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“Hey, Drew,” Erin says as she tucks her mat away on a low shelf against the wall. “What are you doing here in the middle of the day?”
“No, that’s not the question.” I lean my shoulder on the doorjamb and cross my arms over my chest. “The question is, what the fuck have you done to my room?”
“Not your room anymore,” Haley says with a shrug. “We converted it into a Zen yoga, library space.”
“A she shed,” Erin adds with excitement. “Isn’t it great? It’s so pretty.”
“Why are there rocks on the windowsills?”
“Those arecrystals,” Haley replies coolly. “And they’re there to bring good energy into the space. To protect it.”
I narrow my eyes on my younger cousin. “Protect it from what? Are they going to snag the clothing of an intruder?”
“You don’t get it.” Haley pats my cheek and grins up at me. “But we love you anyway. Besides, you don’thaveto get it. This is ourshe shed.And the last time I checked, you’re not a she.”
“Nope, not a she.”
“I have to go. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
Haley waves and then takes off for the house, which leaves me here with Erin. At just a couple of years younger than me, Erin and I have always been close. I haven’t seen her in a while, so this is a good opportunity to catch up.
“How are you?” I ask as I step inside.
“Come sit on this couch thing,” she replies, gesturing for me to sit on what looks like a beanbag. “It’ll change your life.”
“I don’t know that I need my life to be changed.” But I oblige her, and I have to admit, it’s damn comfortable. Erin sits across from me, her knees drawn up to her chest, and smiles serenely. “Okay. Talk to me.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“What’s been going on with you? I haven’t seen you much lately. We used to talk all the time.”
“You moved.” It’s not said with any censure at all, just a statement of fact. “But I have missed you. Not much is happening. Nothing mucheverhappens.”
“Hey.” I frown as she casts her eyes down. “You don’t sound like yourself.”
“I don’t think I belong in Seattle.” Her eyes widen, as if she can’t believe she just said that out loud.
“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Why not?”
She blows out a breath, and if I’m not mistaken, her eyes get glassy.
“Don’t cry. If I could manage to pull myself out of this death trap, I’d come over there and hug you. Don’t cry, okay?”
“I’m not.” She clears her throat and sniffs. “I’m not crying. I love our family, Drew. And I’m grateful that I have them. That I have all of you in my life. But it’s not an easy family to be a part of. Particularly, it’s not easy to be Will Montgomery’s daughter.”
“Yeah.” I nod slowly. “I know it’s been rough for you in that department. Did the sports broadcaster come sniffing around again?”
“No. But I did meet a guy a few weeks ago who seemed nice. On the second date, he asked when he could meet my dad.”
I wince. “Ouch.”
“I’m just so over it. I get it. I have a cool father, but don’t most guys dread meeting a girl’s parents?”
“Usually,” I confirm. “I can’t say it’s something most guys get excited about.”
“That’s all they ever want from me. To meet my dad. And Ilovemy dad. I’m proud of him. But sometimes I just want to be…normal.”
“Our family definitely isn’t normal.”
