Page 123 of The Trade

Despite my exasperation, I can’t stop my own smile in return. “Nosy.”

She rises from the couch, crossing the room to join my dad, who had slowly entered, the wheels of his walker clicking rhythmically against the threshold. “Well, your nosy father and I are going to sleep early tonight,” she tells me. “Why don’t you spend some time with Mica instead of drinking that awful coffee?”

I cast a glance toward the kitchen, where my coffee still sits, now untouched and forgotten. My dad follows my gaze and chuckles. “I already tossed it.”

I mutter a soft “meddling parents” under my breath, just audible enough for them to hear.

Mica nudges me on the shoulder, a playful spark in his eyes. “Come on, Lil. Let’s go out to our swing.”

After hugging our parents good night, Mica and I make our way outside. The back patio is home to a large wooden porch swing, faintly illuminated by the soft glow of the outdoor lights. It might be a simple piece of furniture, but it’s always been one of my favorite places in the world.

I claim the swing before Mica can react, sprawling out on the bench, feet kicked up in an exaggerated display of comfort. He scowls, a playful threat in his voice. “You better scoot your ass over, or I’m gonna crush you.”

“Hey!” I feign indignation. “Aren’t you here to cheer me up?”

His laugh is rich, a sound I’ve missed more than I realized. “That doesn’t mean I can’t threaten you with bodily harm.”

In mock protest, I shift into a seated position. “You’re the ass,” I grumble, bumping my shoulder against his.

Unfazed by my jab, he plops down beside me, stretching his arms out leisurely across the backrest. “Lili, I’m gonna need you to fly out for at least five of my games this year.”

“Five?” I scoff. “You realize that Garrett’s finally letting me cover the Dayton games, right?”

“Are you trying to say that Dayton football is more important than your family?”

“I’m saying my potential career in sports journalism is just as important as you and your career.”

A low whistle escapes his lips. “Damn. How about three games, then?”

“Sure.” I huff out a laugh. “We’ll make it happen.”

There’s a noticeable shift in his demeanor. “Are you ever gonna tell me what happened between you and West?”

“I would if it was any of your business.”

His gaze hardens, his protective nature surfacing. “You’re my sister. Everything about you is my business. And if he hurt you, I’ll kill that little fucker.”

Hastily, I attempt to dissolve his worry. “It’s not like that,” I insist. “He just made a careless mistake, and I ended things. He tried to mend it, but I thought it’d be better if we took a break for the summer. That’s all.”

He raises a questioning brow. “What kind of mistake are we talking about here?”

I shake my head, a clear dismissal. “It doesn’t matter. It’s all water under the bridge anyway. We’re not together now, and it’s probably for the best.”

I’m still not entirely sure who I’m trying to fool here. But what I do know is that I wouldn’t have made the decision to leave—to put this physical distance between us—if I didn’t need to.

There’s a reason I choose to spend my summers here instead of staying behind at Dayton. The same reason I always seek solace in the comforts of our childhood home, in the presence of our mom and dad.

“So, you’re the one that ended it?”

I nod, mustering a tight smile. “You know I always look forward to spending my summers here, but I alsoneedto be here, Ace. With family. With our dad, most of all. He’s doing okay for now, but who knows how much longer he’ll be in this condition?”

“And you didn’t think West would wait for you?”

“No, I know he would. I just—I thought it was all too complicated. We’re hundreds of miles apart. And I’ve never been in a serious relationship before, not like the one we had. Long distance just seems really tough, and especially for two people who don’t quite have their shit together.”

“And now that you’re home, spending all this time without him, you still think you made the right decision?”

“I thought so,” I confess, tears stinging at the back of my eyes. “But now, I’m not so sure I can handle it. I just ... really miss him. I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping us apart, but I let fear take over, and maybe I pushed him away when I shouldn’t have.”

---