“By us,” Theo said. “And also Cash.”
“If that’s what you want,” Mom said.
Theo snorted. “Oh, she wants.”
If I thought my face was hot before, it was nothing compared to now. “How would you know what I want?”
Theo laughed lightly. “We’ve seen you kiss him twice now.”
“I was filming a music video,” I growled. “It’s called acting.”
“Nuh uh.” Theo’s mouth curved up in amusement. “You’re not that good of an actress. You can’t even keep a straight face when you lie.”
I threw my hand out. “There isn’t a woman on earth who wouldn’t kiss Cash like that. He’s one of those once-in-a-generation, eye candy phenomenon who’s every woman’s type.” I glared at Theo. “And if you tellanyoneI said that, I will post that shirtless gym picture you took, along with your phone number.” Plenty of guys would’ve been cool with that, but not Theo. He didn’t even have social media.
He looked at me like I’d been possessed. “Whoareyou?”
“She’s the girl who loves Cash Dupree,” Dad teased.
“No,” I growled.
“Come on, Charlie,” Mom said, frustrated. “We all see it. Why can’t you?”
“Cash is way too good for me, okay?” When all three of them opened their mouths to argue, I cut them off. “He’s freakingbeautiful. Sings like God handed over his own vocal cords. He’s going to be rich and famous and he could have any woman he wants. He doesn’t want me.” I jabbed at my chest again. “Not really. If I let myself fall for him, it will break my heart when he realizes I’m not half as good as the dreams he’s made up about me. Then, he’ll leave me for Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez or somebody that is way higher caliber than me. Is that what you all want?”
“Taylor’s too old,” Theo said matter-of-factly.
“Selena then,” I hissed.
“She’s only a couple of years younger, I think.” He scoffed. “What a stupid conversation. Cash would never want women like that. He wants someone down to earth. Someone real.”
“He wants you,” Mom said.
They all gave me a pity stare.
“No. He doesn’t. You’ll see. He’ll be like every other celebrity and go for looks and money.”
Even Ford was like that. Kind of. Maybe Aunt Peyton hadn’t been famous when he met her but she was undeniably gorgeous. Former Miss Seddledowne.
Out of my periphery, I saw a muscle in Theo’s jaw tick. “If that’s what you think of Cash, then you don’t know him as well as I thought you did.” A quick puff of air escaped his nostrils. “He’d be so mad if he knew that’s what you thought of him.”
Ouch.
“He dated a lot of girls while you were gone,” Dad said. “He’s tired of playing a game he never wanted to play in the first place. You’re all he’s ever wanted.”
“Cash loves you,” Mom said. “The throw-myself-in-front-of-a-moving-train-to-save-youkind of love. It’s not a passing fancy. It’s deep and real and lasting and we can all see it. Why can’t you?”
“Because it’s too good to be true.” My voice shook. “Cash is way out of my league.”
Theo shook his head, clearly annoyed. He shifted so he could look at me better. “I’m your brother, so please take this the way I mean it, but you’re really, really pretty. Don’t you know that?” I stared at him, pressing my hands against my cheeks, feeling more vulnerable by the second. “Remember that time I brought my freshman roommate home to visit?”
“Brandon?” I muttered, half laughing. “The walking ego who told me he’d kissed sixty-seven girls like I should be impressed?”
Theo chuckled. “Yes. And he really had kissed that many. Trust me, I was a first-hand witness to at least twenty of them.” He shifted Cate in his lap. “Well, he had like some kind of love-at-first-sight moment when he saw you.”
My brow lifted. “Brandon?” I asked in disbelief. He’d been pretty hot. I might’ve given him a second look if his douchebag personality hadn’t gotten in the way. Nowhere near as cute as Cash though. Even back then. No one was as cute as Cash.
“Yup,” Theo said. “And then he tried to make you number sixty-eight and you shut him down with a hand to the face.”
