I stand there, frozen, heart tight.
I step back silently before she notices and make my way over to her room, I place the wildflower and note gently on her pillow, careful not to make a sound, leaving the door slightly ajar so the hall light spills in and make my way downstairs.
At the bottom of the steps, Grace smirks, arms crossed, hair still damp from her shower.
“This is the third time I catch you sneaking upstairs, thinking no one sees.”
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with the woman you were staring at all night, would it?” she asks, one brow raised, smug and unbothered.
I grin, shaking my head.“You know, I was driving by the diner the other night, and I swear I saw Caleb kissing a girl that looked a lot like you.”
Her expression shifts instantly.“But you were over at Cassie’s to study, so it wasn’t you, right?” I add, feigning innocence.
I wanted to get out of my car and bring her home right then, but while my other brothers are more impulsive like that, the way Grace smiled with Caleb made me pause. Don’t get me wrong, if that boy ever hurts her, he’ll know exactly what my fist on his jaw feels like. But Penny had a point when she confronted us a month ago right before Grace went on her first date with Caleb. I don’t want her to go to college sheltered and naive, trusting every boy she meets because we protected her too much. So I keep my eye on her from afar and wait for the boy to screw up before I act.
Grace’s smirk dies, replaced by a glare.
“Your silence for my silence.”
She sticks her hand out to me, the same way we used to as kids when we needed to hide things from our parents.
“Deal.” I shake her hand firmly, then pull her into a hug.
“That boy ever hurts you, you come to me, okay?” I say, eyes locking with hers. She hesitates, then nods.
“He loves me,” she says quietly, but it doesn’t sound happy. Her voice wavers, eyes dropping to her feet as she fiddles with her sleeve.
“And you don’t?” I ask gently.
“I really like him,” she says, a shrug that doesn’t reach her eyes.
I lift her chin with my finger so she’ll meet my gaze.“It’s okay if you’re not there yet, and of course he loves you, Grace. You’re ten kinds of special, beautiful, smart, and cowgirl to the bone. The man that wins your heart one day will be one lucky bastard. Well…he’ll only get to you after he goes through us, but that’s just to make sure he’s ready to fight for the treasure you are.”
Her lips tremble into a smile, eyes glistening.
“You think I’m beautiful?”
My chest tightens. Maybe we’ve been too hard on her about dating if she doesn’t even know how special she is.
“I know so,” I say softly.“And not just because you’re my sister, but because you’re one of the bravest, kindest, most beautiful souls I know, inside and out. No man will ever be good enough for you.”
I hug her tighter this time, like I’m trying to shield her from everything I can’t control.
“Thanks, Ethan.” She kisses my cheek, her voice small.
“You know you’re my favorite brother.”
I grin and ruffle her hair.“Oh, quit it, you liar. We all know you and Jace have a special bond. But you’re my favorite sister, that’s for sure.”
She scoffs, wiping her cheek.“I’m your only sister!”
“Exactly,” I nod with a grin.
She rolls her eyes, but her smile stays. Her laughter echoes softly down the quiet hallway, blending with the creak of the floorboards and the faint whisper of wind brushing against the old windowpanes. For a moment, it feels like everything is exactly as it should be, home, warmth, family… and the woman upstairs I can’t stop thinking about.
Summer
I step into my room, still raw from confiding in Ethan about my family, my past. There’s a sting in my chest, a hollow ache that somehow feels like it’s shifting something inside me, a tiny crack in the armor I’ve carried for so long.
