Page 21 of Unraveling Rain
He looks back at me. “How about you? I take it you’re close?”
He raises an eyebrow, and it’s the first time I notice the warm hint of honey in his deep brown eyes. A swirl of color that catches the light and makes them glint.
“Yeah, I think we’retooclose sometimes,” I say with a chuckle. A memory of bickering with my siblings flashes through my mind, all noise and love tangled together.
“Do you have any other siblings besides Ruin?”
“Yeah, I have three brothers. River manages the family orchard. Then there’s Miles—he runs a construction business. After him, it’s Ruin and me. And last but not least, there’s Merlin, the baby of the family. He has one more year of college to go.”
“Wow, four siblings. How was it growing up?” he asks as he polishes off his food.
“Crowded,” I say playfully.
He laughs—unabashed and full—and it fills the room. I want to bottle that sound.
“How about you? Did you grow up with cousins nearby?” I ask.
He gets up and takes our plates to the washing station. I smile and move beside him as he rinses.
“I did. I have a few cousins on my mom’s side. We all lived in the same town and saw each other often. My dad’s family—most of them—still live in Colombia. Although we used to visit once a year, it wasn’t enough for me to get close.”
As he talks, he finishes up the dishes—not just our plates, but everything I used while cooking.
Impressive.
“So, do you speak Spanish?”
I don’t want our conversation to end. I haven’t enjoyed getting to know someone this much since… well, ever.
“Sadly, I understand more than I speak. I was a dumb jock growing up and thought knowing another language wasn’t a flex. Now I regret it.”
He dries his hands and slips them back into his pockets.
“Bummer. I wish I knew another language. Gio—Ruin’s husband—is from Argentina, and he sometimes speaks to her in Spanish. The way my sister reacts, I bet what he says is not exactly PG.”
I chuckle, and he joins in.
“I’m sorry, I’m oversharing about your therapist. Last thing you want to hear is how healthy her relationship with her husband is.”
He waves me off with a smile. A quiet stretch between us. Not awkward, just… full.
I could offer him dessert. Keep him here longer. But I don’t want to come off as too interested, especially after I told him we couldn’t hook up.
“Listen, Rain. I know we started off on a shaky foot—or should I say silent foot.”
I roll my eyes at his bad attempt at a joke, and he grins.
“In all seriousness, I don’t want to go back to Serene Lookout just yet. I’m really enjoying talking to you.”
He looks at me through his eyelashes, and somehow, his eyes become even more interesting. It’s like, if I stared long enough, I’d fall into a story only the two of us could write.
“Yeah,” I murmur. “It’s been an unexpectedly fun evening. Do you want to go stargazing?”
“Stargazing? he asks, perking up. “Where?”
“There’s a spot in my family’s orchard where we could park my van. Maybe we can light a fire and just chat.”
I try to sound cool and calm, but there’s a hint of nervousness in my voice. Luckily, Xander doesn’t seem to catch on, because the next thing to come out of his mouth is, “You have a van?”
