Page 49 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
Then I felt a tap on my head. I looked up and narrowed my eyes at my brother.
“Told you I’d get taller.” He grinned at me with straight teeth. No more braces for him.
I rolled my eyes. “Jason’s still taller.” Letting go of Ate, I hugged Lonzo and had the breath knocked out of me with the force of his embrace. “Can’t breathe.”
His chest rumbled against mine, but he eased up a bit. “Consider this payback for the time you almost suffocated me on the sofa.”
“Ha!” I squeezed him for old time’s sake. In the two years since I’d last seen him, his back and biceps had firmed up so there was barely any give. “Oh my God, don’t tell me you’ve turned into a gym bro.”
He barked out a laugh and pulled away. “You like the guns?” And then he proceeded to flex his arms.
Groaning, I swatted at him. “Put those away. We’re in public.”
“Lonzo’s in great shape, for sure,” Ate commented. “But next to Jase . . .”
“You two cannot compare me to an NBA player. Those guys won the genetic lottery,” Lonzo complained as he slung a heavy arm around my shoulder.
“I can’t argue with that,” she said.
Gabe came toward us after unloading our bags with the help of a bellman. He had a small smile as he watched me, and I felt the flurries expand from my stomach to my chest. Then his eyes switched to Ate and his smile grew wider.
“Look who took time off to drive to Atlanta,” Ate drawled as they came together for a hug.
“It’s a Saturday.” Gabe patted her back but his gaze moved to me again.
Lonzo’s arm tightened around me. “Should I introduce myself or what?”
“Oh!” I said. “Lon?—”
“This is—” Ate spoke at the same time I did.
I shut my mouth. “Sorry, go ahead.” My body felt warm, and I wished I could blame it on the weather.
Ate gave me an apologetic look before turning to Lonzo. “This is my best friend, Gabe. Gabe, my brother, Alonzo.”
Lonzo released me and shook Gabe’s hand with what seemed like unnecessary force. I would have laughed if I wasn’t so appalled.
“Nice to meet you, Alonzo,” Gabe said.
Lonzo narrowed his eyes at him. “What are you doing with my sister?”
“Lonzo,” I hissed, my stomach churning. “He just gave me a ride.”
Gabe glanced from me to Lonzo, his brow furrowed. “I’m looking out for her.”
My hurt must have shown because Ate put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure you guys are tired,” she said. “Come on, I’ll show you to the rooms.”
She gave our room numbers to the bellman so he could bring our bags up, then she led us inside the hotel and into the elevator. As we walked, I asked them about their trip so far, and Lonzo recounted their stay in Santa Mila, the hometown ofJason’s team in California. All the while, my skin tingled with the awareness of Gabe’s presence behind me.
I thought that maybe we were actually friends now, but his words reminded me I shouldn’t read too much into his actions. The more I did, the bigger the chance I’d get disappointed. So what if he’d offered me a ride and brought a blanket, too? It was just him being thoughtful—himlooking outfor his best friend’s little sister. I’d wondered why he and Ate had gotten close, and now I knew the answer firsthand.
At least we’d moved past the always-arguing stage. I should be happy with that.
“Did you try Tiger Stripes when you were in Santa Mila?” Lonzo asked me in the elevator. “That boba was the best I’ve had.”
“I didn’t. It was such a short trip.” I imagined the taste of a sweet milky drink with chewy sago and groaned. “Now that you mentioned it, I want boba. With coffee. I wonder if there’s a place near here.”
“We can check after lunch if we have time,” Ate said. “But there’s an espresso machine in your suite in case you need coffee.”
