He smiles victoriously, and a quiver of happiness vibrates inside me even though it’s laced with sadness.
I wish I had that kind of easy affection with my own sister. But there is, without a doubt, a competition between us, and Brittany’s star has always shone brighter than mine. So bright that our relationship feels like a test I didn’t study for.
Stone leans back and exhales with satisfaction. “Like I said, sometimes I get feelings about people.” He eyes me. “About relationships.”
He’s not talking about me. He’s not talking about me.
But my heart does a stupid skip thing, as if it hasn’t read the room.
I squeeze his arm and an electric shock jolts me. This would be the perfect time to pull away, but I don’t. Not when his skin is warm, solid, tethering me to this strange little bubble of a moment.
I drop my hand and he rubs the back of his head. “I feel underdressed.”
He’s wearing jeans, a casual button-down, and dark boots.
“You look great. It’s not camo, but it’ll do,” I joke. “Want to meet my family?”
“Absolutely.”
“Dad, this is Stone Maddox. Stone, this is my dad, Harold.”
Dad steps away from a spot of earth that’s smoking hot. Yes, actual smoke wafts up from underground. Several of my uncles and cousins stand around it, drinking bottles of water, discussing the underground firepit.
Stone extends his hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
My dad takes the hand and surprise flits across his face. He appraises Stone and gives a classic dad nod. “Maddox, huh? Aren’t you the one building that resort?”
“Yes, sir. That’s me.”
“Hotels are your business, huh?”
“Sure are.”
My younger cousins run past us, screaming. One of the boys chases his sister while holding out a salamander.
“It’s going to touch you!” he yells as she shrieks with fright.
Mom comes up, holding out her hands. “Coco, you brought the potato salad. Thank you!” Her gaze lands on Stone, and she does a double take. “And you brought a guest.”
“Coco brought a date.”
I turn as my sister Brittany stalks toward us wearing bedazzled camo pants, a black sequin-covered short-sleeved T-shirt, and a camo baseball cap with her name spelled out in more sequins:Brittany Blaze.
That’s her YouTube handle.
“Hey, Brittany.”
Instead of going in for a hug, Brittany high-fives me—hard enough to make me wince. My hands stings as I lower it, but no way will I shake it out.
“Mom, Brittany, this is Stone Maddox. Stone, this is my mom, Dana, and my sister.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Stone says to both of them.
“So Coco brought us some fresh meat, huh?” Brittany folds her arms and leans back, giving Stone a good once-over. “You know how to shoot?”
Of course he doesn’t! I grab Stone’s arm. “Maybe we can go easy on—”
“I do,” he replies to my surprise.
