Page 13 of Space Cowgirl: Houston, All Systems Go
“Whatever the reason, she’s fine now.” My mind drifts to the strip of bare, smooth skin I’d glimpsed between the sides of her open robe. I shake the image away, not keen on sporting a boner in front of my sister. “Didn’t seem ill-affected at all this morning.”
A sly grin washes the worry from Rose’s eyes. “She didn’t, did she?” Leaning forward, she props her elbow on the counter, then rests her chin in her hand. “Do tell, brother.”
Crap. Walked myself right into that. “As I said, nothing to tell.” She opens her mouth, but I change the subject before she can grill me further. “How’s school?”
“What?” She blinks. “Oh, fine, fine,” she says, waving the words along with her hand.
“Hmmmm.” It’s my turn to arch my brow at her. “All those ‘fines’ make me nervous.” I take another sip of coffee, keeping my eyes on hers. Rose never could stay quiet when I stared her down.
She squirms in her seat. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything…”
Instantly, I’m on high alert. “What is it? Your grades? You need a tutor? I’m sure I can talk to someone—”
“Dude, relax.” She rolls her eyes with a sigh. “Why do you assume it’s bad?”
“Maybe ’cause you said you weren’t going to tell me. Why would you not tell me good news?”
“Oh.” Her brow furrows in concentration for a second. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“So?”
“What?”
I sigh again. It amazes me that sometimes I miss her living here. “What weren’t you going to say?” She blinks at me. “About school?”
“Oh, just that I’m graduating early. This December actually.”
“What?” I lower my coffee mug in shock, some spilling over onto the worn laminate. “Shoot.”
Rose giggles. “I love when you talk like a little girl.”
Ignoring her jibe, I place the mug down and shake the spilled coffee off my hand. “I can’t believe you weren’t going to say anything.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” I shake my head in disbelief, then I feel a large smile overtake my face. “My baby sister is graduating college!”
I move around the counter until Rose is in reach, plucking her up from the stool and swinging her around the kitchen. And in that moment, with her giggling and me whooping like an idiot, it’s like we’re back in time, when Rose was a little girl, I was the older brother she depended on, and my life felt full. Full of meaning. Full of purpose.
I set her back on her feet, trying to keep my smile in place despite the unwanted self-pitying thoughts. I must not have completely succeeded, ’cause Rose tilts her head in confusion.
“You okay?”
I clear the lump forming in my throat. “Yeah. Fine. Just proud is all.”
Her expression softens and she leans in for a hug.
After a moment, when the smile on my face isn’t as large, but still genuine, Rose pulls back and thumbs in the direction of the recliner. “So we can finally get rid of that dinosaur, eh?”
I laugh a little too loud, releasing the leftover emotion from a moment ago. “Yeah, guess so.”
Nothing on the inside of the house has been touched since our grandparents died. To have people over for a wedding in its current condition, even if Flynn and Jackie don’t want a high society affair, would still be an embarrassment. Especially as I’m sure all the recent media hoopla about her being NASA’s Darling will mean the news outlets will want pictures.
And if I fix it up now, it’ll be ready for Rose’s surprise graduation party. Because thatwillbe a society affair, I’m sure.
“We have a lot to do to get the ranch up to snuff.”
“We, dear brother?” Rose’s smirk is back in place.
