“Really good,” I say. “Bagels.” He doesn’t need to know how I got them.
His smile lights his eyes. “Good. I’m glad.”
That’s a weird thing to say, but before I can question it, Sophie leans across the seat between us. “Can I have those chips you got, Levi?”
He grins. “You mean the ones you asked for ten times?” He pulls out a full-sized bag of chips and passes it back. “Here.”
“Sophie,” I say. “I’ve got lots of snacks. Why don’t you eat what I bought?”
Sophie, head bent over her phone, doesn’t hear me or pretends not to.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Levi. “You didn’t have to buy them snacks.”
“It’s not a problem.” He opens a bag of tiny cookies and pops three into his mouth. “Road trips are the only time I allow myself unlimited junk food and, if some of the bag isn’t mine, I can look giving instead of gluttonous.”
He’s being too sweet. And my first thought is that he must want something. For my parents, and with many of my ex-boyfriends, kindness was always a precursor to a request or a demand. Or a way to make up for not being present or for being too harsh. Problem was, the behavior never actually changed. The kindnesses and gifts were always just manipulations.
Levi smiles at me, and I hate myself for second-guessing him. Levi and I have thrown plenty of sharp barbs at each other since he moved back to town, but he hasn’t done anything cruel.
Is he right? Have I been judging him without giving him a chance to show me he’s changed?
Chapter Eight
Levi
Gentry would be so mad to find out she’s fallen asleep on me, but I don’t have the heart to move her. As soon as she drifted off, I moved to the middle seat, and Imighthave helped steer her to lay her head on my chest.
I just want her to be comfortable. It has nothing to do with how good she smells, of lilac and green grass, or how amazing she feels lying against me, and everything to do with Emily telling me Gentry was up with her until four in the morning. Which was when Emily’s room stopped spinning enough that she could fall asleep.
I have a feeling Gentry was up even later than that, probably getting last-minute things together for the trip, if the dark circles under her eyes are anything to go by.
Up front, Emily is chattering away, telling Brodie all about her life and her friends and school. Brodie’s listening and commenting, though it’s clear he’s distracted. He’s probably stressed beyond belief about the wedding, and he’s never handled stress well, but I’m still pissed about the way he talked to Gentry.
If I have any shot of Gentry forgiving me for ghosting her three years ago, I need Brodie to tell her everything that happened that week. The Lendews are not a family that shares, but he owes me. And it’ll probably be good for him to share his trauma…
I shake my head at my own stupid hopefulness. The last thing Brodie wants is me dating his sister. He’s not going to tell her about his week from hell.
“So,” Emily goes on. “I get why you don’t want to send us money anymore and everything, but I have a life, Brodie, and it will end if I can’t get new soccer cleats. Not to mention that I need a present for Ashley’s birthday party next month. And Sophie really needs gymnastics. She’s so boring and sad all the time since her boyfriend dumped her.”
When Emily insisted on sitting up front, I figured it was just another foray in her mission to push me and Gentry together. I didn’t realize she’d be asking her brother for money. That girl is persistent as hell.
“Uh-huh,” Brodie says.
“Brodie,” Emily screeches. “Are you even listening to me? God, you used to be cool.”
Gentry stirs against my chest, but I rub her arm and squeeze her tighter against me. She relaxes with a sigh and snuggles closer.
“Sorry, Em,” Brodie says, sounding exhausted and truly sorry. What is going on with him? “I’m focused on driving. What did you say?”
Emily sighs, but she doesn’t give up. “You have to keep sending us money. Sophie and I are impressionable youths.”
Brodie laughs. “You’re a firecracker, kid. But you’ll be fine. Gentry’s got you covered.”
“She doesn’t. She’s barely keeping it together as it is, and she works really hard. I don’t want to have to move out of our house, and the dress I want for prom isn’t cheap.”
“You’re too young to go to prom.”
“You’re not listening.” Emily’s yelling now, and her face is red with anger. “We need your help, Brodie. You can’t just abandon us.”
