—innocent. “Just a thought.”
“Goodbye, Miles.” I’m not sure why there’s a growl in my voice. Meredithisnice. Owen is genuine and kind. But then—why do my worlds need to mix? Meredith is my work world—I mean, kind of. I met her at work… nope, wrong again. I met her when she decided to try a cup of coffee for the first time. Still, Owen is family. Can’t we just keep things in their own compartments? Separate. Why do we need to mix everything up, like some crazy fruit punch?
“Are you grabbing your bike?” Meredith asks, blinking up at me as if her blue eyes were winking gems.
I don’t answer right away. I’m looking at her eyes—they seem to sparkle in this bright, joyful way. Do all eyes do that? Or just Meredith’s?
Owen has joyful blue eyes too… That kid is always smiling. And now, I’m thinking about my brother. Who really isn’t all that great. Why would Meredith need to meet him?
It’s a lie.
Owen’s the best.
“Levi?”
I shake my head—waking myself from this stupor. “My bike’s at home. I’m not worried about my bike. We’re going to get you riding today.”
“Yes! The magic of yoga,” she hums, eyes closed, her ivory face and pink cheeks lifted to the sky.
