“How am I supposed to do that?” I scoff. “Lyra is on Saint Pierre, surrounded by cameras and men. All these men who want to fall in love with her. How am I supposed to figure out anything?”“You need to get on the show,” Gunnar suggests.
Me as part of The Suitorette? That’s the last thing I want. Constantly being on camera and media attention and lack of privacy aren’t things I strive for. But it kind of makes sense in a strange, there-may-be-aliens-out-there type of way. Like it’s completely crazy.
Why would I want to do that to myself?
Edie gives me a knowing smile as she takes the drink to a table across the room.
“What show?” Bo asks with confusion.
Gunnar punches his shoulder. “What show do you think? I thought it already started.”
“You’re going on The Suitorette?” Kalle all but shouts. “Lyra’s show?”
“What?” Bo blusters. “How? Why?Abigail.”
I take a gulp of beer for courage and hold up my hand. “One at a time. The Suitorette show. It makes sense. I think… I think I’ll offer myself up as the brother’s best friend, if that’s what they’re looking for.”
“Are you serious?” Bo asks.
I nod slowly, still not certain, but leaning that way. “And it’s over with Abigail,” I tell him quietly. “Her choice.”
“Were looking for,” Kalle points out. “Theywerelooking for a brother’s best friend.”
“They won’t say no to him. So you’re going after our sister?” Gunnar folds his arms over his chest. “Rebound much?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Can we not call her ‘your sister’ in this conversation?” Bo begs. “Just Lyra is good. I don’t want it to get weird.”
“Is this going to be weird?” I ask. “Because that’s why I’m here, to give you a heads up. And to deal with any fallout.”
“How can we deal with fallout when you haven’t done anything?” Kalle points out. “Or have you?”
“You broke up with Abigail?” Bo demands. “There’ll be fallout from that from Hettie.”
“It was Abigail’s decision,” I say in a heavy voice. “She told me to go figure things out with Lyra. And now I need to know what you guys think.”
Kalle looks at Bo, who turns to Gunnar. “Are you asking for our approval?” Kalle asks.
“I don’t know how I feel about this.” Gunnar scrubs at his forehead. “You’ve always been paired up with Lyra in my mind, and then you weren’t.”
“Because he was with Abigail,” Bo growls.
“And now I’m not. Still friends, still care about her, but we’re over.” It’s easier every time I say it.
“Hettie’s going to kill you,” Bo warns.
“No, she won’t, because it wouldn’t have been fair if Spence had stuck around when he had feelings for Lyra.”
I turn to Kalle, the biggest, the broadest, and the smartest. According to him, anyway. “You can see it?”
“A blind man could see it,” Gunnar drawls.
Kalle frowns. “This is our little sister we’re talking about.”
“She’s a handful,” Gunnar adds. “And like Bo said, let’s use her name rather than focus on the sister aspect.”
“She deserves to be with a man who will make her happy,” Bo corrects. “You think that’s you?”
