“Sorry, Dad,” we said in unison, and he laughed, kissed me and then Jury on the side of the head, grabbed his briefcase, gave his suit one last check in the hall mirror, and rushed out the front door. “Be good, boys!” he called right before he closed the door behind himself. He took the time to engage the lock, and I rolled my eyes.
“Does he think someone is going to come in and kidnap us? We’re over six feet tall.”
Jury shrugged. “It’s sweet. We’re lucky.”
“Didn’t say we weren’t.” I shoved him, and without Dad here to yell we scuffled all the way into the kitchen, laughing and huffing for breath. He stomped on my foot, and I grunted, punching him for real, and then we leaned against the counter trying to catch our breath while we nursed our war wounds. I rested my elbows back and stared at the sunshine in the wide bay windows. The clean white tiles and countertops sparkled and almost blinded me.
“Do you think he’ll ever let us grow up?”
“Don’t. Don’t tell him to stop kissing us. His heart will break into a million pieces.” Jury frowned at me and crossed his arms. “I know I’m Dad’s favorite, but you can’t be mean that way.”
Flipping him off, I shook my head. “It isn’t that. I wish he didn’t see us as kids.”
His smile grew until he was being obnoxious, and he rested both hands on his chest. I knew he was just shy of exploding into confetti as he held his breath.
“Say whatever shitty thing you want to say,” I snapped.
He snorted. “You’re worried he’s going to freak out if you manage to talk Mr. Goddard into bed, aren’t you? Where would you even take him?” He glanced around the kitchen.
I tapped my bare feet on the cool floor tiles. “Maybe we should get an apartment?”
Jury leaned toward me and stared directly into my eyes until I planted my palm over his face, and he knocked my arm down. “Holy fuck, you’re serious.”
Nodding, I shrugged. “I like Flynn. I’m going to have him. I shouldn’t plan on bringing him somewhere he wouldn’t be comfortable, and you’re right. There is no way to do that here.”
Jury scooted closer to me and knocked his hip against mine. “Are you high? You said you would share edibles if you got any.” He pouted.
“Fuck off.”
“You’re doing something you probably shouldn’t.” He stared at me. Somehow he’d always been wired as more of a rule follower, and he used his wide eyes to try to create the same guilt in me that apparently lived in him, but I just didn’t have it.
“I want him.”
“Point, and usually I am on board with you getting anything you want because—”
“It’s like you getting whatever you want.” I rolled my eyes at him. “You can just say you like to see me happy without it being about you.”
Jury rubbed his face. “He’s a teacher.Ourteacher. And yeah, we’re not kids, but it’s a gray area. Abort mission. Please.”
I crossed my arms. “If you won’t go, I’ll get an apartment by myself. Come with me.”
“Dad’s not gonna FedEx pancakes. Hell no.” He shoved my shoulder.
As we ate breakfast I got excited over the idea of searching for a small apartment. I could make a decent argument that it would be nicer not to have to come all the way home when I needed to study late, but without Jury it would be a harder sell. I caught Jury scrutinizing me with a snotty expression, the same one he always wore when he was gearing up to tell on me. I pointed at him. “Papa’s going to be harder to convince than Dad. When he asks why I want to move, keep your mouth shut.”
“Only if you have an extra room in your apartment for me.”
“You gonna crash there or fuck there?”
“Yes,” he said, grinning. “I’ll still live here, though.”
He stuck out his hand, and I spit in mine and shook with him. He gagged, and I cackled as he raced to wash off his hand in the sink.
“You’re an asshole,” he snarled.
“Yep.”
My phone vibrated and I almost swallowed my tongue when I pulled it out and checked the screen. The pic wasn’t much—hell, if I didn’t know exactly what I was looking at I might not even realize what it was—but Flynn had definitely sent me a pic of some bright blue underwear peeking out from between the vee made by the fly of tan dress pants. His bronze belt buckle sparkled in the shot where it caught the morning sunshine.
