When I look up from my phone, Nick, Carol, and Dilynne are all watching me.
“Sorry, it was Elodie.”
Dilynne flicks her head in the direction of the front door. “Hey, wanna come outside with me really quick?”
“Uh, why?”
She rolls her eyes. “Just get your ass out front, gorilla man.” She stabs a piece of her French toast and shoves it in her mouth before moving toward the front door.
Carol shakes her head with an amused smile on her face. “Go ahead, Henley. I’ve got Remy. And just so you know, once Elodie leaves, I’m more than willing to help you with her.”
A tiny sliver of relief radiates through my chest. “Thanks, Carol.”
“Anything for you, hun. We love you two.”
That word makes my pulse spike again, but I choose to ignore it and follow my sister outside, finding her continuing to eat on the porch swing. I take a seat in the Adirondack chair next to her. “What did you need to say to me that you couldn’t say in front of Carol and Nick?”
Dilynne finishes chewing before she replies. “I’m sorry. Did you want them to know that you wanna bang your nanny? Because if that’sthe case, we can go back in there and have this conversation in front of them.”
I flash her a flat stare. “That’s not necessary. Now say what you need to say, please.”
“I really think you need to have a talk with Elodie. You should have seen the way that girl ran out of Laney’s house last night, Henley. It was like she couldn’t get to you fast enough.”
My heart rate spikes with this information. “She was just worried about Remy.”
“No, big brother.” Shaking her head, she continues, “She was worried aboutyou. It’s the same reason she went off on you yesterday morning.”
“Why are you telling me this, Dil?”
“Because you’re a man and I know it’s natural for you to be a little slow to realize things.”
“And what should I be realizing?”
Sighing, she leans closer to me. “That girl cares about you, Henley. Not just Remy. She cares aboutyou. That’s why she was so upset with you when you didn’t answer her texts. That’s why she went off on you. But it seems to me like you’re both too stubborn to admit what’s happening between the two of you.”
My blood is pumping so hard that I can hear it in my ears. My eyes are locked on my sister, and for a moment, I debate telling her about the kiss, about how I can’t stop thinking about it.
But I decide not to—because until I know what I want to do about it, it needs to stay between me and Elodie. Hell, I don’t even know how she feels about it. I know she kissed me back, I know that she was clawing at me just as desperately as I was at her, and I know that her eyes told me she wanted more when we were done.
But what happens next?
The physical attraction toward her has been fueling my decisions thus far. Now I need to decide if the emotional attraction is worth exploring too.
The truth is, I care about Elodie, and that’s a foreign feeling for me. The small circle of people I let in is small for a reason: it means there’s a reduced chance of being hurt. But can I make room for one more person in that group? And does Elodie even want that? Is it worth letting her in if she just plans on leaving anyway?
“Are you bringing Elodie to Fletcher’s game in a few weeks?”
“I—I haven’t decided yet. I asked him to secure a ticket for her but haven’t asked her.”
“I think you should. And I think you should show her that you care about her too.” She lifts her eyebrow again, flashing me that knowing look. “Also, see if Carol and Nick want to watch Remy that weekend so you can get a little break.”
“I don’t need a break from her.”
Dilynne puts her hand on top of mine. “Yes, you do. You might not think so, but Steven told me you need to make sure you get time away. I guess he and his wife make a point to do one outing a month just the two of them, no kids. Chelsea struggles with the guilt, but after they get that break, they always feel like better parents.”
She releases my hand and stands from the swing. “Remember, I’m just trying to make sure you’re taking care of yourself as well. Now, I’m going to practice holding my niece so one day you’ll let me babysit her too.”
I watch my sister move back inside the house, but I can’t force myself to get up out of my chair yet.
