Promise Me

The stone she threw lands in the pit of my stomach, but at the same time, I’m thrilled for her. “You won open mic night?”

“I did. You’d know that if you’d stuck around to celebrate with me and our hot neighbors.” Her eyes meet mine, but the sharpness of her gaze has given way to something else. Something she’s not telling me. “How’s Amber?”

“Bunkered. She went straight to her room when we got home, and I haven’t seen her since. Maybe we should check on her?”

“One of us should.” She takes a bite of the muffin. “I nominate you. People don’t find me comforting.”

I can’t argue with that, but her brusque response doesn’t quite hide the fact that she just expressed concern for our sister. She knows it. I know it. She knows I know it. Fighting a gotcha smile the entire time, I plate up a muffin before rounding the breakfast bar and heading out of the room.

I climb the stairs two at a time to check on Amber.

“Come in,” she says after I knock on her door.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Eh,” she says from the comfort of her bed. She’s leaning against the headboard, reading something on her laptop. Or she was. She minimizes her screen as I enter all the way.

“Need anything? I made blueberry muffins.”

She shakes her head. “No thanks. Best keep your distance so you don’t get whatever it is.”

Sounds selfless, but it’s a brush-off. We’ve lived under the same roof for two weeks. I went home with her last night. Whatever bug she’s picked up, I’ve already been exposed to it, so she’s trying to keep me away for her own reasons. “Do you want to see a doctor? Google says there’s an urgent care a few miles away. Dixie or I could drive you.”

“I will if I don’t bounce back soon, but I’m already feeling a little better. Just tired. Right now all I really want to do is rest.”

Hint taken. I leave the muffin on the dresser and escape her room almost as fast as I did the kitchen. Getting dismissed by Vaughn’s dad who doesn’t know me from Eve is one thing, but getting dismissed by my own sister stings—especially after I was there for her last night, but whatever. A couple of weeks together in Los Angeles hasn’t suddenly made us best friends. I hurry to my room, change into better shoes, and slip out of the house to go for a walk. A solo walk. Snowflake is annoyed with me, but I’ll take her out later. I’ve taken to long treks down the hill to search for help wanted signs in windows, grab a coffee, and let the sights and sounds of the city occupy my thoughts. On my dog walks, I tend to think about the fall and law school and how increasingly unappealing I find that life plan the closer it gets. The same trio of questions rotating in my mind…

When is a decision a fact that can’t be undone?

Is it too late for me?

Can I convince myself to take a chance on change?

Chapter Ten

Kendall

Snowflake is walking me. Seriously. She is the leader and I’m the girl being pulled by her leash. It’s crazy how strong she is. Determined. Even at ten o’clock at night. You’d think she’d do her business and be ready for bed, but no. Not Snow. She struts up the sidewalk like she’s on a mission to save the neighborhood from nocturnal wrongdoings.

Her tenacity is a great Friday night distraction even though over the past week I’ve graduated from thoughts about my future to thoughts about the present.

And a certain guy next door.

When the sidewalk meets the end of his driveway, Snowflake’s body shakes with excitement. She tugs harder on the leash, eager, it seems, to race to his front door. I look up the sloped drive to see if someone’s home and find Vaughn walking toward us.

“Hey, neighbor,” he says. He’s wearing white-washed jeans, a black T-shirt that hugs his chest and biceps, and no shoes. And I think he’s been drinking.

“You’re back from Paris.”

“Either that or I’m a hologram.” He smiles. It’s a slightly lopsided smile—as if his lips aren’t fully on board with the command from his brain—and incredibly endearing.

I look around for signs of what’s going on, but his house is quiet. Thankfully I don’t hear the clanking of keys or see any in his hand.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He comes to a stop in front of me and Snow. She goes berserk, twisting the leash so that I let go. “Hey, Snowflake.” He bends to pet her and falls back onto his butt. She climbs into his lap and smothers his angular jawline in kisses.

“Were you going somewhere?” I ask.