“Good,” Ozzy mutters.
“Anyway,” I say, trying to get back on track. “That’s irrelevantand not what I wanted to talk about.” I place my beer beside me on the counter and rub my face with both hands before putting my weight on my palms on either side of my thighs. “I’ve been unpacking my childhood a lot in therapy.”
The spark of pride in Ozzy’s eyes has me groaning internally, and it takes me everything not to roll my eyes at him. I continue nonetheless.
“Part of me expected to talk about Dad a lot more than Mom, given she was absent for most of my childhood but …” My chuckle sounds like a mixture of disbelief and sadness. “Apparently she’s at the root of a lot of my issues.” I shake my head, looking down at my feet before sharing a loaded stare with Ozzy. “It made me realize that it was unfair of me to have placed all my anger on you when you moved out. My therapist says that you leaving triggered my abandonment issues. And since Mom never cared to even notice me, well,”—I rub my palm over my scalp and shrug—“I transferred all that blame to you instead, and I’m sorry for that, I really am.” There’s a lump in my throat, and I’m having trouble keeping eye contact with Ozzy, but I stay steadfast and try not to berate myself for feeling so emotional. “And then that made me think of Charlie and how I disappeared on him, too, and how Ihatethe idea of being another person in his life that he can’t depend on.”
Ozzy hasn’t moved, staring at me with wide, watery eyes, and my voice cracks when I finally speak the last of my thoughts.
“I want to be there for him like you were there for me — even when I didn’t want you to be. And so, I guess what I’m trying to say is.”—I swallow hard—“Thank you for never giving up on me.”
We haven’t stopped staring at each other. The silence thickens the longer Ozzy doesn’t speak, but it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. It simply appears like he’s letting what I just told him sink in.
Finally, he moves, dragging his hand through his curls while placing his beer on the counter with the other. His smile is coy, but it’s mixed with something I can’t quite place.
When he eventually speaks, his words are slow and carefully chosen. “I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear you say that until just now.” His smile widens, and this time, I don’t miss the love radiating through his facial expression. He takes a step toward me. “Come here,” he says, waving me into an embrace.
I slide down from the counter and hug my brother tightly. This time, when the feeling bubbles up inside of me, I don’t hesitate to voice it.
“I love you,” I say, still hugging him. “I hope you know that.”
Pulling away, Ozzy beams up at me and gives me a soft tap on the arm as if wordlessly reassuring me.
“Always,” he says. “I never doubted it.”
47
CONNIE
“You can’t count this as our first official date, you know,” Huxley says matter-of-factly as he unfastens his seatbelt.
After having drinks on Thursday, Jamie insisted we both come for Sunday dinner. This would make tonight our first official outing as two people publicly dating.
I should feel nervous, but instead it just feels normal, especially when our outing is Sunday dinner at the McKennas. It’s safe. It’s family.
I smirk and open the car door.
“Oh?” I say innocently. “Already have something planned then?”
Huxley winks as he rounds the car, meeting me on the other side. “I’m working on it.”
It’s only been three days since we made up, and I know it’s too early to declare thatthistime things feel different. But I can’t help but think it. A lot.
Especially when I watch Huxley stroll up to me and slide his palm into mine. Leaning down, he presses a kiss to the backof my hand before smoothing a thumb over the skin, his gaze lifting to connect with mine under his lashes.
“Being a Libra and all, I should have known you were a secret loverboy,” I say smoothly, although my heart keeps skipping a beat anytime he smiles at me like he is now.
He chuckles and pulls me into his body with an arm around my waist.
“You just never gave me the chance until now,” he says softly before kissing me.
Giggling, I let my body fall onto his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck and returning the kiss before pulling away and heading inside.
As I walk in, I’m hit with the familiar scent of home cooking coming from the kitchen, and of another scent that is distinctly the McKenna household. It’s warm and inviting, and my heart squeezes with affection. The first person to greet us is Sophia, who’s sitting on the couch, one foot pulled up and propped on the cushion.
With her eyes still on her phone, she says, “I saw that.”
“What?” I ask with a laugh as Huxley takes my coat.
