“I told you, right?”I ask him.“I swore I told you when my mom took me to the doctor.”
“You did,” he answers calmly, but stares at the door like he’s ready for my brother to break through it with an ax.“Don’t think I love your brother knowing it though.”
I laugh.
A fist pounds on the door.“Get out here before you get naked!”Collin hollers.
“I’m going to change,” Jonathan says, and I release a disappointed sigh.
“You can stay dressed like that for bed,” I tell him.He laughs at me.But I’m serious.
“I’ll meet you downstairs.”
I open the door just as Collin’s about to pound on it again.He gives me an obnoxious smile and holds out a bag of cheese puffs.“Poof?”
I take one and crunch on it while we walk down the hall toward the stairs.“I’m sad you won’t be with us next year.”
Everyone’s still changing, so it’s just Collin and me.My brother’s lurking somewhere, but he doesn’t matter.
“I know,” he says as we reach the bottom floor.“I don’t really have a choice.”
We cross the entry to the sliding door leading to the deck and the view of the water.There’s a basket of blankets beside the furniture.My brother didsomethingright.
I sit on the big wrap-around sofa that surrounds the firepit that’s still not lit.He’s far from perfect.And I pat the seat next to me, wrapping a blanket around me.It’s colder on the lake than it was in Hollis.
“What does that mean?Is it because of your mom?”
“It’s because of money,” Collin says, plopping down with his own blanket.He sets the bag of poofs on my lap and wraps himself up.“I don’t have a scholarship or trust fund that will pay for school.”
Wow.I feel so dumb.
“Never thought about it, did you?”
He knows me.Too well sometimes.“No.I’m sorry.”
“I would be there with you—know that.And maybe I will in a couple years.This way, I can work and still earn money, take the core courses and hopefully qualify for decent financial aid.”
“Are you still planning to work for Hal?”I ask, making a face.
He makes a face back.“I don’t know.It’s really good money.But I don’t like working for the evil asshole.”
“Yeah.He is that.”I lean my head on his shoulder.“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you’refriendswith my brother.”
“Oh, I wonder why,” he says in a mocking tone.I pinch his side, and he jumps.“We all need friends, right?”
I sigh.“I guess.”I look up at him.“I’m calling you all the time; you’re going to feel like you’re with me.”
“I don’t expect anything less.”
A wave of emotion hits me.
“Hey,” he says, pulling me into a hug.“I’m not gone yet.”
“I know,” I say, my voice thick with tears that I try to fight back.“I’m just… I love you.”
“I love you too.”He kisses the side of my head.
“Wait.Are you guys together now?”Darcy asks, carrying a bag of marshmallows.“You are so cute together.”
