Page 24 of Something Like Sunflowers

Did my big brother do all of this?

“Yo, Dusty!” Hunter shouts, breaking me away from my daydream yet again. “Found something that belongs to you on the side of the road!” I punch him in the arm, and he snickers.

“What? It’s true…not my fault you seem to find yourself in messes on street corners lately.”

“You asshole.” I punch him again. I think he likes it.

I think I like that he likes it, smiling at me with those bright blue eyes, winking at me again like he’s lost his damn mind. It makes me smile back.

Shit, shit, shit. He’s the enemy, Devyn, Get your shit together and enemize him!

Okay, I know it’s not a real word, but it’s my new mantra when it comes to Hunter. I need one. I need an anchor before I get pulled all the way under and love how fast I drown.

Enemize. Enemize.

“If I recall, you are the reason for my mess on the First Street corner, and—”

“Ew!” I suddenly hear from behind me.

“You’re not home even five minutes and you’re already crawling out of this asshole’s truck?” Dustin teases.

“That’s not—”

“And I do not need to know about whatever messes you guys are making together on street corners.”

My face heats, and I’m about to go full-blown bitch on them for ganging up on me, but then they share a look that I’m all too familiar with, and my eyes widen as I start to back away.

“Oh, no…don’t you two even think about it!” I shout, looking around for something I can use against them. Nothing practical seems to be near, so I grab a pillow and start slicing it through the air like a sword. “I’m stronger than I look these days! I take Pilates!” But they don’t care. They never have. They know they can overpower me, and just like that, I’m transported to my childhood when they go from both sides and squish me in the biggest hug I’ve ever felt, throwing our heap of bodies onto the couch.

“Devyn sammich!”

They proceed to tickle the shit out of me until I’m laugh-crying, kicking, and swatting.

“Not fair. You two are solid muscle!”

But they don’t stop.

They never did.

Dustin gives me a shit-eating grin from my pinned stance beneath him, then pulls me up and into a real hug. “I’m glad you’re back. Welcome home, sis.”

I stay in the comfort of my brother’s arms for a moment, and for once, I do feel at home. With Dustin…and Hunter.

Why do I feel so weird about that?

“Thanks for the ride, Isaac,” I make a point of using his last name to keep it casual, even though it feels far from where Hunter’s involved. “I guess your friend will just call me when the Jeep is ready?”

“I’ll bring it to you.”

I fiddle with the cuff of my cardigan and look at my brother, who quickly averts his gaze and beelines to the kitchen. I guess he thinks I want a moment alone with Hunter.

Maybe I do? Fuck, this is already getting complicated.

“Devyn?” Hunter breathes so quietly I can barely hear him. “I’ve missed you.”

And then he’s gone. He says bye to my brother, gets in his truck, and drives away, leaving me to stand here with his smell all over me and his declaration ringing loudly in my ears.

I’ve missed you, too.

---