Page 36 of Brick Wall
Sebastian chuckles. “We need to make sure we check the actual door handle first next time.”
“True.” A small laugh slips out. “I can’t believe we missed that step today.”
“We’re amateurs.”
“Speak for yourself. I’ve been locked in small places plenty of times.”
“Define plenty.”
“Maybe a dozen or so times.”
“Wow, by your brothers?” he clarifies.
“Yes, but usually it was Finn.”
“Really? I would have guessed Ryan.”
“He was guilty a few times. Tristan never, I don’t think. Finn was the usual suspect, though. We are Irish twins, less than a year apart in age, and sometimes he wanted a break from me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, joke’s on him, though, because he usually locked me in the closet where my mom hid the Christmas presents. She would shop year-round and stash things away when they were on sale. Naturally, I peeked.”
“Naturally,” he easily agrees with me.
“I would also drop hints to my mom if I saw something they’d love in the closet.”
He raises his eyebrow in confusion.
“You know, make her doubt her gift-giving. One year I saw an Xbox in the closet and told her about the ring of death, so they were practically giving the broken ones away to the suckers who bought them. Guess who got no Xbox that year?”
“Ouch, remind me not to get on your bad side,” he says, but there’s no malice in his eyes, only amusement.
“Hey, when you’re the youngest and the only girl, you need to get crafty sometimes.”
“I bet.”
I point my finger out to Sebastian and wave it around. “If you tell any of my brothers that story, I will deny it.”
He puts his hands out in defense mode. “I would never.”
“Great, because what happens in this canoe stays in this canoe.”
“Is that so?” Amusement laces his tone.
“That’s right. This canoe and these waters are sacred.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I firmly say.
“What if I did this?” Before I can question anything, he lifts his hand out of the canoe, swipes the water, and gets me soaked.
“Hey! What was that for?” I yell, but I’m still smiling.
“Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see if anything would happen since everything stays in this canoe,” he cheekily says.
“Oh, yeah?” I say, repeating his words from a moment ago.
