It actually feels a little freeing. I’ve had so many people expect so much of me for a long time.
“Fine.” I look at him and match his stare, our eyes fusing a connection that grows steadier each time it occurs. “Get off my couch then.”
And, to his credit, he does.
CHAPTER NINE
“Hi, Luke. Nice to meet you. I’m Chloe.”I finger spell Luke, since Warren never taught me his name sign. I do show him the sign my father has given me for my name.
Luke is about my height with thin brown hair that falls into his glasses. He’s the spitting image of his brother, piercing eyes with a sharp jaw and hollow cheeks, but there is a warmth to him that Warren is missing.
“Nice to meet you, Chloe.”He turns towards Warren, stern-faced.“Why didn’t you tell me she could sign? I could have really embarrassed myself.”
Warren slyly looks towards me, then back to his brother as he signs,“I already did. It seemed only fair.”
I try to hide a smirk as Luke looks towards me for an explanation.“He called me hot.”
“Thatisembarrassing.”Luke raises an eyebrow at his brother, then looks back to me as if to see if his brother was right. I think, based on the fact that he had to check again, he was not.
“Anyway, I’m sorry about my signing. I haven’t practised much in the last four years. My father is deaf, but we haven’t talked much since I moved out for school.”
“What did you do in school?”Luke signs.
Warren taps him on the shoulder to get his attention before he looks back at me, wearing an expression that immediately signals he’s going to try to get under my skin. Warren leads his brother by the shoulder to the Tampon Ad hanging in my dining room—his favourite piece, apparently.
“Graphic design. Her work is all around the house. I’m so sorry.”
“Prick,” I say as Luke faces the wall.
Warren smiles over his shoulder.He’s teasing me.Huh, I’m pretty sure that’s what friends do, isn’t it?Trying to hurt my feelings is different from trying to rile me up. Maybe he’s in a good mood because of Luke’s arrival.
“I like it.”Luke turns to me, wearing a polite smile.
“Thank you, Luke. At least one of you has good taste.”I make a point to not look at Warren.“I’m sure you and your brother have got lots to do. I’ll get out of your way.”
I walk to the kitchen to make a snack as they sink down onto the couch. They both laugh every once in a while, and I can’t help but smile each time. The group home must have been really lonely for Luke.
As I head towards the stairs, snack in hand, I catch Luke’s wave from the corner of my eye.“Is your room up there?”He points at the spiral staircase.
“Yes.”
“That is so cool! Can I see?”He looks genuinely interested. I suppose the novelty of the loft has worn off on me.
“Oh, sure.”
“What are you doing?”Warren circles around to stand next to me, stopping Luke from reaching the bottom step.
“I want to see the loft.”Luke points to my room.
“That is Chloe’s space.”His hands are moving so fast I can barely make out what’s being signed.
“I don’t mind,”I sign to Warren. I appreciate his concern, but it isn’t necessary.
“Well, I do.”He glares down at me, and my feet glue to the floor as my heart stops for a moment. Someone signing at you with anger in their eyes lands far more pointedly.
“Oh, okay.”I attempt my best polite smile at Luke to both comfort him and avoid eye contact with Warren.
“Luke.”I make note of Luke’s sign name as Warren uses it.
