Page 36 of Her Surprise Vacation Date

“Would an alien know your deep, dark secrets?” I joke. “I heard a lot of juicy info all those times I hid in your closet.”

“Okay, you are definitely my annoying little brother.” She rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re dating my best friend. Does this mean you’re going to kiss her, too?”

“What do you mean going to? We haven’t stopped since we got together.”

“Ew, no! I didn’t need to know that.” After some wincing and groaning, Amelia calms down enough to meet my gaze. “Shane Morgan, you listen up now. Under no circumstances are you to make Hope sad or mad. I expect you to treat her like the queen that she is. She’s been waiting for a good guy to come into her life, someone who really knows her and appreciates everything about her. Do you think you’re ready for the job?”

I raise a hand with three fingers up and my thumb and pinky touching like I’m back in the Boy Scouts. I’m not takingthe Scout Oath today, but I’m equally dedicated to following through on my duty to God and to others, specifically to Hope. With conviction, I say, “I’m more than ready. And I know that if I ever mess up, I’ll have you to answer to.”

“You got that right! Don’t forget I know where you live.” Her brows suddenly shoot up. “Does this mean you’re moving to Arizona? Or is there a chance Hope will move back to the Bay Area? If you can convince her, I’ll forgive you for reading my diary when we were kids!”

“I have no idea what our plans are yet, but I’m sure we’ll figure them out soon enough. But hey, I thought you already forgave me for reading your diary?”

“Forgiveness is a process. It’s like cheese. The longer you let it age, the better it gets.”

“If you say so, sis.”

“I do.” Amelia’s expression finally lights up in a grin. “Oh boy, you owe me a big one for setting this reunion up between you and Hope. How do you plan on paying me back?”

“Wait a minute. You’re taking credit whenI’mthe one who came to your rescue?”

“No, I’m taking credit because I chose you to come to my rescue. I could’ve asked a dozen other people, but I chose you.”

“Hm. But you chose me because I’m reliable, dependable, and fun. I should get some credit for that, right?”

Her smile turns sheepish. “Actually, I chose you because the other people I asked couldn’t make it.”

“Seriously? All this time I assumed you’d asked me because you thought I’d be the best person to keep Hope company.”

“And you are! You’re the perfect person for Hope. That’s precisely why I asked you.”

“After everyone else you askedfirstcouldn’t make it,” Iremind her. I cross my arms and feign disapproval. It’s rare that I have the upper hand over my sister. I’m having too much fun to stop now. “Exactly how many people did you ask before me?”

“Not that many.” She pushes the sleeves of her cardigan up and shrugs. “Like one or three.”

“Was it one or three?”

“Actually, oneplusthree. Just two of the nurses in my department, one of the front desk receptionists, and my downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Curtis.”

“Mrs. Curtis? She’s almost ninety years old! You thought she’d be a better vacation date than me?”

“She happens to be from Denmark. She has so many rich stories to tell from her life there. I thought Hope would enjoy hearing them.”

I shake my head in dismay. “So, I was the fifth person you asked then?”

“Something like that,” she mumbles before taking a bite of her scone.

I narrow my eyes. “Who else did you ask before me?”

“Just one other person, Beatriz, my favorite barista. She makes latte art that’s out of this world. She has almost half a million followers on Instagram!”

“Good for her,” I remark drolly. “So, you asked six people before you even thought of asking me?”

“Um, no. Lily, one of the girls from our book club, is the one who reminded me I could ask you.”

“You completely forgot about me?”

“Of course not. It wasn’t like I forgot I have a brother. I think about you all the time.”

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