“Yeah.” Kayce looked at Kaia and quickly changed the subject. “I was hoping you had an outfit for me. Junior Prom and the Spring Formal are coming up. I don’t feel like going to the mall for new outfits, so I was hoping to raid your closet, bro.”
New clothes were a novelty in their household, but Kaia admired Kayce’s smooth cover-up. Kaia invited his brother to give him some of the clothes Mrs. Caldwell bought him. He hadn’t expected an audience, especially Rebel. She’d never understand why he wanted Kayce to share in his good fortune. He also hadn’t intended to tell his brother that Rebel’s mom purchased an entire wardrobe for him. He’d wanted Kayce to think he could do something nice for him just because he loved him and was proud of him.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Kaia averted his gaze, unable to look at anyone, embarrassed to his core. “I, uh, I-I bought a lot of new stuff. I was wondering if you wanted to pick out a few items. If…if you want to.” Fucking up royally, he searched for an out. “I…you can pick out your own clothes. I’ll take you shopping.”
He had a room, food, a salary, access to cars, so he could buy Kayce clothes.
“You really want to give menewclothes?” Kayce dropped his façade and let the cat out of the bag. “I thought you wanted to show me what you bought.”
Rebel lifted a brow. Flushing, Kaia searched for something to say but floundered. Mattie snorted, marched to the loveseat, and dropped next to her cousin.
“Didn’t you just win some big wrestling match, Kayce?” Rebel asked, the question completely unexpected. “Mattie has been gushing about it. She thinks it’s so cool that you wrestle to strengthen your football abilities.”
Scowling, Mattie halted her texting and shoved her shoulder against Rebel’s.
She ignored her cousin and smiled at Kayce. “When Kaia visited me in the hospital, he said he wanted to surprise you. He’s proud of you.”
Rebel looked at Kaia and waited for him to take up the story. All he focused on was how she covered for him so he’d save face. He smiled at her and his heart did a little flip when she returned it and winked at him. “You’re proud of me, Kaia?” Kayce asked, trying to play it off, but Kaia knew his brother and heard his hopeful note.
He nodded, regretting his depression at his lost football goals and his moments of jealousy that Kayce hadn’t deserved.
“You don’t have to buy new clothes for me. I’ll be fine with hand-me-downs. Why do you want to spend your hard-earned money on me, bro?”
“Uh–” Kaia searched for something to say that wouldn’t embarrass Kayce. “Umm–”
“Uh, Kaia wants to buy you a wardrobe to congratulate you,” Rebel soldiered on.
“A w-w-wardrobe?” Kaia said faintly. How much did those cost?
“A wardrobe?” Kayce echoed, his skepticism rising. He glanced at Rebel, then at Kaia, and narrowed his eyes.
Mattie showed Rebel her phone. She nodded and leaned back, while Mattie sniffed and crossed her jean-clad legs.
“Kaia left your gift card on the island in the kitchen,” Rebel started.
“What gift–
“We’ll get it in a little while,” Rebel interrupted Kaia, then wagged her manicured finger at him. “You’re lucky Momma found it. If one of the boys ran across it, then—”
“Not CJ,” Mattie inserted.
“Yeah, except CJ,” Rebel agreed. “Anyway, just be careful with your stuff or else Axel, Ryder, and Ransom will get it. They’ll keep it just to fuck with you.”
“I think it’s so cool that you used all your money for a gift card for your little brother.”
Mattie’s phone chimed and she picked it up, then once again showed it to Rebel and whispered in her ear.
“Well, it seems like they found it anyway.” Rebel shook her head. “Kaia, Momma apologized and asked how you’d like to be reimbursed?”
The girls looked at him expectantly, while Kayce wore the same look of confusion that Kaia felt. There were a lot of reasonswhy Mrs. Caldwell didn’t have to reimburse him. He’d never bought a fucking gift card for Kayce.
And…“I ruined some of her clothes,” Kaia blurted. “I-I…isn’t she docking my pay?”
“Did Momma say she was?”
“She wasn’t happy, Reb.”
Rebel glowered at him. “How do you want her to send the gift card to Kayce?” she gritted.
