“How is Stacy?” I ask. All I need to do is get him on a tangent about himself and he’ll forget me.
“How would I have a Stacy update?” he replies and the pop of a can being opened punctuates the end of his sentence. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t keep tabs on her. She graduated college and was dating a jerk from Michigan.”
He shuffles back into the kitchen, making himself right at home, and Hudson leans in whispering in my ear.
“What is your brother doing here?”
His breath brushes against my ear. To cover up the tingle racing over my skin, I shrug.
“He goes to college in Washington.”
“Do you think he’s in trouble?” he asks.
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see. “No, Hudson.” I turn letting him see my annoyed expression. “Not everybody is in trouble.”
Just because my brother turned up at 8:30 on a random weeknight doesn’t mean he’s running from something… or someone. It’s not like it’s a family trait or anything.
Probably.
“Alex,” I yell from the living room. “What are you doing here? Are you in trouble?”
It never hurts to be sure.
He sticks his head out from the kitchen, scowling as he sees Hudson’s arms on my shoulders. “Early spring break.”
“Early spring break?” Hudson questions before I get the chance.
My God what if my brother is in trouble? Terror wraps its fingers around my heart. The fear worse for my brother than it ever was for my own safety.
Alex walks out of my kitchen carrying the can of cola and a bag of cheddar cheese chips. “They give us this tiny little long weekend off where we’re supposed to be studying for midterms, but a few of the guys and I decided to go south for the weekend.”
I nod my head as he talks because this sounds like Alex. Studying has never been his focus.
“I wanted to do it in one big fun road trip, but the buddy I was riding with wants to meet up with a chick he met on the internet who lives in Oakland, and the drive is longer than we planned.”
“Yeah, because it’s seven hours from here, not counting traffic.” It’s good to see my brother still maintains his dumb ass qualities. The drive from Washington is too long.
“It doesn’t appear far on a map.”
“Have you ever heard of the internet? Google Maps?”
“Okay, kids, let’s calm down,” Hudson says stepping in front of me. “I’m sure your sister is fine with you sleeping on the couch for tonight.”
The couch? That’s where Hudson sleeps.
“Of course she is because she’s the best sister in the world. My favorite one.” He sits on the couch with a big plop, somehow managing not to spill any of the liquid from the can.
“I’m your only sister.”
“Are we sure Tommy isn’t a girl?” he asks about our oldest brother. Tommy would not be impressed to hear said question. He’s always been too much of a rule follower for Alex.
“You’re going to sit on my couch, drink my soda, and eat my food?”
He nods his head. “Yup.”
Great.
“We were getting ready to go to bed anyway,” Hudson says.
