Page 156 of Rebound
“You tricked my sister,” Drew finally admits.
“I thought we’ve discussed what Lavinia does with her life is her choice.”
Setting his beer bottle down, Drew turns to face me. So, I do the same. If we’re finally going to have this conversation, I want to look right at him.
“Realistically, yes, Lavinia can make her own choices,” he says. “That doesn’t mean I automatically stop worrying about her. I didn’t want her to marry Josh, but I bit my tongue. You’ve wanted her for so long, I can’t figure out why you chose now to go after her.”
“I haven’t wanted her,” I lie. Because I’m surprised. Also, I don’t want him to know how long I’ve wanted his sister.
Drew shakes his head. “There’s no reason to lie. I saw the way you used to follow her even when we were kids. That hasn’t changed even a little.”
“I don’t see how that’s a problem.” My voice is little more than a mumble because I’m embarrassed at having my feelings laid out like this.
Drew runs a hand through his curly red hair, sighing deeply. “I want to make sure that if Lavinia wants to leave, you’ll let her. I never trusted Josh but from all accounts he seemed like a nice guy, so I chalked it up to paranoia. I realize I fucked up and I’m not doing that again.”
I don’t have siblings, so sibling dynamics are always strange to me. From what I’ve seen, it’s like having a permanent bestfriend you hate for a time, love deeply, and will go to war for and against. All Drew wants is to make sure his sister is safe, and he doesn’t yet know that I want the same thing.
“If Lavinia wants to leave, she can,” I say. It kills me to say it, but it’s also the truth. “She can do anything she wants. I’ve been trying to tell her that since we were kids.”
Drew grinds his jaw and I realize it’s going to take him a while to accept that I’m not entirely bad. At least, I’m not bad for Lavinia. If I can also make her realize that, it will save me a lot of time.
“I guess you’re not…that bad,” Drew grinds out.
I take a sip of my beer so I don’t laugh. “That means a lot coming from you.”
Drew raises his beer bottle, and I clink mine against his in a show of solidarity.
“Now kiss,” Reese calls.
“Not now, Reese,” Ford chides, rolling his eyes.
“Not the twin I want to be kissing, anyway.”
Drew scoffs. “I wouldn’t kiss you even if you begged me to.”
“Then you admit you have thought about it.” My words are followed by a grin which makes Drew frown.
“Not in this lifetime or the next. I still don’t understand how my sister’s able to put up with you.”
“What did you say to Lavinia to convince her to marry you?” Ford asks.
I think back to the deal we struck in the lobby of our hotel in Las Vegas. I doubt that’s what Ford or the guys want to hear. That we made a temporary deal to fake a marriage until Lavinia and I got what we want, but oops, it doesn’t feel fake anymore. At least, it doesn’t for me.
“Lavinia said she wanted to do something fun and that’s the last thing either of us remembers,” I reply.
“I doubt she meant marriage,” Holden says.
“She was really keen on getting tattoos, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.”
“So, you got married instead?” Drew sounds almost disgusted.
“It’s less permanent, when you think about it,” Ford says.
Like Drew, I’m not sure he trusts me entirely. Sometimes, his grey eyes watch me like he’s waiting for me to break and reveal my darkest secrets.
I down the rest of my beer and challenge Drew to a game of darts. We both suck at it, but Drew sucks more than I do, and I take great pleasure in reminding him.
When I get home, I shower and get into bed. Sabrina, Salem, and Buffy are on Lavinia’s side of the bed, Buffy kneading Lavinia’s pillow. I turn on my side, rubbing a finger under Buffy’s chin.
