I grab the food from the delivery guy before heading into the kitchen. I hear the faint sound of music coming from Katy’s room and sigh. So much for cheering her up. Hell, I couldn’t even remember to buy the ingredients to cook for her. Now she feels like I’m siding with my parents over the whole college thing. Honestly, it’s not that, but how do I tell my kid sister that I don’t want her to enlist because I’m fucking terrified of losing her too? That I’m no better than our parents because I can’t see past my own issues, even though I’m dimming her light every time I rub the shine off her dreams.
I plate up the food and grab a couple of bottles of water before taking them over to the table. I jog out to the den and find Katy curled up on the sofa, staring out the window, though I’m not sure she’s seeing anything at all.
“Food’s here.”
She turns and looks up at me before getting to her feet. Instead of stepping back to get out of her way, I pull her into my arms. After a second, she relaxes and wraps her arms around me too.
“I’m sorry, Katy cat. I’m a dick.”
“I know.”
I chuckle before I kiss the top of her head. “Forgive me?”
She looks up at me and rolls her eyes the way only a little sister can before she nods. “I can’t stay mad at you for long with those puppy dog eyes of yours. But please, let’s not test that theory,” she adds before I open my mouth and insert my foot once more. “So, what did you order?”
“Chinese. I wanted to try that new place that just opened up.”
“Ooh, perfect.” She nudges me aside and heads to the dining table, where she plonks herself down, knowing which plate is hers by the contents.
“You always remember my favorites.” She grins at me before spearing a piece of orange chicken with her fork and popping it in her mouth.
“It’s not hard,” I tease as I take my seat opposite her. “You always order the same things.”
“If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it.” She points her fork at me. I nod, conceding her point, before I dig in. We’re relatively quiet while we eat, but it’s not an awkward silence. We both like our food too much to waste it with small talk. I finish before she does and stand when I hear the doorbell.
“Be right back.” I wipe my mouth before heading to the door, opening it with a grin as I take the bag from Kellen.
“You gonna invite me in as I brought you dessert? You know how much your sister likes me.” Kellen rubs his hands with a grin.
“No.” I close the door in his face and head back to the table just as Katy is stacking the plates.
“Who was that?”
“Kellen. I got him to pick something up for me as I didn’t get a chance to earlier.”
She frowns, then eyes the bags, doing a happy dance when I pull out the peach cobbler from the diner and a tub of vanilla ice cream. She grabs bowls, spoons, and a knife as I carry the dirty dishes out before following me back to the table.
“Kellen could have stayed for a bit. I’m sure we could have given him a small slice.” She mutters the last part, making me grin. Katy doesn’t like to share food any more than I do, though mine stems from being in the army and fuckers always picking off my plate before I was done.
She groans when she takes a mouthful and leans back in her chair.
“Do I need to give you and the cobbler a minute alone?”
“No, but you could have given me the cobbler and Kellen a minute alone.” She winks as I scowl at her.
“And that is exactly why I didn’t invite him in.”
“You’re an idiot. I’m seventeen, Banner.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then who cares if I have a crush on one of your friends? Dear God, have you seen your friends? The only way I wouldn’t have a crush is if I batted for the other team. But Kellen wouldn’t go near me with a ten-foot pole, and you know that. He only says shit to wind you up, and you’re an idiot because you let him.”
“It’s really fucking annoying when your kid sister is more mature than you are,” I grumble under my breath, but not quiet enough because she laughs.
“So, what got you in such a tizzy earlier?”
“I wasn’t in a tizzy. Men don’t have tizzies.”
