Spiked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 6)

“I do not,” I throw back at her as we go into the kitchen. My brother, Journey, sits at the bar on his computer. He has the flu and is unable to go to school, but he doesn’t skip his schoolwork. He’s grown so much over the last couple weeks. He’s taller than me now but still really skinny. My dad wants to beef him up, but Journey is more concerned with the human body. I think he’s going to be a doctor. Not sure what kind, but he’s obsessed. I’ve always thought he is adorable with his long brown hair that comes to his chin. My dad hates it and wants him to cut it, but I think it fits him. He has dark green eyes and takes after my dad with sharp lines to his face, very handsome. But he hasn’t had a girlfriend yet. Doesn’t talk about girls, but he doesn’t talk about boys either. We’re really confused about what he wants. Mom jokes that he is going to be alone forever with a lizard.

We’ll see.

“Ew! Get out of here. I can’t get sick,” I call to him, and he shoots me a dirty look as only a sibling can give.

“Shut up. I’m not even contagious.”

I squint at him. “Yes, you are. Go to your room.”

He’s ready for the fight, but Mom stops him. “Journey, please. Go on. You need to lie down anyway.”

He glares at me. “You don’t even live here.”

I stick out my tongue at him. “But I’m still welcome.”

He scoffs. “By them, not me.”

I laugh. “Whatever. You love me, J.”

His look says otherwise, but he goes back to his room with laptop in tow. I grab a Lysol wipe and wipe the area he occupied before sitting down. My mom brings me a sandwich and a drink and then leans on the counter as I dig in. “You shouldn’t be so mean to him. When we’re gone, you’ll only have each other. Look how close Elli’s kids are.”

I give her a dry look. “We aren’t the Adler kids, Mom. And I love that guy, he’s just moody.”

“You know all about moody, huh?” I stick out my tongue at her this time, and she laughs as I take a bite of my sandwich. While I chew, she looks down at her phone. “Our presence has been requested for the dress fitting Saturday. You’ll be there?”

I groan loudly. “Yes, but I know Shelli only wants us there so we can gush over her since Posey can’t be there.”

My mom grins. “You’ll see when you’re the bride.”

I make a face, wrinkling my nose. “According to Asher, I’ll be a bride three times.”

She laughs. “I love that boy. How is he? Is he happy to be home?”

I shrug. “I think so, but you know his sisters drive him crazy.”

“Yeah, but he needs to be home. I know Fallon and Lucas are happy he’s back,” she says, speaking of his parents. “It’s hard when your baby isn’t home.”

“Yeah, I guess. I think he’s going to try to get Aiden’s condo, which will probably be good. Asher needs out. He does better alone. Then he has that interview with Elli and Shelli on Friday. We all know she’ll hire him.”

“Yes, of course. I think Elli still feels bad about not re-signing Lucas, which ultimately led him to retire.”

“I forgot about that,” I say with wide eyes. “Yeah, Asher could suck at jumbotron maintenance, and she’d still hire him.”

Mom laughs. “Exactly.”

“But we all know he is amazing and will do awesome things for the Assassins organization.”

“Yes, we do know this. You more so than anyone,” she says in a teasing tone. “Have you told him you love him yet?”

I almost choke on my sandwich as I whip my head around to make sure neither my dad nor Journey are near. “Mom!” I shriek, and she laughs like it’s hysterical that she almost gave me a heart attack.

I think I was drunk when I admitted my feelings for Asher.

It was when he left to go to college in California. I was so sad and got wine drunk with her. She made a joke that maybe I should have gone with him, and then I word-vomited all over her. I professed my love for him that night, and she is just waiting for me to come clean to him. She loves Asher, thinks he is the best dude ever. And since I have a tendency to date idiots, she wants me with someone good. Asher’s that guy, but I know he has no interest in me whatsoever. We’re just friends. I’ve been friend-zoned like no other, or I friend-zoned him. I’m not sure, but it’s understood he doesn’t like me like that.

“I’m just asking. I mean, he gets home, and the first thing he does is hang with you? I feel in my heart, he loves you too.”

I shake my head. “He doesn’t, Mom. I promise he doesn’t. Not that way. We’re basically siblings.” I lean forward on my elbows. “For example, he asked why people assume we’re together, and I spat out some of the facts I used for that paper I did. And he was like, well, I guess we’ll find each other attractive after we’re divorced nine times or whatever, and he never said he was ever attracted to me.”