After sorting the kitchen, I joined Elspeth on the couch to catch up on the past few years, hoping to avoid conversations about Angus as much as possible. Discussing how our brother was now a major player in anunderground crime syndicate in the UK was a story for another time. The reason why I went into the SAS was to avoid becoming like him.
Right now, I just wanted to focus on Elspeth and relive the good memories. This house was full of them and hadn’t changed since I last visited. The two-story craftsman had bright walls with knickknacks, books, and photos strewn about the space in a haphazard way that was chaotic but cozy.
I caught a whiff of spice and vanilla and watched Nairie descend the stairs with wet hair, a loose T-shirt, and short shorts that were nearly swallowed by her thick thighs.
My traitorous dick was now swelling behind my sweats, so I grabbed a nearby pillow as a fail-safe. She looked beautiful in her natural state, a slight glow to her skin and a blush to her cheeks from the hot shower I assumed she’d taken. She sat across from us and attempted to find something on Netflix.
I cleared my throat. “So, Nairie, what have you been up to?”
She looked over at me and smiled. “I’ve been working at my parents’ jewelry store. I manage their online store and the books.”
“Oh? I thought you’d go into art. You were always so good at drawing.”
Nairie’s smile widened, and I made sure the pillow was firmly in place. “Thanks, but I couldn’t get by with art alone. Plus, my parents really needed the help.”
“Come on, Ree. You barely do anything there,” Elspeth said as she tied her hair in a messy bun.
Nairie furrowed her eyebrows. “Hey! Family’s really important to me.”
“Yeah, but your dreams should be, too,” Elspeth said earnestly.
I looked directly at Nairie. “I think it’s admirable. You wanted to help your family. Not a lot of people would make the sacrifice.”
Her smile softened. “Thanks.”
Elspeth giggled and brought her blanket up to her chin. “Yeah, but she’s been going to these art classes and kicking ass. Plus, she’s entering this design competition on Instagram. Pretty soon she’s going to be traveling the world and drawing for some of the biggest brands. You signed up, right?”
Nairie furtively looked away. “Uh, yeah.”
She looked adorable when she was trying to lie.
She waved her hands in the air dismissively. “The art class has been really fun, but I doubt I’ll win the competition.”
“I’m sure you will,” I said.
Nairie looked at me with surprise.
Elspeth giggled. “Even if you don’t win, at least you got a boyfriend out of the class!”
Nairie stared wide-eyed at Elspeth.
“What? Okay, boy toy?” Elspeth said.
Nairie shrank in her chair.
“Fuck buddy?” Elspeth’s voice raised on the last word jokingly.
Nairie laughed nervously. “Okay, okay. That’s enough. We’re not... I’m not... it’s not even a thing.”
I tightened my jaw and furrowed my eyebrows. Why did I have such a strong reaction to that statement? The girl was an adult, and we hadn’t seen each other in years. What right did I have to be jealous?
I adjusted my features to a picture of coolindifference.
I needed to change the subject before I did something stupid. “Let’s watch your mum’s favorite movie. I remember her playing it every time I came to visit.”
“Great idea!” Elspeth exclaimed.
Nairie bent down in front of the TV and searched the DVD collection. Her long hair fell to the side, and her shirt rode up a bit. Faint lines of a tattoo seemed to trail up her back.
