She laughs into this overwhelmed smile that takes my breath away. “And then what?”
I almost feel choked. “And then I’ll carry you to the nearest McDonalds. Get you the biggest McFlurry.”
“Extra Oreos.”
“All the Oreos.”
Good grief, I’m in fucking love. And by some grace of God, I have Sulli for longer than a day or week or month. I can only hope this’ll go on for years, but I’m trying not to look too far ahead and miss out on what’s right in front of me.
She’s stopped cooking. Letting me take over, but I’m just as terrible of a chef. The best cook among us is leaning against the fridge, texting.
Sulli watches Akara, then looks to me, “What happens to the three of us if not everyone takes our relationship as well as Quinn?”
Is Quinn taking it well?
On the couch, he pretends to be reading Akara’s Fortune magazine. But he’s peering coyly at us like we’re strange beasts in a stranger zoo.
“We stick together. Come what may,” I whisper to Sulli. “Nothing’s gonna pull us apart.”
“Not even your brother?” Sulli wonders, concern flooding the prettiest green eyes.
She’s worried he’ll take it badly.
Truth: he probably will. But Sulli chose me and Akara over her father. And I’m picking her over everyone else.
“Whatever happens,” I whisper, “we’ll always choose you like you chose us. No matter which direction I’m pulled in, I’m headed in yours.”
She breathes in, and I take her free hand, twirling her in a circle until her back ends up against my chest. I tuck her closer while we burn some vegetables together.
And then my phone buzzes on the counter.
I stretch an arm and grab my phone. My mouth curves up seeing the Caller ID. What timing.
How are the cats? – Cinderella
Alas, the six-foot-seven Cinderella is texting. It’d be better if Thatcher were actually here right now. That way he could see my eyes roll around the fuckin’ room. He goes to Switzerland for his honeymoon, and the guy forgets how good of a cat sitter I am. Typical. I shift back from Sulli to text my brother: Alive. Well fed. You and Jane will see them tomorrow. Don’t panic before then.
One second later, he replies.
I’m not panicking. – Cinderella
I’m about to put my phone down when he texts again.
I’m coming home tonight. – Cinderella
“What?” I say out loud, too shocked to cage this thought.
Sulli rotates more to me. “What’s wrong?”
Boiling water starts bubbling over a pot on the stove—the pot Akara was supposed to be watching. I drop my phone this time to grab the pot and lift it off the heat.
“Shit, sorry,” Akara says, glancing up from his phone.
Akara usually ranges from mediocre to subpar in the kitchen. I’m still smack dab in the terrible range, but I guess I found something I’m good at. Keeping a pot of boiling fuckin’ water from overflowing isn’t an achievement I’m going to be gloating about any time soon.
When the water simmers, I set the pot on the stovetop. “My brother is coming home tonight,” I announce.
Akara nods like he already knows. He pockets his cell. “He just told me, too. Thatcher and Jane are cutting their honeymoon a day short because of the cats.”
I let out an annoyed breath. “What a fucking stunad. I’m doing a good job cat sitting.”
Akara smiles. “It’s not you. Jane misses them. Thatcher won’t admit it, but I think he does too.”
He definitely has a gooey soft spot for those pussies.
Not so sure I’m going to be a soft spot in my brother’s heart after he learns about my current relationship status. Thatcher would be on guard in any scenario that involves me dating Sullivan Minnie Meadows. Even when he knows I had a Jupiter-sized crush on her, he was throwing down crash pad after crash pad in front of me. Like he knew I was about to plummet out of the side of a plane without a parachute on.
I know my brother like I know myself.
Maybe even better.
He’s my twin.
And I know, for a certain fuckin’ fact, nothing will have changed in his eyes. I’m head-over-heels in love with Sulli, but Akara is paddling in the same lovesick boat as me. Thatcher won’t jump for joy over this “triad.” He’s going to think I’m gripping the short end of the stick, and one day I might not be gripping it at all.
But I’ve been through that insecurity in Yellowstone, and I’m over it. A choice has been made, and we all chose each other. That’s enough for me.
Right now, I’m not worried about being the odd one out, but I’m buckling up for Thatcher’s worry to assault me tonight.
I grab the box of rotini from the cupboard. After a quick check on the ingredients, I confirm there’s no egg and I toss the contents in the water.