Page 47 of Writing On The Wall

“I’ve already punched you too many times today. Way more than usual, actually. I’d like my children to have afunctioning uncle, and I’m concerned about your brain if I land any more hits in this same session.”

I shake my head. “You’d have to start knocking me around a lot harder than that for it to leave any lasting damage.”

He pulls his gloves off anyway, unwrapping his hands with a satisfied smirk on his face. “It’s a girl, isn’t it?”

I huff, unable to deny it, and his smile grows wider as he continues. “Oh, it’s definitely a girl. But, who? Did Sandra finally wear you down?”

I grimace. “What? No. Definitely not.” I thought Ivy was high maintenance, but she’s an angel compared to Sandra. That woman’s got straight up crazy eyes.

He purses his lips in deep thought while he wipes his neck with a towel. We’re both zipping up our gym bags and preparing to leave when he freezes, his eyes widening as his face snaps back to mine.

Crap.

A look of elation spreads across his face. “It’s Ivy.”

“Hmm? I don’t?—”

“Of course you like her. I should have known the grumpy attitude was just a front,” he says, crossing his arms and beaming at me.

I open my mouth to deny it again, but what’s the use? Colton’s already seen right through me. “Why do you look so happy about it?” I ask, scowling and moving toward the door. “It’s kind of a problem.”

“…Your voice just got real high.” He says after a pause.

“Yeah. Sorry,”

“Why’s it a problem?” He frowns and follows me out, sounding like a kid whose playdate just got canceled.

“Oh, I dunno, maybe cause she has a boyfriend, and it’s incredibly inconvenient,” I retort sarcastically.

“Which part’s inconvenient, the boyfriend or your feelings?”

“Both.” I sulk as we walk to our trucks.

“Okay, but the boyfriend thing—I honestly don’t buy it.”

“You don’t?” I ask a little too eagerly.

“I’ve seen Ivy and Toby together, and they’ve obviously friend-zoned one another a long time ago. I’m just not sure why she’d go through the trouble of faking something like that.” Colton unlocks his truck, tossing his bag in the back and leaning against the side. “Although, Ember says Ivy’s been acting a little weird and that she suspects something’s up but Ivy isn’t telling her ‘cause she doesn’t want to stress Ember out.”

She’s a little bag of secrets, that one, helping everyone else and wearing herself thin by the looks of it. I smile, thinking about how cute her selflessness makes her.

“So you’re admitting it? You do like her?” Colton grins and wags his eyebrows.

“What are you, twelve?” I scoff. The truth is, discussing this kind of stuff is new territory for me, even for a conversation with my brother. I’ve never had a problem joking about my many dates, but it’s always been lighthearted. None of them ever meet my family. Casual is the name of the game.

But with Ivy, I’m starting to realize there’s nothing casual about her or what I’m feeling. And I can’t decide whether I want to Bubble Wrap her or act as her bodyguard, shoving anyone and everything out of her way so she can roam free.

“What are you gonna do about it?” Colton asks, bringing me back.

“Besides my extreme empathy for Ember, not much I can do about your maturity, bro.”

“Your deflection is cute.” He crosses his arms again, still sporting that smug look on his face.

I turn to toss my things into my truck and run my hands through my hair. “What the hellcanI do?”

“Is Ethan King asking his big brother for advice?”

“You don’t have to be an ass about it,” I grumble.

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