Page 83 of For the Win

“Seems like,” Dad mutters.

“Arya’s a yoga instructor,” I say.

“That’s right.”Arya smiles.“I’ve been doing yoga classes with your hockey team.”

Dad nods.“I’ve never tried yoga.But when I bend down in the morning to put my pants on, it hurts, so I don’t think I’d like it.”

I choke and Arya grins.“If you did yoga, it wouldn’t hurt to put on your pants.”

Dad snorts, but he’s still smiling.

Everyone else chuckles too, exchanging glances.Dad seems to be having a good day.

“Happy birthday, Mr.Wynn,” Arya says.“Thanks for having me here today.”

“What can I get you to drink?”Mom asks us.“We have beer and wine, and pitchers of margaritas.Or iced tea or juice if you prefer.”

“A margarita sounds great,” Arya says.

“I’ll have a beer,” I say.“But I’ll get it.”

There’s a fridge outside on the patio as part of the outdoor kitchen, and I grab a beer from it while mom pours Arya a margarita.

“So, what happened yesterday?”Everly asks.“Come sit here, Arya.”She pats the arm of the chair next to her.

Arya bites her lip as she sits.“Let me first say that Harrison failed to tell me that Asher is his twin.You two do look exactly alike.”

“Nah.”I shake my head.“I’m way better looking than he is.”

Asher flicks me a middle finger.“Our hair is different,” he says.

Arya looks between us and nods.“Yes, now I can see that.”

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell you that!”Everly says.“Oh, wait, I guess I could have mentioned it too.”She shrugs.“I didn’t even think of it.”

Arya continues.“Anyway, I saw Asher at the pier yesterday, um, with a girl.”

The family starts laughing.

“Oooh, who is she, Ash?”Everly asks.

He shrugs.“Her name’s Camilla.First time we went out.”

“I gather they were looking quite friendly.”Everly catches Arya’s eye with a sympathetic smile.

“Oh yeah.”Arya grimaces.“Well, Harrison figured out what happened after he kept telling me he hadn’t been at the pier over and over and I kept saying ‘butI saw you!’”

Mom hands Arya her drink.“You’re not the first girl that’s happened to, if it makes you feel any better.”

“So I heard.”Arya shakes her head, her cheeks red again, but her eyes are dancing.

Whew.

“How about the time Asher broke up with a girl for you?”Everly smirks at me.“What was her name?”

“Never mind.”

Arya snort-laughs.“Oh my God.Really?”

---