“He’s obviously attractive,” Bethany stated as she finished drying her dog. “He’d probably bring in a good amount of money. I’ve heard quite a few girls talk about how hot he is.”
“He doesn’t want to.”
“So you asked him?”
Jesus Christ, is this chick majoring in interrogation techniques or something?
“No, I just know he wouldn’t want to.”
Bethany looked skeptical. “Even if it would help you with the fundraiser?” She turned her back for a second while she put the dog in his crate and then turned back to face me. “Unless, of course, there’s another reason you don’t want him to participate.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “And what reason would that be?”
She looked down and examined her nails. “A few of us were just wondering if you were maybe a little too…interested in your brother.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
She looked right at me. “You just seem…close.”
I was really getting tired of this shit. “How many times do I have to tell you guys? That was not me in that video.”
“So you’ve said,” she said dismissively.
“But you don’t believe me.” It was a statement because I already knew the answer. I hated that she wasn’t technically wrong.
She gave me a look that let me know she most certainly did not believe me. Which meant Aamee didn’t believe me either, and wasn’t that just a shitstorm sandwich on what-the-fuck bread?
Aamee was clearly hoping to get something to discredit me with, and I couldn’t give it to her. Not when this was so close to being over. Not when I was so close to defeating the big, bad bitch. So I did the only thing I could think of.
“I’m sure Brody would participate if it’s that important to you.”
Bethany simply smirked in reply as she took off her apron, hung it on the hook, and left the room.
I wasn’t sure if I’d called her bluff or played into her hands, but I had a feeling—no matter how I’d reacted to her accusations—that the cards had been stacked against me from the start.
“What the hell just happened?” Emma asked.
I wished I knew.
D R E W
“How’s everything been going, man?” Brody asked me, his voice sounding slightly tinny over the long-distance connection.
I relaxed back into the couch and propped my feet on the coffee table. “Not too bad. Classes are going well. I’m carrying all As.”
“Oh. Um, hey, I’m happy you’re doing well and all, but maybe you’re doing a little too well for…me. Like maybe some of those can come down to at least Bs? Cs would be better, but I could compromise with Bs.”
My brow furrowed. “I thought you wanted good grades so your parents saw that you were following through on your promise to do better.”
“Yeah, definitely. But better for me is passing anything. Acing every class will raise every red flag that’s ever been made.”
“Oh. Okay.” There was no hiding the disappointment in my voice. This was likely the only chance I’d get to go to college. I wanted to prove to myself how good I could be at it, not purposely fuck up my grades.
Brody hesitated a second before saying, “You know what? Ignore me. Get whatever grade you can earn. My dad’ll probably applaud whatever nefarious means he’ll think went into me acing the semester.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re the boss here. I’ll do whatever you need me to.”
“I need you to do your best.”
“That’s obviously not—”
“Drew?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up and do your best.”
His voice managed to be stern and encouraging. It sounded very different from the exuberant frat-boy tone he’d always had when we’d spoken before. For the first time, I got a glimpse of what the grown-up Brody could be if he ever let himself grow up.
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” The statement sounded more like a directive than an acceptance of my gratitude. “How’s living with my sister been?”
I allowed him to divert the conversation like he so clearly wanted to, even though this was a more uncomfortable topic for me. Brody might have backed down on the grades, but I doubted he’d be so magnanimous about me hooking up with his little sister.
“Fine.”
“Really? She hasn’t been a pain in the ass? I couldn’t imagine living with her.”
“Didn’t you grow up with her?”
“Yeah, but not in such tight quarters. We didn’t interact much, especially once we were both teenagers.”
The dynamic between Brody and Sophia baffled me. Granted, I wasn’t very close with my own sisters, but they were soul-sucking. Sophia and Brody were both good people. Both a bit reckless and impulsive in their own ways, but solid human beings. I wondered if they saw how alike they were. Brody obviously took his antics to much higher levels, but they were both wild cards with good hearts. But it wasn’t my place to get into that.
“It’s gone smoothly. No problems.”
“You must be a spoiled-brat whisperer,” he said, a smile obvious in his voice.
Despite the teasing tone, though, I couldn’t let the dig at Sophia lie. “Must be, since I’m talking to a guy currently gallivanting around Europe.”
Thankfully he laughed. “Touché.”
The snick of a lock sounded before the door swung open, and Sophia clomped in, looking a little damp and a lot exhausted.
“Speak of the devil,” I said into the phone.
She looked at me quizzically as she settled onto the couch beside me.
“Is she home? Put me on speaker,” Brody said.
I clicked the button and then said, “Okay, go ahead.”
“Hey, squirt.”
Her nose scrunched up as she rested her head on the back of the couch. “Ugh, what do you want?”
“I called Mom, so you can stop texting me reminders about doing it. I told her I was settling in well with classes and I just loved having you living with me.”
“Way to screw up the whole thing. She’s never going to believe you like having me around.”
He gasped in what I interpreted as mock outrage. “I am completely convincing. Hell, they still think I’m in college when I’m not even in the country.”
“This is true,” she conceded.
“How’s everything going with getting back onto so-whority row?”
“You think you’re really clever, don’t you? How long have you been waiting to use that one?”
The only response was Brody’s cackling.
“Ugh, I don’t have the mental energy for you. Have fun fucking your way through Italy or wherever the hell you are.”
“You really overestimate my stamina. I’m almost flattered.”
“I’m hanging up now,” she said.
“No, wait. Seriously. How is everything going with getting back into the house?”
Sophia looked perplexed, like she wasn’t sure if he was actually asking or making fun of her somehow.
“It’s going okay. I think I have a good shot at making it back in for next semester.”