Skye interrupts with a raspberry. “Brodie, how hard did you hit your head? You were there when I invited Aria over tonight. This isn’t even our normal dinner night, but you had to demand Simon pick you up—” She pauses, her lips hanging open— “Oh shit, youwantedto be here when Aria was. That’s why you offered to put Halley to bed!”
Simon comes up next to me, having just left Luna’s room. “Shh! Luna just went to sleep, Skye!”
Skye grimaces and I want to shrivel up and die. My face flames and I work hard to keep my focus on my sister and not on the beautiful woman giving off waves of hatred from across the room.
“No. I just missed the girls. And you offered to take care of me while I’m recovering, remember?”
“I mean, yeah, I did,” Skye says. “I didn’t expect you to actually let me.”
“Well, here I am.”
Skye tips her head. “Why didn’t you bring an overnight bag then?”
Look, I fight with my sister. We make a regular occurrence of it. Most of it is innocuous. But this might be the most mad I’ve ever been at her. She is actively throwing me under the bus for being nosy and wanting to see Aria.
I check Halley on my shoulder and she’s out cold now. I nudge Simon next to me. “Here, can you lay her down? Templeton needs to go outside.”
With a kiss to her downy red hair, I gently pass Halley to Simon. I whistle twice to get Templeton off Aria’s lap, because of course that’s where he is.
I fume while I stand outside. Skye’s right. This is stupid. Aria obviously still hates me. I don’t really get the hostility because we just kinda faded as friends. I didn’t have enough time for her, and she stopped coming to our spot in the summer. Eventually, I stopped trying.
I’d been happy to see her again when she fell on me. Okay, fine, I was terrified and thought she was trying to kill me at first. Then, I was happy when I realized who it was. She did not share the same sentiment, and I hate that.
Everybody likes me. Literally. I have two million followers online where I post my firefighter videos.
I refuse to admit defeat with Aria. She will like me again.
I return inside after Templeton does his business in the yard. The traitor goes straight for Aria’s lap again. Man’s best friend is a lie.
My strategy now? Pretend like nothing’s wrong. I stand by the couch where Ari’s back is against the arm. “Hey, can I sit there? I need to prop my arm up.”
“Oh, um, okay.” Aria sits up and shifts to leave me a space. I wiggle my way down into it. It’s a tight squeeze with four of us on the couch.
Skye swallows a sip of wine, waving her hand. “Uh-uh. No boys.”
I put my non-sling-bound hand to my chest. “That’s no way to treat a guest.”
“We don’t need your snarky ‘this is stupid’ commentary. Go find Simon and do some boy stuff.”
“What?” I object. “I likeHousewives.”
Skye purses her lips and points to the screen. “Then which season is this?”
Well, she might have me there. “Pittsburgh?”
I’m kicked out expeditiously, but there’s one tiny victory.
Aria giggles.
A giggle might mean she’s not mad at me anymore. A giggle might mean I have the in to get to know grown-up Aria.
I am so back.
SIX
BRODIE
“Alright.Shirt off. I don’t have all day.”
