Perhaps she’s ticklish?
Noted for later.
“If you ask me, Drew has achieved the impossible—turning my brother into a desirable person.”
“Oh, I’m desirable all right,” I say, leaning back in my chair so I can see June sitting at the end of the table. “Drew just had to peel back the layers and discover the real me.”
I can’t help it; I throw Drew a quick wink, and she scowls at me like I stole the food from her plate. Could this be our first lovers’ tiff?
I hope so. Bossy Drew is my favorite; angry Drew could surely make me come in my pants.
“You’re so gross,” June scoffs and pushes her bowl away. “I don’t know how you put up with him, Drew. You deserve a gold medal.”
From beside me, Dad points at my sister’s food. “If you aren’t going to finish that, then let me have it. Your mom worked really hard, reducing that stock into the best risotto I’ve ever tasted.”
Coach gives Mom a thumbs-up. “I second Jensen. The food is delicious, Kate.”
Mom shimmies her shoulders and refills June’s wineglass. “Thank you, Jessie. I’m only sad that Mia and Marley couldn’t make it to Brooklyn this time.”
When she stands and makes her way over to Drew with the wine bottle, my girl shakes her head. “No more wine for me, thank you. I have an early flight in the morning.”
Wait. I thought she was flying back on the team plane in the evening.
“You aren’t flying home with us?” I ask, garnering a raised brow from Coach.
I guess it is weird that I would be bothered which plane his daughter takes back to Seattle.
Drew doesn’t give me eye contact, replying, “I’m actually not heading back home, but catching a flight to Vancouver. Marley has managed to get a few days off, and I arranged a week of working remotely so I can spend some time with her.”
“Oh, that’s really great. Send her my love, will you?” Mom immediately responds when all I can do is stare at the girl who still won’t look at me.
The next few minutes pass by in a blur, June, Dad, Mom, and Coach all talking back and forth about work and plans to meet up this Christmas.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” Drew says, setting her napkin on the table.
Mom points toward the hallway. “If you use the downstairs bathroom, then you can sample the latest Jo Malone soap I was telling you about earlier.”
Mind still spinning out over Drew’s surprise visit to Vancouver, I push my seat back and begin collecting plates.
“Stay seated, Mom. I got this,” I instruct, earning an appreciative grin from her and suspicious eyes from Dad.
Arms loaded with dishes, I stalk into the kitchen and set them down by the sink, waiting for the toilet to flush in the downstairs bathroom.
It feels like forever before Drew finishes up, and I’m propped against the opposite wall in the hallway, waiting for her to step out of the bathroom.
When she pulls the door open, I push off the wall and pull her back into the room, locking the door behind us.
“Will, what are you doing?” she whisper-hisses at me, eyes diverting to the door. “They’re all sitting only a few feet away, likely wondering where the both of us have gone!”
I wave a hand at her. “Have you heard my mom and sister talk? They can go at it for hours without coming up for air.”
Despite the annoyance written across Drew’s face, she snorts a soft laugh.
I pull down the neck on her sweater, lips grazing along the marks I left only hours ago.
What I wouldn’t give to leave some more.
“Are you running away from me, Baby?”
