Page 101 of The Fake
Chloe
Watching Nathan and his brother together makes me happier than I imagined. And I imagined it being pretty great.
“Guys, this is my brother, Heath.” Nathan introduces him to everyone, and the pride in his eyes is easy to see.
“Baby Payne.” Joel stands and shakes Heath’s hand. “Let’s get you a beer.”
“Negative,” Nathan says.
“Come on,” Heath whines.
Joel adds, “One beer isn’t going to hurt him.”
“Oh, okay. Let me just give Michelle a call and see if she wants to join him.”
“Leave my little sister out of this.” Joel puffs out his chest, and I bite back a laugh.
Nathan hands me the flask discreetly. “Shit. I gotta stay sober and look out for him, don’t I?”
I sneak another look at Heath. He looks so much like his brother. Not quite as tall as Nathan, but he’s already filled out more than most guys his age, probably from the hockey I know he plays. His hair is darker than Nathan’s, but they have the same bright blue eyes.
“You’re a good brother,” I tell him.
“Yeah, yeah.” He takes the flask back and takes one last drink. “Wait, where’s he sleeping?”
I bite down harder on my bottom lip, and Nathan shakes his head. “Cockblocked by my own brother.”
I press against him. “Tomorrow night, I’ll make it up to you.”
That brings a smile to his lips.
I leave the party a little early and head back to my dorm to give Nathan and Heath some time together.
“What are you guys doing back already?” I ask as I spot Bri and Emily in the living room. They’ve got the couch pushed away from the wall, all but blocking my way into the living room.
“Rearranging,” Sydney answers as she appears from our bedroom.
“We were thinking the TV should go on that wall.” Emily points.
“What happened to your date?”
“It was fine.” She pushes past me and sets our speaker on the coffee table.
“Fine,” Bri mocks. “A ringing endorsement.”
“Can we just focus on the living room?” Sydney looks to me. “Chloe, where should we put the chair? And where’d you put the rug you bought? I couldn’t find it.”
“Under my bed.”
Her eyes light up, and she runs to get it. We try every piece of furniture in every spot before we get it just right and collapse down in exhaustion.
“It’s perfect now.” Emily drops on the couch.
Sydney falls to the other end and Bri sits in the chair.
“What do you think, Chlo?” Sydney asks, and they all look at me.
I jam myself into the small space left in the chair next to Bri. “Feels like home.”
