“Sounds fun.” I take a bite and watch how she lights up at the prospect of our trip. “I will say I’m surprised you live in a small town. When we met in San Diego, I assumed you lived there.”
She laughs. “Well, I wouldn’t call it a small town so much as a suburb. It’s nice not being too far away. That’s why I’m able to commute to college.”
Duke walks into the kitchen and grabs a bagel. Then he looks at me and smirks. “I see you’re still alive. Congrats.”
I straighten up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t believe my dad is letting you two stay in the same room.”
“Why not? He says you’re the one who convinced him,” Delaney says.
Well, this is news. Duke went to bat for me?
Duke rips a piece of his bagel off and tosses it at her. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”
“Hey!” She retrieves the bagel from her hair and throws it back at him.
He opens his mouth and catches it. Then grins.
“What? Are you worried it will ruin your reputation if you’re nice to your sister?” she says.
Duke points at me. “No, I don’t want him thinking I’m okay with him boinking my sister. You do anything to hurt her, and I won’t seem too nice.”
“Boinking? Really?” Delaney asks, frowning.
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate it,” I tell Duke. “And I’m happy to see she has someone so protective of her.”
Duke takes a bite of his bagel, staring at me. “I am. So, you better be all in with her.”
I grin at him. “Trust me. I am.”
Delaney groans. “Duke, stop it.”
He smiles as he gives her a one-armed hug. “Oh, I love you, too!”
I turn and watch as he walks out of the kitchen. Then I notice something on Delaney’s back. “What’s this?”
I pull it off, and it’s a Post-it note that says, “Kick me.” I hand it to her, and she jumps from the stool.
“Duke! You are so childish!” She races after him.
Duke laughs from somewhere upstairs. Delaney’s feet pound up the stairs, and I hear Duke scream. “That hurts!”
Then they are silent, and a moment later, Delaney walks back into the kitchen, smiling.
“What did you do?”
She sits down. “Just made sure he doesn’t mess with me again.”
Duke pops up in the doorway. “What the hell, Delaney? Now my nipples hurt whenever my shirt moves over them.”
I almost choke on my bagel, laughing. Her brother seems like a tough man at six foot one with the build of a linebacker. Yet, what I’m guessing was nipple twisting is taking him down.
“Don’t do childish things, and no one will get hurt,” Delaney says.
There’s a twinkle in her brother’s eye, and I know whatever’s coming next can’t be good.
“Speaking of childish, remember the time we went to church, and you said you had to go to the bathroom? We were running late, and Dad said no.”
