A slow Cheshire cat grin builds on his handsome face. “Looks like Squid grew up and got a pair of lady balls.”
“Can we drop the nickname?” I huff.
Wes takes a step toward me and leans in, so impossibly close that I can practically taste the fresh soap flecks on his skin. His mouth inches close to mine. “Not a chance, kiddo. Not a chance.” He ruffles my hair, and then he turns and struts into his room.
I roll my eyes, heading back into mine. Chad follows me in.
“I see he hasn’t changed a bit,” I say to Chad while smoothing out my long, dark hair.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s just a weirdo. It’s the other guys who will be strolling in here I worry about. I’ve given them so much shit about you coming that they won’t touch you with a twenty-foot pole.”
I open the zipper of my duffel bag and wonder why I have a pang of disappointment at Chad’s statement. “Good,” I state.
He takes a swig of his beer. “You hungry?”
My stomach growls at the thought, and Chad laughs.
“Come on. We can get you settled in later. Let’s get some food.”
“Only if it’s Chinese. I’m jonesing for some dumplings.”
I use the bathroom and freshen up a bit. I’m happy to report neither my brother nor Wes are slobs in the bathroom. In fact, the toilet is clean, and there isn’t a spec of toothpaste in the sink basin. Color me surprised.
I exit the bathroom, and Wes is standing in the hallway, dressed in jeans and a fitted Los Angeles Angels T-shirt with his hair tucked under a baseball cap. I stare up at him, and it hits me.
He’s taller.
That’s what it is. I mean, besides the new chiseled physique, Wesley grew a lot over the years.
“What’s the look for?” he asks, and I realize I’m rudely staring at him—again.
“I was just going to comment on how clean your bathroom is.” I thumb toward it rather awkwardly.
“Did you think we pissed all over the toilet or something?”
“Or something.” I shrug. “I’m gonna have to get used to living with guys.”
“Ah, yes. The living-together arrangements.” Wes rubs his hands together in front of him. “This is going to be fun. Let’s see.” He holds up a hand with his pointer finger in the air. “First rule: don’t even think about bringing a boy back here unless you want us to beat his ass.”
“I don’t date boys. Now, men—”
“No perfume is to be sprayed anywhere but in your bedroom.”
“Afraid your lady friends might find out you live with a woman?” I challenge, but he ignores me.
“No horrible mom music is to be played.”
“I don’t listen to mom music!”
Chad interrupts from the living room, “I most definitely heard Celine Dion coming from her truck when she pulled up.”
I scrunch my face in Chad’s direction as Wesley continues, “We divide the grocery bill. No labeling whose is whose bullshit in the fridge. Laundry day is Tuesday, clean up after yourself, television is for sports only—unless it’s your dad’s new show—and most importantly, I take my eggs over easy.” He says the last part with a twinkle in his eye and a tilt to his lips.
I place my hands on my hips and tap my foot. “You can get your own damn breakfast, and I’ll make sure to spray perfume directly into your room.”
“Just make sure I’m dressed before you enter. I sleep naked, especially when I have company.”
“Hello, double standard. Meet the twenty-first century. You can have girls over, but I can’t have guys?”
He holds his hands up. “You’re the one who chose to move in with your brother. Don’t blame me for being a cockblock. Wait, no. Blame me. I’ll easily crush any guy who comes here and thinks he’s getting into that bed of yours.” He points toward my door.
“You’re cute when you try to play badass dominant, Wesley Delmont Knight.” I nudge him with my shoulder as I walk past, knowing he hates that I know his middle name. I thought we’d be past this childish behavior, but obviously, we aren’t.
“Oh, and the bedroom isn’t the only rule. No guys in the apartment. Period.”
“You’re annoying.”
“Funny. I’ve been told I’m surprisingly irritable or unexpectedly calm.” He holds his arms out wide like he’s proud of the statement.
Chad is so used to our antics that he doesn’t even bother to chastise us or tell us to grow up. Three years apart, and we’re acting like it’s only been a few hours since we saw each other last.
Chad’s phone rings loudly from his pocket, so he slides it out and holds it to his ear. “Hey, babe. Are you joining us for dinner?” he asks into the phone, turning his back to us and walking to the kitchen.
Babe? I mouth to Wes while pointing in the direction Chad just walked in.
Wes’s eyes bug out as he leans in. “You didn’t know? Our boy here has it bad.”
I squish my face. “Seriously?”
“For a couple weeks now.”
“Stop it. Are they, like, in love?” I do a little shimmy dance as I use those words, which makes Wes curve his brows.
“I hope not. I already lost one roommate for being pussy-whipped. I’d like to keep this one until we graduate.”
I never thought my brother would settle down with anyone. For Chad Brightmore, life is baseball, and nothing is more important than practice or working on getting better. Both he and Wes are here on scholarship, and this is the final season of their senior year. I figured his dating life would be even more nonexistent—at least until he settled down into a career.
We enter the kitchen, where Chad is leaning against the wall, talking on the phone. The smile on his face catches me off guard. Wes wasn’t lying. He’s absolutely into this girl.
“Okay, good. We’ll see you there. Love you too,” he says before he hangs up, turning to us while we’re both staring at him. “Don’t say it.” Chad points at Wes.
Wes holds up his hands in defense. “I didn’t have to say it. She heard it with her own two ears.”
“You’re seriously dating someone?” I don’t even try to hide the shock in my voice.
“Come on. It’s not like she’s my first girlfriend.” He makes his way into the living room, trying to blow us off.
“Right, but Trina was more of an off-and-on, friends-with-benefits thing. And you’ve never brought someone home for the holidays or summers,” I say, following behind him. “I never understood your relationship with Trina, but it seemed to work for you guys. Now, you’re saying ‘love you’ to this girl?”
He grabs his keys off the table. “I’m not discussing my sex life with my little sister.”
“A sex life would mean you’re venturing out, trying some strange. You, my friend, are entering the boring zone,” Wes teases as he locks the door behind us.
Chad looks like he’s going to make a retort but thinks twice about it, probably because I’m standing right here. “Better than being a man-whore like you.”
Wes holds his hand to his chest, like he’s insulted by this assessment. “I just happen to make friends easily and unintentionally make people fall in love with me often.”