Page 143 of Glitched Play

I don't take my eyes off Maci.

"I know."

Parker steps closer, just enough that I can see his arm wrapped tightly around Annika out of my peripheral vision. They both follow my line of sight across the pavilion.

Annika smiles first. "Oh..."

"So that's what we're doing." Parker smirks.

"I'm observing."

He snorts. "Sure you are."

"I am."

"Bro, you've been 'observing' the same woman for the last fifteen minutes."

"Twenty-two," I correct.

Parker lets out a laugh. "You counted?"

"I didn't need to."

Annika elbows Parker’s side. "Leave him alone."

"I'm just making an observation."

"You're making fun of him."

"I can do both."

Before either of us says another word, Noelle and Matt wander over carrying two bottles of water.

"What are we looking at?" Noelle asks.

Parker points toward Maci. "Witt's future."

And I don’t even roll my eyes because I’m wondering if he’s right. It feels right.

Noelle follows his finger until she finds Maci directing volunteers near the stage.

A slow smile spreads across her face.

"Oh, wow,” she says, stunned

Matt glances from Maci back to me. "I've never seen you watch anything this intently."

"I watched server traffic for thirty-six consecutive hours once."

"Exactly."

Noelle reaches over and pats my arm. "You like her, don’t you?”

On instinct, I nod and I feel a grin forming on my face. A fucking grin.

My sister who’s like five-foot-three against my almost six-foot-five frame, tucks herself under my arm and squeezes. “I’m proud of you.”

"For what?" I look down at her. She looks like our mom from the pictures I’ve seen of her at Noelle’s age.