“There’s no flock,” says Landon, eyes moving to mine as he says it. His focus shifts away, and I look down, busying myself with my cuticles and totally not thinking about how he’ll attract every woman within a ten-mile radius in that GQ look.
“You’re right. It’s more like a swarm,” jokes Eli.
Landon aims a pointed look at Eli’s plate. “Well, at least I’ll have company instead of sitting here eating frozen taquitos on a Saturday night.”
“I won’t be alone,” Eli assures, before proceeding to sling a bulky arm around my neck, squeezing it in what I assume is supposed to be an endearing way. “I’ve got Violet to keep me company. Right, Peps?”
“I’ll agree to anything as long as you stop crushing my windpipe,” I manage, trying to wiggle free.
Eli releases me and aims a smirk at his brother. “We’ll watch a movie. Or something.”
Landon’s lips purse in response, but he doesn’t say anything. He never says anything. So I nod, rubbing my neck. “Sure,” I say. “But no horror. I won’t be able to sleep for a month.”
Landon tips back the remainder of his bourbon and sets the glass on the counter with a bit more force than necessary. Eli snickers, though I have no idea at what, and Landon levels him with the kind of severe look I’m sure every older brother has given their younger one. “Behave,” is all he says.
Eli leans back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head, and shrugs. “When have I ever done anything but?”
Landon leaves soon after that, which means Eli and I have the house to ourselves. A part of me is expecting him to call up everyone he knows and throw another raucous party, but when I tell him that, he shakes his head.
“Nah. I was supposed to hang out with this chick, but she canceled last minute. Had to reschedule.”
Ah, finally. The mystery woman.
I eye his face. “You actually seem bummed about that.”
“I am,” he says with a shrug. “I was looking forward to getting laid.”
“No, I think you like this girl,” I say, “whoever she is.”
Eli’s eyes narrow. “How can you tell?”
“Because if all you were worried about was getting laid, you’d call someone else. Instead, you’re staying home with me, having a boring night in.”
Eli grins and puts a bag of popcorn into the microwave. “Oh, trust me,” he says. “It’s never boring to watch my brother squirm.”
“Hmm,” is all I respond, mostly because I don’t understand what he means by that.
When the popcorn’s done and the entire house smells like artificial butter, we take up opposite ends of the couch and queue up the most recent blockbuster. I snuggle under a blanket and shovel handfuls of popcorn into my mouth, finding it difficult to focus on the movie with the way my mind’s inventing different scenarios involving Landon andthe swarms. When Eli cracks a joke and I give a pathetic-sounding laugh, he sits up, pauses the movie, and gives me a knowing look.
“I was mostly kidding about the women, you know,” he tells me.
My face grows warm, but I scoff anyway. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh. Sure, you don’t.”
“Why would I care anyway?”
That earns me a smirk. “I don’t know, Peps. Why would you care?”
I sit up a little straighter, narrowing my eyes at the nosy troublemaker. “I don’t know, Eli. What are you implying?”
He grins openly now. “I don’t know. WhatamI implying?”
Rolling my eyes, I collapse back against the pillow, pulling the popcorn close. “Just play the movie, would you?”
“You two are immensely entertaining,” I hear him mutter, but he obliges and rolls the film.
We watch at least two hours of Oscar-worthy performances before my eyes start to droop and my hands go lax on the popcorn bowl. Next thing I know, the sound of Eli’s ringtone jars me out of a sound sleep, and I lunge forward, fumbling for his phone on the coffee table. Junior’s name flashes across the screen, which seems strange considering Junior’s at the gala Eli wasn’t invited to, and I reach across the couch to shake him awake.
