Page 68 of The Risks of Reuniting

Gavin

I will give him a chance, but I can't promise to be nice. He hurt you,remember.

And I hurt him.

Gavin

Yeah, but he isn't my sister.

Holt walks up to where I'm smiling as I text my brother, and puts a container of egg rolls and a steaming cup of tea in front of me before sitting down across the table.

"Who you texting?" he asks.

"Gavin," I reply. "He's considering cleaning your pipes when he sees you."

Holt pulls a face. "Yikes. Brothers and grudges, huh?"

"He promised to at least pretend to be nice while he watches you creepily," I reply, picking up the tea.

"I guess that's all I can hope for." He takes a bite of egg roll and his eyes scan the distance. "The bubble is about to burst," he says under his breath.

I blow on my tea. "Yep. Big time."

"Stinks knowing your people in Salt Lake are all going to be hesitant with me being back around."

I shrug, pretending it's no big deal when I know it really could be. "Your family probably isn't happy with me either."

He tosses me a look. "Wrong. They're all on your side. I'm the one who left, moved away from them, and lost you in the process. I'm lucky I was invited back for Thanksgiving last year."

A smile slowly fills my face. "I always knew I liked your family."

"Then you'll really like to hear that when I asked my mom if the clothing I'd left in Utah was still hanging in my room so that I could use it while I'm there for my internship, her reply was thatclosets in my house are only for sons that live here." He pulls a face when I laugh.

"But, you do have clothes to wear, right? Because you've got one bag with you, and I know for a fact that those clothes won't cut it at the hospital."

He nods. "Yeah. She finally admitted she hadn't touched anything. It's good to know that the Holt Shrine lives on."

His hand slides across the table to take mine. "I hope you find it really manly and tempting when I admit that I'm nervous."

I squeeze his hand and take a sip of my tea. "So manly. I'm swooning over here."

He grins and I feel both of us settle as we acknowledge out loud that things are going to feel weird for a bit. Same team.

We finish eating and take the zippy train back to the terminal we need to catch our flight to Salt Lake. Holt holds my hand the whole time, and we get to our gate just in time to be called to board. As I'm standing in line to have my boarding pass scanned, a text alert comes through. This one from my mom.

Mom

Gavin, leave the man's pipes alone. Can't wait to see you Chloe :)

I laugh and tuck my phone in my pocket as I walk down the jetway. Once I'm settled in my seat I take a minute to respond, knowing her head has to be spinning and that hearing from me will help.

I'm craving your double chocolate cookies. We're on the plane about to take off on our last leg. I love you.

Mom

Love you too, honey. LOL

I groan.

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