“Looks like you saved me from knocking on her door again.” Ryan laughs.
Chapter 21
Amberlee
I’m going to die!My brother is at my door, so is the man I just lost my virginity to, and oh yeah, fucking everyone else on this trip. Maddy’s got a shit-eating grin on her face as she moves her eyes between us.
She knows!
Which means it’s only a matter of time before Ryan does, too. Maybe we should just fucking tell him now instead of waiting. He may be pissed and want to kill Jeremiah, but I won’t have this secret suffocating the life out of me as it squeezes my heart.
Ryan cocks his head to the side, looking at me oddly, his eyebrow raised. “You okay, Sis? You seem flustered.”
“N..n..no. I’m good. Just tired,” I stammer. “All I wanted to do was stay in bed and sleep, but you wouldn’t let me.” I lift my hand, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
“I’m hungry, let’s go,” Maddy speaks up, slipping her hand over my shoulder, leading me toward the elevator.
I can hear my brother’s voice in the background, but my brain is so rattled, I can’t make out a word he’s saying. It’s like an irritating gnat in my ear.
“Girl, I want all the details,” she leans in close and whispers.
“What details? What are you talking about?” I act dumb when I know perfectly well what she means.
“You can play coy all you want, but you’re going to give me all the juicy details. Be sure to talk to your brother before he finds out on his own.”
“I—”
Maddy holds up her hand. “Shh. I don’t want to hear it. Not now. Not unless you want your brother to find out in this hallway.”
When I look over my shoulder, I see Ryan, Jeremiah, and the kids heading our way. They’re laughing about something, and my heart melts at the sight of him holding his daughter’s hand.
God, I love this man.
Maddy pushes the button. We stand there, side by side, waiting for the doors to open. I rock back and forth on my heels, wishing I was anywhere but here. This is the most awkward feeling I’ve ever felt in my life.
It seems like an eternity before the doors slide open and we step inside. I squeeze myself into the corner, trying to make myself as small as possible.
It doesn’t work.
“Amberlee, seriously, what’s with you today?” He turns to Jeremiah, shooting him a suspicious glance. There is a tense silence before he speaks again.
“Did something happen last night?”
Jeremiah doesn’t even flinch. Not like I would’ve if he asked me.
“Nah, we went out and had a good time. I mean, she did drink a little too much, and that’s my fault, but I made sure she drank a lot of water before going to bed.” He shoots me a knowing look, and I have to fight not to blush like a tomato.
Somehow, I manage.
Lord, if I can’t handle my brother like this, how am I going to ever tell him the truth?Jeremiah shrugs. “I bet our Amberlee is just hung over today.”
Ryan takes a closer look at me, and I force an awkward smile at Jeremiah.
“Humm. After you eat, maybe you should go back to bed. I wouldn’t want you to get too much sun today. We were talking to the kids about the zoo and thought we’d go today.”
I want to jump for joy, but I rein it in. “Yeah. I think I will stay back in my room and rest. But y’all have fun and get me a souvenir.”
Ryan’s attention is on me, so he doesn’t see the wink that Jeremiah gives me. But it warms my heart, never the less. Staying behind today is a win-win. I don’t have to worry about how I act in front of Ryan around Jeremiah, and I can get some more sleep.
