Page 78 of The Persistence of Thornes
I set one armload of bags on the ground so I can dig my keys out. “I think it’ll mean a lot to her that you guys care enough to make her birthday special.”
“She’s our sister,” Quinn says softly as we load all of our bags into the cargo area of my SUV. “She is special.”
“Speaking of our sister.” Casen climbs into the passenger seat, then turns to face me, eyes narrowed. “What are your intentions with her?”
I choke on my own saliva. “Uh…”
Behind his twin, Quinn snaps his seat belt into place and leans forward. “I know she’s strong, but she’s sensitive too.”
“In other words,” Casen adds. “Break her heart and you’re donezo.” He slices his hand across his neck.
“Noted.” With a wince, I pull out of the spot. “Your sister and I… I like her a lot. A whole lot. I’m trying to take it slow with her, though. She’s a little…”
“Skittish?” Quinn suggests.
“Exactly.”
Without my permission, my mind drifts to the night a couple of weeks ago when neither of us could sleep. To the way she came alive beneath my touch. Those memories have replayed over and over, and every time, I curse myself for not getting a taste of her. But I push that thought down each time too. Because I want to give her the time and space she needs to feel comfortable and safe. And maybe, selfishly, I want to be sure that she’s choosing me because she wants to.
I don’t want to be chosen out of obligation orconvenience. I’ve been someone’s second choice before. This time, I want to be Halle’sonlychoice.
“She’s never had a boyfriend,” Casen says, eyeing me in the rearview mirror. “But don’t tell her I told you.”
I glance at him as the car rolls to a stop at a stoplight. “Never?”
He shakes his head. “She’s been out with guys here and there, but she’s never had a real boyfriend.”
“I think she’s scared.” Quinn speaks up. “She doesn’t want to get comfortable or open up, just for a guy to turn around and leave her.”
Lips pressed together, I assess them both. They’re far more perceptive than I’ve given them credit for.
“I can’t guarantee what will happen in the future,” I tell them. “But I like her a lot.”
“That’s good enough,” Quinn says.
Casen clears his throat. “For now.”
I’ll take it. I don’t want to let them down. I don’t want to letherdown. But I don’t stand a chance if she doesn’t let me in fully.
CHAPTER 20
CALEB
Ihaven’t let on yet that I know today is Halle’s birthday. I made pancakes, bacon, and eggs for breakfast this morning, but since I often make breakfast, I don’t think that tipped her off. But now that I’ve got her and her brothers in the car, after telling her I want to take the three of them somewhere but not getting into details about the location, she’s been eyeing me suspiciously.
Only days away from October, the weather has begun to turn. This afternoon, there’s already a slight chill in the air. As a teen, I’d wanted so badly to leave this state. To leave behind the crisp falls and frigid winters. I did leave for awhile. Salem and I moved to California, but it didn’t take long for the two of us to want to return.
I pull up to the park and kill the engine. When I enlisted Salem’s help, she lit up like a Christmas tree, then eagerly got everything set up for us. I couldn’t exactly haul a picnic, balloons, cake, and presents in my car and hope for any kind of surprise at all.
“The park?” Halle asks, fiddling with the necklace she always wears. The gold chain is dainty, and the small teddy bear charm may seem childish to some, but to me it’s perfectly her. “This is what you were so excited about?”
“Come on, Hal,” I cajole. “Give me more credit than that.”
I eye the boys in the back—they’re both grinning like lunatics—and push my car door open.
Halle and the twins follow, and when the gazebo I reserved comes into view, there’s no mistaking the balloons and happy birthday sign taped haphazardly to the side. Halle freezes, her shoes squelching in the wet grass.
“Wha—how?” She turns to me, then her brothers, her eyes narrowing. “You told him?”
