I thought about the quiet apartment waiting for me, and the way I’d spent the last three months convincing myself I was better off alone. Spending time with someone sounded kind of nice.
Then I remembered my mother.
“I can’t Sunday,” I grumbled, letting out a long sigh. “My mom wants me to come over for dinner. My stepbrother is gonna be there, and she’s guilt-tripping me about having afamilydinner.”
“No worries,” Trevor smiled, but I could tell he was disappointed. “Has your stepbrother been out of town or something?”
Ugh. This was not the subject I wanted to land on with Trevor. But it was my fault we’d ended up there in the first place.
“No. He’s actually living with me right now.”
“I thought you lived alone?”
“Idid,” I groaned. “Until last week. His girlfriend kicked him out of their place, and he showed up on my doorstep looking like a kicked puppy.”
Trevor nodded. “That’s really cool of you to help your brother out like that.”
“Stepbrother,” I corrected. “And I’ve regretted every single day since.”
He looked confused.
“Look, I don’t want to trauma dump on you or anything,” I said, cutting him off before he could ask. “But Kent and I don’t get along. We never have. When I came out in high school, he was a real asshole about it. We haven’t talked in years and then he just showed up, asking for a place to stay. I tried to say no, but I’m a pushover.” I took a sip of my drink. “So there, now you knowwaytoo much about me. Good thing it’s the first date so you can still back out.”
To my surprise, Trevor reached across the table and took my hand. “Why would I want to back out? There’s nothing wrong with helping family. I think it’s kinda sweet.”
I squeezed his hand, gratitude welling up inside me. I had no idea this guy I’d been riding like a rodeo bull for a week was capable of a coherent thought, much less in possession of a decent personality. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to start feeling something for him.
I took another sip of my coffee, trying to think of something to say when the entrance door to my left dinged. For some reason, I glanced over and nearly dropped my drink on the floor.
Kent. Fucking Kent was standing there.
My heart lurched into my throat. Of all the coffee shops in this city, he had to walk into this one? Right now?
He hadn’t seen me yet. He was looking at his phone, that same distracted way he always did, like the world around him was just background noise. He wore a faded band t-shirt I vaguely recognized from high school and jeans that had seen better days. His hair was messier than usual, sticking up in the back like he’d just rolled out of bed.
I had about three seconds to make a decision. Duck down and hope he didn’t notice me? Pretend I hadn’t seen him? Or acknowledge his existence like a normal human being?
“You okay?” Trevor asked, his hand still in mine.
Kent looked up from his phone, scanning the room. Our eyes met.
Shit.
His expression shifted through several emotions in rapid succession—surprise, confusion, then irritation. He raised his hand in an awkward half-wave, but I could see the twitch at the corner of his eye. He wasnothappy.
I pulled my hand back from Trevor’s and gave Kent the smallest nod possible, hoping he’d take the hint and leave mealone. This was my date. My life outside the apartment. He didn’t get to intrude on this too.
But of course, because the universe hated me, Kent started walking toward our table.
“Friend of yours?” Trevor asked, glancing between us.
“Stepbrother,” I muttered, watching Kent approach with all the enthusiasm of someone watching a car crash in slow motion.
“Oh!” Trevor’s face lit up. “The one staying with you?”
Before I could answer, Kent was standing at our table, looking deeply uncomfortable. Up close, I could see a shower and some food had done nothing to get rid of the dark circles under his eyes. He still looked exhausted from his drunken escapades the night before.
“Hey,” Kent said, standing there stiffly. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
