Page 93 of Secret Nights and Northern Lights
I shove him away from me with a laugh of my own.
“Okay, okay.” My mother approaches the island, swiping tears from her eyes. “Someone go find everyone we’re missing and tell them it’s time for cake.”
“We’ll do it.” I curl Ben’s fingers between my own and pull him in the direction of the entranceway. When we’re back in the foyer, I smile up at him. “See? That wasn’t bad.”
“No, it was really great actually.” He bends forward and kisses my forehead. “But I still have one brother to go.”
Right as he says this, three small heads run past us in the direction of the living room. “Hey,” I yell at their shadows, “time for cake!”
They continue on, paying me no attention.
That just leaves Mason and Jacklyn. With Ben trailing me, I climb the stairs, curious as to where they could’ve disappeared to. I get my answer when I reach the second-floor landing and the bedroom door at the opposite end of the hallway opens. Mason and Jacklyn emerge a second later, and unfortunately for my eyes, Jacklyn is straightening her miniskirt and Mason is wiping what appears to be her bright red lipstick from his mouth. When they look up and see me approaching, both sets of eyes go wide like two deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.
“Isn’t that your friend from work?” Ben whispers.
“Yep. That’s Jacklyn. My best friend and roommate.” My voice comes out clipped. “And you remember Mason.”
“Are they…together?”
“That’s an excellent question, Ben. A goddamn fantastic one.”
As we draw near, I see the moment Jacklyn’s guilty expression morphs into one of resolve with the set of her jaw. She’s not going to acknowledge it. By the way Mason’s eyes plead with me, he’s practically begging me to do the same.
So fine. I won’t. At least not tonight.
“Mason, it’s been a while,” Ben says, cutting into the weird tension in the hallway. “How are you, old friend?”
Mason recovers quickly, shifting his focus to Ben as they, too, exchange that same odd handshake / hug / shoulder pat. “I sure as hell can’t believe you’re standing here. It’s like seeing a ghost.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry about that.” Ben slides an arm around my shoulder, and I tuck my hand against his chest. “But hopefully I’ll have time to make up for it.”
Mason looks back and forth between us. “You know, now that I think back on it, you two were kind of obvious about the whole thing.”
“Please,” I scoff. “You had no idea.”
“Okay, maybe not,” Mason admits with a slow grin. “Guess I should’ve paid more attention. Then and now.”
As he says it, his gaze falls solely on me, and he opens his arms in invitation, waving me to him with a hand. I leave Ben’s side and hug my brother, and it’s not lost on me that I’ve hugged my family members more in one single evening than I have in thepast decade. Who knew raging out at the dinner table earned this kind of affection?
“Sorry for being kind of a dick,” Mason says to me. “Promise I’ll do better, okay?”
I nod against his shoulder, throat constricting all over again.
“But you have to make me a promise, too.”
“What’s that?” I manage with a sniffle.
“Promise me you’ll never,everbring up Dad’s vasectomy again.”
A deep laugh bursts out of me as I push my brother away and wipe at the watery edges of my eyes.
“Wait a second,” Ben says. “You brought up Dr. Miller’s vasectomy? To his face?”
“Dude, it wasbadass,” Mason replies, eyes lighting up. “Dad’s face was so red it was practically purple. I really thought I might have to intervene.”
Ben looks to me, perplexed, and I just shrug. For the rest of the night I’m going to revel in the fact my brother kind of just called me a badass.
Across from me, Jacklyn loudly clears her throat, and I pick up on her not-so-subtle hint.
