“I’ll make pasta,” she decides, pulling me in for a big hug while my father gives me a forehead kiss of my own.
“Don’t work too hard.” My grandfather winks before giving me a hug, with handshakes for my brothers.
We cover what’s new with their lives (nothing) and my academics (midterms were fine) while I drive to the airport. But the expectant looks my brothers give me as soon as I pull onto the highway almost make me wish I’d let our parents drive them instead.
“Are you seeing anyone new?” Clay asks casually, but I feel both their eyes on me.
“Nope.”
I should have said ‘that’s none of your business,’ but I’m pretty sure there would be an inquisition if they even remotely suspected a guy might be getting close to me. Especially after Ethan.
“How’s the roommate? Still getting along?” Dallas presses.
“Anna’s great,” I assure them.
I assume she is, only she’s never there. And on the rare occasions we’re in the room at the same time, she’s either wearing headphones or earplugs. Which is totally fine. After my roommate last year saw Dallas moving me in, she gave me her number to pass along to him and made our room so uncomfortable that I made excuses to sleep at home for the rest of the year. I’m determined to not do that again. Hopefully, spending more time on campus will somehow turn me into someone less socially awkward. Someone with friends who goes out and does stuff on a Friday night instead of staying in with a good book. Not that I’m complaining, but even the option to turn things down would be nice.
“Do you guys hang out?” Clay asks, trying to get more out of me.
“Sometimes.” I shrug.
They can tell that means no, so Dallas takes over. “Parker says he invited you to their Halloween party, but you had other plans?” He looks so hopeful, like he might not have to worry about me so much anymore.
“Halloween fell on a weekend this year, so there was a lot going on. But I’m still me, so we just got dressed up, gave out candy until the kids stopped coming, and then polished off the rest.”
“Not at Mom and Dad’s, right?” Dallas asks.
“I’m not that pathetic.” I roll my eyes, but Clay is squinting at me like he can see the truth stamped on my forehead.
“Or with Grandad?” he presses, but he knows he has me.
“I’ll have you know that everyone loved our UP costumes.” When I left last night, he was going to look into renting a helium machine – or a dog – for next year.
“We’re sorry. We just want to make sure you’re giving other people the chance to see how awesome you are.” Clay winks at me in the rearview mirror.
“Because you’re not biased at all.” I roll my eyes.
“Doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” Dallas, who got shotgun because he’s the biggest and the oldest, puts his hand on mine. I twist my mouth around so I won’t cry while driving, but I wouldn’t trade these stupid brothers of mine for anything.
“How’s the writing?” Clay asks me.
“Good.” I shrug dismissively.
“Good like you don’t want to talk about it?” Dallas tries. “Or you’re so mad at us for moving away that we don’t get the behind-the-scenes anymore?”
I sigh, convinced they’re just being nice. My mom is the only one who genuinely gets excited anymore.
“There’s this thing called Kobo Originals,” I admit, but even saying the words makes me nervous. “They’re looking for new authors with Romance series ideas. I already have a group of characters, the tropes I could use for each couple, and some of their backgrounds, but I’m still figuring out what ties them together.”
I don’t necessarily expect their eyes to glaze over, but I’m surprised by how contemplative they get, like they really want to help.
“You need a group of guys with different upbringings who become close and have to go against their nature, like get all soft and cuddly, to fall in love?” Clay asks.
“Basically.”
“Football,” Dallas says like it’s the obvious choice.
“Baseball,” Clay suggests at the same time.
