Page 62 of Stealing for Keeps
Me: Thank you. Any chance you can bring it by my house tonight? I really need it.
Claire: Sure. 6 okay?
At six o’clock on the dot, I’m waiting at the front door when she knocks. I pull it open fast, before she has a chance to change her mind.
“Hey.” My gaze drops down to my sketchbook in her hand. “Thanks for coming.”
I open the door wider.
“I can’t stay. I just wanted to make sure you had this.”
“Did you look inside?”
“No.”
She definitely did. Her cheeks are turning pink. I drew a picture of Claire in her dress from the dance. She looked so good that night, and I just want her to know that’s the image I remember most from that night.
“Come on, Claire. You can’t avoid me forever.”
She says nothing, but she looks like she’s two seconds from fleeing.
“Would it help if I took off my clothes?”
“Oh my god.” She buries her face in her hands.
“Because I’m happy to even the score.” My hands go to the button of my jeans. “You have to promise not to laugh at my Bugs Bunny boxers though. Wyatt bought them for me for my birthday last year.”
She’s still hiding her face and muttering.
“It’s not a big deal.” I pry her hands away so I can look her in the eye. “You were drunk and beautiful and…we’ll never speak of it again,” I quickly add when it’s clear talking about it is making things worse.
“Promise?” she asks quietly.
“Sure. If that’s what you want.”
“I want.” Her voice is still wavering just above a whisper.
“All right then. How about those Cardinals?”
The light in her eyes sparks, but her smile is slow to turn up.
“They’re a football team in Arizona. Terrible. Always losing.”
“Claire!” Wyatt yells from behind me.
Her gaze goes over my shoulder, and I open up my stance as he barrels by me and comes to a screeching halt, inches from ramming into her legs.
“Hey,” she says. I try not to be too offended that her tone just shifted from tortured to ecstatic for my little brother.
“Wanna see Flash?” he asks her.
She looks to me hesitantly as if I’m going to tell her no.
“Come on.” He rushes off, giving her little chance but to follow.
In his room, he leans against his dresser in front of Flash’s tank.
“He looks very happy,” she says and rests a finger on the glass. Flash swims by excitedly.
