Page 71 of Summer Reading

“No, I’m not,” I said. “You just haven’t had me to teach you before. It’s time you started learning Vovó’s recipes. We’ll practice cooking together and then when I do the program, you can cook with me. You can be the rock star.”

He stared at me across the table. “You’d do that?”

“Absolutely.”

“Do I get to wear a chef coat?”

“I might be able to find one that will fit you.”

He grinned, and a piece of dark green lettuce showed in his teeth. I grinned back. This sibling thing was so unexpectedly awesome.

In a crazy moment of unchecked magnanimity, I said, “And I’ll teach you to drive.”

“What?” he gasped. “Seriously?”

“Yes, but there will be rules. And you have to do everything I say,” I said.

“I will. I promise.”

He was so eager I wondered if I’d just been snookered. But then he smiled at me and I simply didn’t care. I was going to teach my baby brother to drive. What an epic bonding experience this would be. Andwasn’t that exactly what Dad had hoped for? Besides, it was just driving. What could possibly go wrong?

•••

“See you, Sam!” Tyler dashed through the living room on his way out the door.

“Hold it! Stop right there!” I pulled an earbud out, pausing the story. I was sitting on the couch, listening to the rom-com Em had downloaded for me while I waited for Ben. “Where are you going?”

“Out with some friends from robotics,” he said. He paused by the door. “That’s okay, right? Um... I mean... I could stay home if you want.”

“No,” I said. It was the first time I’d seen him go hang out with kids outside of camp. I sensed this was a very big deal.

“Who all is going?”

“Are you going parental on me now?” he asked.

“My dude, I’ve been cooking for you and chauffeuring you around, so I’ve already been doing the parental thing, thanks for noticing,” I said. “I just need to know who you’re with in case you go missing so I can choke the life out of them for letting something happen to my baby brother.”

He held up a finger. “Not a baby.”

“Little brother.”

He shook his head. “Not little either.”

“Fine. My younger brother,” I said.

“It’s Cameron, Sophie, Blake, and Hector.” He was shifting on his feet, clearly ready to run. So, of course, I needed to torture him with more questions.

“Is Cameron a boy or a girl?” I asked.

“What does that matter?”

I rolled my hand, gesturing for him to answer.

“Girl,” he growled.

“Okay,” I said. “I just wanted to make sure Sophie wasn’t outnumbered.”

“Can I go now?”

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