I don’t plan to ditch my brother for her. I’d like to introduce them. But ever since I woke up, I’ve been wondering exactlyhowI’m supposed to introduce Addison. The news that I’m bisexual and have been fooling around with a woman isn’t something I can spring on Andrew in public when he meets her. I already told him that I’ve made friends with her since I’ve been staying at the inn. I just need to find the right time to tell him that it’s developed into something more than that now.
It’s not like she and I are dating, though. And most older brothers don’t want to hear about their little sisters’ fuck buddies. So I’m sure this will be an interesting conversation.
For today, I’ll continue acting like we’re just friends. But I don’t want to hide the truth from him for too long.
The van drops me off along with a handful of other guests right beside the town green, where the festival is taking place. The rest of Main Street is blocked off for it as well. I can see booths selling food and crafts, and children drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. There’s a small band setup in the gazebo, and as I get closer, I hear them playing Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA.”
Even though Toby is almost a foot shorter than my brother, I spot him first, because he’s wearing a bright red crop top with a smiling yellow sun sequined over his chest and a pair of blue spandex shorts. Andrew is beside him in black shorts, a black T-shirt, and black sunglasses. With his black hair and plethora of black tattoos, the only thing on him that has any color is his pair of dark green Converse high-tops.
I make my way across the grass to them and say hi. “Nice outfit,” I tell Toby, fighting a laugh.
He shrugs good-naturedly. “Gotta get into the summer spirit.”
I nudge Andrew in the ribs. “Too bad you couldn’t get this guy into the spirit.”
Since he’s wearing sunglasses, I can’t be sure, but I have a feeling my brother rolls his eyes at me. “I’m wearing shorts, aren’t I?”
“Who’s hungry?” Toby asks, glancing eagerly around at all our options.
Remembering Addison mentioning apricot honey crepes, I look for the inn’s booth. I spot Brenden’s friendly, smiling face standing at a booth with a fancy sign that saysmayweather inn. He’s got two of Addison’s cooks with him.
“I want to get some crepes,” I tell the guys.
“Ooh, hell yeah,” Toby agrees.
We head that direction, getting sidetracked with checking out a few other booths we pass on the way. Brenden greets us all enthusiastically when we reach him.
“Are you cooking the crepes?” Andrew asks suspiciously.
Brenden snorts. “Ha! No. Addison was very strict in her instructions that I was not allowed to touch the skillet. The guys are handling that. And Addison made the actual crepes herself yesterday, so all they have to do is heat them up and add the fillings.”
The menu board advertises crepes with apricot and honey; chicken, spinach, and feta; or ham, brie, and fig jam. I ask for an order of the apricot ones, and Toby seconds it. Andrew goes for the chicken. He’s never had a sweet tooth like me.
Looking at me and Toby, Brenden asks us, “Do you want whipped cream on yours?”
Toby says yes, but I’m struck with a sudden, unfortunate coughing fit. Heat spreads across my face as I recall everything Addison and I did with the whipped cream last night.
Andrew thumps me lightly on the back and says, “Yeah, she’ll take it too. She loves whipped cream.”
All I can do is nod my agreement while I try to get myself together. I might laugh about this later.If they only knew.
Since it’s still early and not everyone is here yet, we manage to snag a bench to sit down and eat. Then we check out some of the craft booths. Toby buys a woven bracelet in rainbow colors. While he has Andrew tieit around his wrist, I eye a necklace with tiny colored beads spaced out along a thin, silver chain. They’re also the rainbow colors, but it’s much more subtle.
For a few seconds, I consider getting it. I doubt Andrew or Toby would even question me if I did. But then I think about the fact that if I ever wore it on stage or in an interview, a million people out therewouldquestion it, and they’d question it loudly and aggressively.
So when Andrew asks if I’m getting anything, I tell him no, and we move on.
We stop at the face painting booth, where Toby and I both let the teenage volunteers draw flowers on our cheeks. After a minute of me pouting at Andrew and Toby poking his shoulder obnoxiously, my brother relents and sits down too, choosing a sun.
“Hey, now we match!” Toby says delightedly, pointing at his shirt as if anyone could have missed the sequined sun on it.
“Yup, we might as well be twins,” Andrew deadpans.
I’m laughing when someone behind me says, “Hey.”
Turning around, I can’t stop the grin the spreads across my face when I see Addison. “Hi! You’re here!”
She chuckles. “I said I would be.”
