“Obviously it was to make Grant jealous.”
“Do you think it worked?” Sean asks.
“I hope so.” It’s hard walking on eggshells around two people who clearly love each other but can’t seem to say the words out loud. But just in case, I texted Grant everything that happened this morning.
“Hey, you up for a game of pool? Loser gets bathroom duty at the shop next week.”
I raise a brow. “It’s your turn to clean the bathroom, isn’t it?”
“Play your cards right and it could be yours.” He grins and smacks my shoulder.
“Fine. But if I win you take my turn as well.”
“Deal.”
I’d planned on going to the shop for a bit to work on a job, but I guess it can wait. I polish off my cinnamon roll. “I need to grab something out of my old room first.”
Mom and Lennox are in the living room talking and I approach them, hugging Mom first.
“Do you mind if I steal the old monitor in my room? The one at the shop is acting up.”
“Not at all, honey,” Mom says. “No one’s used it since you left.”
“Thanks.” I turn to my sister, enveloping her in a hug as well. The holidays always make me more sentimental, but after watching Grant’s struggles this past month, I’m holding my loved ones extra close this year.
“I really am sorry,” I say again. I have a feeling I’ll be saying it many more times before I feel better about my actions. Note to younger boys: don’t bet on your sister’s dating life.
“It’s okay, Trent. I forgive you as long as you don’t make another bet about my personal life again,” Lennox says, hugging me back.
“Promise.” The last thing I want to do is hurt her, or any of my family. Which is why I leave out the real reason I need the extra monitor. It’s for a programming course I enrolled in without telling anyone. Not even my twin brother. If my family finds out, they’ll ask if I’m leaving the family business, and I haven’t decided yet. All I know is that I don’t want to let my dad and brothers down.
A single light from my old room illuminates the upstairs hallway. Grant must have left it on. He’s been staying here since his apartment burned down, but I thought he was sleeping in Michael’s room.
Why is the TV going?
I step through the doorway just as a hideous figure emerges on the TV screen. The timing is the only reason I jump.
The TV pauses. “Trent, right?”
This time I can’t blame my nerves on the TV. I turn to find the owner of the voice. It’s the crazy lady. Karli. She’s in my old room. Sitting on my old bed. Watching my old TV.
Now I know how the three bears felt when Goldilocks infiltrated their home. Except, instead of kicking her out I kind of want to sit down and join her. I like scary movies and cuddling up with beautiful girls. Which she is. That much was evident the second she walked into the house earlier, but her beauty was semi-marred by the horror we were facing. Now that I’m out of danger I can fully appreciate her short, fierce brown hair and equally dark eyes. She’s shorter than me, but not by much. Enough that if I hugged her, I could tuck her head under my chin–
I clear my throat. “Yes? Uh, what are you doing here?”
She shifts on the bed and pulls off her purple hoodie. Underneath she’s wearing a plain black tank top. “Well, Iwasenjoying the quiet.”
I frown. “You’re the one who said hi to me.”
“I said your name. I wasn’t inviting conversation.”
Women are so confusing. They’re hot then cold, yes then no. No Katy Perry song has ever been so accurate.
“Well, sorry for…” I have no clue what I’m apologizing for. She tried to give my family tetanus, and now she’s spread out on my bed like she owns the place. “Wait, why are you still here?”
She sinks into the pillows. “Juliet was my ride.”
Juliet is going to be here all day, making out with Michael. Probably. Which means this…very confusing woman will be here, too.
