Page 16 of Stay With Me

“You answer the door, and I will put the coffee away.” Standing, I head to the kitchen with the dishes I accumulated during the day and start tidying up.

Elise lets out an excited scream and Kimchi starts barking even more. Rushing to the front door, I halt when I see her throwing herself into the arms of my older brother.

It’s been about nine months since I last saw him and he looks exactly the same, maybe a bit more tired.

Despite being four years older than me, some days I feel like the more grounded one.

His eyes dance with humor as he looks up at me. My body feels tight as he hugs Elise and swings her around. He smirks at me as he sets her down, tucking her into his side.

Striding over, I resist the urge to pull her out of his arms. “This is a surprise.”

His brows raise, his grin knowing as he releases Elise from his grasp. “A good one I hope.”

I can’t stop the smile as I hug my brother. “Always.”

“Come in! Come in!” Elise moves back, scooping Kimchi into her arms and making her way to the kitchen. “There’s some fresh coffee in the pot. Do you still like it black?”

Ji Hoon calls out an affirmative before turning to me and lowering his voice. “There’s lots you haven’t been telling me.”

Shutting the door as he comes in, I glare at him. “You’re one to talk. I had to hear through Ari that you’re moving back. And endure her gloating about it.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” He points down the hall, where we can hear Elise talking to Kimchi. “Elise is here looking pretty cozy, and you have a dog!”

He follows me into the living room as Elise joins us, handing my brother a mug of coffee.

“Her name is Kimchi, and he kept her from me too.” She winks at me.

“For like two hours.” My protest is buried as Elise sits between me and Ji Hoon, continuing their conversation as though I’m not there.

“And Young Jae is kindly letting me stay here while I look for a place.” She crosses her legs, leaning back into the couch. “My ex-boyfriend was kind of a dud. And I finally had enough. But you know how Willowbrook Lake is. It’s not abundant in its rental housing.”

Ji Hoon laughs. “Do I ever. I’m staying with Eomma and Appa. It’s why Liam isn’t here yet. He’s wrapping some things up while I find us a place.”

“If you’re buying, Raelynn is a real estate agent. She’s down to part-time but is still amazing,” Elise suggests.

He hums. “Yeah, maybe. I was able to save a good amount of money and we borrowed what we need for the auto shop. What do you think of the nameWheel Be All Right?”

She laughs. “I love it.”

“I agree, it’s clever,” I chime in.

“Construction on the shop starts in a month, until then I just need to keep Mom and Dad off my back about finding a wife.” Ji Hoon cringes. “Mom asked if Liam and I are more than friends and said it was okay. Very progressive of her, but super awkward.”

We laugh. My parents want happiness for all of us, but I know they wish we would all settle down. I fear they’re going to add more pressure on Ari, being the youngest.

“What made you move back here to set up shop?” Elise asks, stifling a yawn.

“We know that Willowbrook Lake prefers locally owned shops to franchises, and there hasn’t been a functioning mechanic shop in town for close to eight years. When Liam and I decided to open our own instead of working for someone else, we thought we’d have a better chance here. Fill a gap where it’s needed. And I wanted to be close to family again. Besides, Liam is tired of living in the city. He has his own reasons. It just worked out.” His passion is obvious when he talks about it, but what sticks out most is the sense of sadness when talking about being close to family again.

I had no idea he was having a hard time being away from us.

“Well, I know we’re all thrilled to have you close to home again.” I’m emphatic, trying to show how much I missed him without getting too sappy.

One side of his lips tilt up, the smallest hint of gratitude.

As we chat, Elise dozes off. Kimchi snuggled into the curve of her stomach.

Standing, I grab a blanket and cover her.

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