Brandon just arrived and is making his rounds.
I know the second his eyes land on Andi because his big mouth stops yapping. Brandon is two years older than I am, and we look a lot alike. We’ve frequently competed for the same thing, including girls. But there’s no way I’m letting him put the moves on this one. I try to head him off at the pass, but he just pats my shoulder as his "hello" and makes a beeline for my girl, who's now sitting with my sister and Gran.
“And who is this beautiful lady? Alicia, you said you didn’t have any friends you could set me up with that I’d be interested in. I can promise you, I’m interested in this one.” Brandon is really laying it on thick.
“Brandon! We can’t take you anywhere!” Alicia is laughing, knowing that Brandon is naturally a flirt. “This is Andi, and she’sLuke’s date.”
Gran is watching me with those all-knowing, all-seeing eyes of hers and an unmistakable smirk on her face. She knows Andi is more than a friend to me, even if I haven’t said it to anyone.
“Oh, Luke and I aren’t dating. We're just friends.” Andi declares to Alicia, but the entire room full of people stops buzzing, and every eye is boring into me, telling me I'm crazy. All eyes, that is, except Brandon’s, which are still glued to Andi. I’m pretty sure I just growled out loud at her revelation.
“You do not know how happy I am to hear that, Andi,” Brandon moves to sit beside Andi on the loveseat, even though my sister already occupies the other seat. Brandon will just sit on her if she doesn’t move fast enough. My brother is openly ignoring me and eating Andi up with his eyes.
I cut through the room full of people who are looking at me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted a few extra heads. I take Andi by the hand before Alicia has time to get out of Brandon’s way, thus preventing Brandon from getting close to my girl. I pull Andi up to stand beside me and wrap my arm around her waist, being intentionally and blatantly possessive, especially in front of Brandon.
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell, Brandon. Go find your owngirl.”
My brother knows me all too well. His smug smile tells me he knows he’s pushing my buttons as he says, “I think it would be more appropriate if you go find your own girl. You and Andi are just friends, after all.”
I could say it right now. One sentence. Three words. And everything would change.
But I’m not doing this in front of everyone.
"Andi, let me introduce you to the rest of my family and show you around the house." With that, I lead her away from my brother, who is now openly laughing behind me. I feel somewhat better when Andi settles her hand in mine and gives it a slight squeeze.
ANDI
I absolutely love Luke’s family—every one of them. They have all taken me in with open arms and made me feel like one of them. It's been so long since I've had a family. My emotions threaten to get away from me, and I have to find something to take my mind off it before I cry and make a fool out of myself.
For all their problems, and every family has problems, not one of them can really understand what it would mean to lose everything and be totally alone in this world.
I understand it all too well. And that makes being here with Luke’s parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins even more bittersweet. I’ve talked at length with every single person here, even with his brother Brandon, who is just a big softie, even though he gives Luke a hard time. I think everyone asked me exactly what Luke was doing at the gym.
When I explained boxing as a professional career, what it takes to make a boxer, how much determination and grit a man must have even to step into the ring, I could see them look at Luke entirely differently.
After I explained it to Luke's dad, Sam, I think he was fighting back tears, and he looked so proud of Luke. It makes me wonder whether they've discussed it before, but Luke couldn’t express his feelings or fully explain what's involved. In any case, I think Sam and everyone else here understand now.
Luke didn't like it when I talked to Brandon, but I made sure Luke was by my side and included in the conversation. Though I teased Luke about not getting caught with his brother, I would never actually betray him like that, even if “this” wasn’t going on between us. Whatever “this” is. For all of Brandon's flirting, I don't think he would betray Luke like that either. But I'm not sure Luke is convinced of that.
Sam grilled an enormous amount of chicken, burgers, and hot dogs. Luke’s mom, Linda, made everything else, and we all ate until we were overstuffed. After we had finished the main course, Linda brought out the birthday cake for Gran. She insisted I call her Gran because she’s now adopted me as her granddaughter. Gran's presents started piling up on the table in front of her, and she was beaming with pride.
After she opened her presents and everyone had their piece of cake, I stole away from the table to get her gift from me out of my purse inside the house. Luke had told me a lot about Gran since the day his mom invited me to the party, but I wasn’t comfortable giving her a present in front of everyone else.
I brought the small box to the backyard table where Gran was going through all her presents and sat down beside her. “Gran, I don’t have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. If you don’t like it, it’s okay. We can exchange it for whatever you want. But after Luke described you to me, I thought you might like this.”
Gran’s eyes lit up when I put the box in her wrinkled hands, and I felt Luke watching me from across the yard. Somehow, I can always feel his eyes on me. He slowly made his way over to where Gran and I sat, curiosity getting the best of him. I suppress a laugh, but Gran’sknowing eyes dance alive with mischief. “That boy is in love with you, Andi.”
Dodge and deflect are activated. “Open your present, Gran!”
She pats my hand knowingly and slowly removes the wrapping paper from the black velvet box, giving Luke time to get to us before she opens the lid. She gasps when she sees the necklace inside, and tears spring to her eyes. The necklace is simple, but I found it at a vintage shop, and it is beautiful. The charm is an owl made of silver, and the body is set with small stones—a mixture of sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.
“Do you not like it, Gran? It’s okay if you don’t, really. I’ll take you to exchange it for whatever you want.” Oh, great. I've just made Gran cry at her own birthday party. I couldn't feel any worse, even if I tried.
Gran straightens her back and looks at me with a stern eye. “Don’t even joke about that, child! I absolutely love it! It reminds me of the one my mother used to wear. It looks exactly like her old one.” Gran then grabs me in her arms and kisses me square on the mouth like I was one of her kids and always had been. Now I have tears in my eyes, and I'm hugging her fiercely, as if I'm almost afraid tolet her go.
But I force myself to let go, and when I pull back from her, I look up at Luke, but I can't read the look on his face. Before I can say anything, Gran nudges me and asks me to put the necklace on her. She then prances around the yard, making everyone look at her present. I can’t help but smile as I watch her. She’s just so cute and funny. Luke moves behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and pulls me close to him. He leans down until he's right at my ear, and he murmurs softly, so only I can hear him.
“You are the most amazing person I've ever met, Andi." Then he kisses me on the cheek. Brandon watches us from a few yards away, and I can't help but wonder if this is just for show, to warn Brandon away from me.
