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“Yeah, we always are. This one’s just a lil’ more complicated than usual. I’m not used to fighting with Brynny.” My shoulders slump at the thought. From the minute they brought her home from the hospital, I’ve loved and protected my little sister. Vehemently. I can’t stand being at odds with her.

“I think I can help with that,” Sutton snaps his fingers. “Don’t move,” he says and runs out of the room.

A few minutes later, he runs back in. “Think these would help you guys make up?” He smiles proudly, fanning out five tickets. “They’re pretty sweet seats to that Sam Hunt concert next weekend. I won ‘em in a pool at work and I’m not gonna use them.”

“Brynn loves him,” I say excitedly, a spark of hope igniting…for two reasons. She’ll be thrilled…and there’s five, count ‘em five, tickets.Wonder who she’ll take?“You sure, man? Can I pay you for them?”

“Nah, only cost me twenty bucks to get in the pool. I just hope it helps. Here ya go,” he hands them to me. “Night, and we’ll be quiet.”

“Sutton.” I look from the tickets to him, grinning like a cat with a tummy full of canary. “Make all the noise you want.”

 

 

THE NEXT DAYgoes by quickly. Dad doesn’t have much for me to do, plus I need to run by campus and pick up my schedule and review it with my advisor before school starts up again.

Then I gotta go make nice with my sister, tickets in hand. I know she’ll invite me. We’re blood and we always make up. Also, doesn’t hurt that there’s no way in hell our father will let her go without me in tow, watching her. And I know she’ll invite Bellamy. It’s the fifth wheel that concerns me. Brynn better not get any bright ideas and invite another guy with any ideas of his own—I don’t give a fuck who he is—Bellamy is off limits.

I hand in my last report to Dad’s secretary since he’s in a meeting, agree my way through the consultation with my advisor, then call Brynny on Bluetooth when I’m in my car.

“What?” That’s how she answers, “what?” Looks like this is gonna be harder than I thought.

“Hello to you too, Sunshine. Where are you at?”

“Home. Why?”

“Because I’m on my way over, I have something for you. A surprise.”

“Is it my best friend, because I seem to have lost her?” She starts out sarcastically but I hear a sniffle at the end.

“No, what are you talking about? Bellamy’s missing?” I yell, pressing harder on the gas.

“I don’t know, maybe. Chances are, no, she’s just ignoring all my calls and texts. Because of you, JT. I told you. Matter of fact, Ibeggedyou not to mess with her because I knew this would happen.” She’s openly crying now.

“Brynny, listen. I haven’t seen or talked to her since yesterday when we were both at the house with her. Whatever’s going on, it has nothing to do with me.” I’m not lying…I don’t think. Last time I interacted with Bellamy, she and Brynn were fine.

“You promise?” she sniffs again and asks.

“Yes, I do. Did you text her, ask her to call you?”

“Well,” she hem-haws.

“Well what?”

“I texted, but I asked why she was ignoring me. Because I called twice and she didn’t answer or call me back.”

“Brynn,” I sigh, “listen, I’m almost to the house. We’ll talk, okay? And whatever you do, don’t send her anymore texts ‘til I get there.”

“Okay. See ya in a sec.”

She hangs up and I drive just a little too fast to get to her.

When I pull sideways in the driveway, jumping out, she’s sitting on the front porch steps sobbing into her hands. “Brynny,” I rush to sit by her side and pull her in my arms. “You gotta calm down, everything will be fine. Nothing’s the end of the world.”

“R…, Ryder,” she hiccups, “sent me straight to voicemail too. What’s happening? Did you tell him?”

“No, of course not. Brynn, look at me.” And when she finally does, I use the heavy voice she needs to hear. “You’re being paranoid...out of, could it be, guilt?”

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