Page 3 of The Summer Intern

“They didn’t escort me out.They just suggested that this wasn’t the right place for me to be in my current state.”

“Right.”

“Well, why didn’t they escort that… that lumbersexual caveman out, too?”I asked as we unlocked the doors to the Prius we shared and climbed in.Oliver was in the driver’s seat, as usual, because driving wasn’t my top skill.Especially not when aggravated.Or sad.Or happy.Or when there were other cars around.So, almost never.

“Perhaps because you were the only one you could hear all over the gymnasium.”He adjusted all his mirrors and then backed out with a slow, steady caution that was very typical of my younger brother, but didn’t do much for my current flustered state.“Lumbersexual?”

“Yeah, like, you know.Beard, flannel shirt, Danner boots, the whole nine yards.I bet he owns one of those hats with the ear flaps.”

“He looked more like the gray slouchy beanie sort to me,” Oliver said.

“And he doesn’t even like music.Who doesn’t like music?”

“Is that what he said, though?”

“Shut up.”

“Why were you at the summer camp with the people kayaking and mountain biking on the banner?”

I frowned.“Which one is kayaking again?”

“The skinny little boats you paddle.Do you not know what a kayak is?”

“Err… now that you mention it…” I hedged.

“Holy shit, could you be a little more of a city boy?We’re from Portland, not Manhattan.There’s a mountain right over there.”He pointed at Mount Hood, which had popped out of the clouds, as if to prove his point.“Why didn’t you talk to one of the urban arts or music camps?Even a dance camp.Anything but the outdoorsy one.”

“Ah.Oh.Um.”I blushed, thinking of how handsome Sutton had been, how he had drawn me in with his charming smile.It had been the perfect daydream of a summer, at least until Matt had started talking.

“Oh my god.You were there for a hot guy!”Why did my brother have to be so psychic?“But not the lumbersexual?”

“That redneck?Fuck no.The other one.”

“Why not?The guy in flannel was hot as fuck.”

“He was not hot.Did you see that beard?And he had a man bun.Who even has those anymore?”

Oliver snorted, and I had to wonder if he thought man buns were sexy.I didn’t know what my brother found sexy because he never dated and never seemed to crush on anyone.I was pretty sure he was bi or omnisexual.He refused to talk about it with me, though when I’d asked if he was asexual, he’d looked at me like I was a moron.

Oliver looked at me like I was a moron quite often.But it wasn’t my fault my mouth sometimes got away from me.Not completely my fault.

“Well, did you impress anyone else before you got kicked out?”he asked.

“Again, they didn’t kick me out, they just suggested I calm down.You wouldn’t understand.You’re always calm.”

“I don’t need another rant about how you just feel things bigger than other people.”

I glared at him, and gave him the silent treatment for at least thirty seconds, just to prove I could.So what if I had to count in my head the entire time to keep from talking?

“Answer the question, Case.Did you figure out what you’re doing for the summer?We need to let our landlord know.”

“Well, I was in line to talk to a music camp, but they were… I don’t know, too snobby.Don’t look at me like that!I bet you didn’t talk to anyone, either.”

“While you were getting into a shouting match with a potential employer, I talked to four different environmental nonprofits, and left my resume with three of them.”My brother was a smug bastard, and I hated him almost as much as I loved him.

“Overachiever,"

As I continued to fume about Matt’s stubborn refusal to listen to me, Oliver remained silent until I ran out of steam and huffed a sigh, crossing my arms over my chest.

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