“WHERE are you?” The text arrives just as I get into the car waiting for Landon when we arrive in New York. It’s from Dylan, my baby brother, and it’s accompanied by an angry emoji.
“What’s up?” I type in reply, pleased and surprised. Dylan isn’t the best communicator in the world. He buries himself in his video games and his studies and mostly resists our attempts to dig him out.
“I’m at your place with Laurie,” he texts back. “When are you coming back?”
“Already on my way,” I reply. “Will be there in minutes. Wait for me!!”
“My brother’s in town,” I tell Landon, smiling excitedly. He met Dylan once, and they’d actually hit it off, which wasn’t usually par for the course with Dylan.
Landon nods, and I lean closer to him, tempted to burrow as close as I possibly can and prolong the memory of our wonderful weekend. “Do you see him often?” he asks.
I shrug. “Not as often as I’d like, but we usually pick up where we left off.”
He laughs, then pulls me in so my head is on his shoulder. “I don’t want to let you go,” he murmurs in my ear.
I know what he means. Through the short flight and even now, I’d been thinking the same thing, how much I wish the weekend didn’t have to end. My body softens, melting into his. “I had a great time too.”
When we’re almost at my place, he strokes my arm. “Will you change your mind about coming to San Francisco for the opening of the new hotel?”
I smile shamefacedly, recalling how I’d reacted to his earlier invitation. “Of course I’ll come.”
He nods. “I’ll leave town sometime this week, but I want to see you every day before I leave.”
“Every day?” I echo, so pleased I’m almost ashamed of myself.
“Is that too much?”
Never! I grin. “I’ll consider it.”
He’s laughing. “Let’s have dinner tomorrow,” he says. “When you’re not working, I want you to be with me.”
“Yes boss.”
He chuckles but doesn’t say anything. At my apartment, he carries my tiny weekend luggage upstairs, kissing me goodbye at the door.
I watch him walk down the stairs, taking them two at a time, then he blows me a kiss before disappearing from sight.
I take a deep breath, then turn to unlock the door and let myself into the apartment. I’m so happy I feel like I’m floating, I have to tell myself not to hope, not to want any more than I’ve already settled for, but it’s hard to listen.
Inside, Dylan is stretched out on the couch, with Laurie seated on the floor, laughing at something he said.
“Look who’s back!” she exclaims, not getting up. She wiggles her eyebrows meaningfully. “How was your weekend?”
Dylan unwraps his lanky body from the couch. He looks like my Dad, but with the same green eyes as me and my mom. “Laurie says you went on a romantic getaway with your boyfriend,” he looks serious. “I feel bound to challenge him to a duel to defend our family honor.”
Laurie is giggling. “Pistols or swords.”
“Both?” Dylan abandons his straight-faced expression and doubles over with laughter. He takes a few steps to where I’m standing and we hug, then he pulls me towards the couch. “We’re drinking wine and sharing secrets,” he tells me. “You have to join, and in case you’re wondering, I’m not going to fight your boyfriend,” he does a dignified-old-man face and pats my head. “You’re of age.”
Laurie breaks into giggles again and Dylan joins her.
I shove him gently. “How much wine have you guys had?” I exclaim, joining Laurie on the floor while Dylan throws himself back on the couch. Laurie hands me an empty glass and pours me some of the red wine they’ve been drinking. “What are you doing in the city anyway?” I ask Dylan.
“I came to see a show,” he replies.
“Huh!” I crane my head to look at him. “What show?”
He tells me the name of some rock band I’ve never heard of.