“What did they say?”
“They spent way too long pretending to give a shit about my feelings.”
“Then what?”
“So before you got back—”
“Before you threw yourself at me—”
“Rona was telling me it would be ‘super lame’ of me to come tomorrow night,” I say.
“Because of Kirk?”
“Yeah.”
“They know you weren’tjustKirk’s girlfriend, right? They know you’re an actual separate person, with an actual separate personality and stuff?”
I look at him. He’s just hit the nail square on the head and there’s a knot forming in my throat.
“People here have always known me as ‘Lois and Kirk.’?”
“Until now, that is.”
“Yeah,” I say. “Thanks for playing along, by the way. I’m sorry I kissed you without asking.”
He nudges me with his shoulder, and we spend the rest of the day hanging out.
The afternoon winds down, and we head back to base. As soon as we step through the front door, my brothers are all over me.
“You guys are going to the beach tomorrow night, right?” Kesley starts.
Can’t we be done with tomorrow night, already?
“Mom and Dad are cool with us going if you and Lane are there, too!” Jeff bounds over to join us.
“Whoa, relax, guys.” I shove them away from me.
Jarrow turns to Lane for a little male support. “It’s all about the music and the girls. And the alcohol,” he adds quietly.
“I heard that!” I warn.
He clasps his hands in prayer. “Just one drink…” He opens his eyes. “And anyway—remember how tanked you were two years ago?”
“Do Mom and Dad know about that?” Diego pipes up.
I roll my eyes and start unlacing my shoes, but Jeff is relentless.
“Lane! You and me—we’re brothers now.”
“You’ve known him, what—half a second?”
He ignores me. “You can talk this boring old grandma into it, right?”
“Excuse me?” I toss my sneaker at him, and the boys burst out laughing.
I’ve officially been overruled.
“Couldn’t you guys have adopted girls?” I holler into the living room where my parents are watching TV.
