Page 21 of Her Brother's Keeper

For some reason, I didn’t want Nox to know about that part… the bullying and the humiliation. I was already pathetic enough as it was, why add to it?

“Yeah, well, he was a dumbass then. You’re a great girl, Maren.”

I blushed, “Thank you.”

We’d texted so much on the days we couldn’t see each other that I was comfortable talking with him about just about anything. Nox was different from anyone else I’d ever met. An adult, sure, but technically I was too now… but more than that, he wasn’t my father, nor was he a social worker or school official. I didn’t have to mind myself carefully around him. I didn’t have to be afraid I would say or do anything he would consider wrong and go running to the powers that be over it… I didn’t have to worry that he would say or do something; go to someone and get Sage taken away from me.

It was like I had all these people on my side or in my corner but I still had to be afraid of them. All except for Nox. He was extremely forthright and transparent. If he said he was going to do something, he did it. Likewise, if he made a promise, he kept it. I could rely on him even when I didn’t think I needed to. I could tell him things, and he listened and not only that, provided insight and perspective that I sorely needed coming from the standpoint of having never done any of this before.

“I promised to take you out to dinner a while ago, how does Italian sound?” he asked.

I blinked, “I love it; it sounds good.”

“Cool, I have no idea where we’re going, I’ve never been, but it’s got good reviews and it’s nearby. Give me just a second.”

He fiddled with his phone and got the GPS working, Siri’s voice flitting out into the car demanding he starts his route to an address that sounded familiar by going east, or right out of my driveway.

“Okay, here we go,” he said and did his checks before pulling onto the street. I let my fingertips trace the patches and buttons on the front of his vest across my lap and watched him drive. I’d lived here all my life, so there was nothing new to me outside the window, but the high sculpted cheekbones and strong features of the man driving were not only still new, but much better scenery than outside the window.

“How was work?” I asked softly.

“Busy and long… a lot of gift certificates today. I’m glad I draw a paycheck, folks with gift certificates never, if ever, think to tip. Not that I get a lot of those anyways.”

“I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up,” I said, laughing a little lightly.

“Yeah? What did you think about before… you know?”

“A lot of things, really. When I was little I wanted to be a vet, but then I wanted to be an archaeologist, a lawyer, but mostly I’m hoping I can be a writer someday.”

“A writer, huh?”

“Yeah, I like to write and tell stories. I don’t have any money for college now, my dad and I paid the house off with my college fund and left Sage’s protected… I’ll figure something out but yeah… I thought about culinary school, too.”

He very nearly slammed on the brakes at my revelation and shook his head like he was coming up out of water when we came to the next stop light.

“You and your dad didwhat?” he demanded.

“It was either that or lose the roof over our heads, I want Sage to have every chance possible, so it was my college fund to the rescue… don’t worry, I’m smart and there’s a few academic scholarships in my near future, as well as several grants I plan to apply for… I didn’t have any real dreams in the first place, there’s just so much to choose from. I’ll figure something out.”

He remained grimly silent and I shifted in my seat, worried I may have finally overshared in a way that would put our new friendship in some real danger. Finally, he sighed out harshly and asked me, “Is there any length you won’t go for your brother, Angel?”

“No.”

“You’re too good to be real, you know that?”

I smiled to myself and blushed faintly; perking up when we made a turn onto a familiar street, “Are we going to Filiberto’s?”

“Yeah, that’s the name of the place.”

“My dad used to bring us there all the time! I love it there, it’s my very favorite place… but you’re sure it’s not too expensive?”

“Nope, not too expensive, not for you,” he said, and pulled up to the curb out front, shutting off his car. He looked over at me, raised his eyebrows and smoothed his hands along the tops of his thighs over his light denim jeans. “Hang tight, I’ll get your door.”

“Okay,” I said laughing lightly.

He came around to my side and opened up my door, I passed him his leather vest and he took it, swinging it on, before reaching down and taking my hand.

“Careful, it's slick.”

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