Page 115 of From Now On

“I wouldn’t do that. I just?—”

“It’s fine, Hunter. I was kidding.” Eve takes a hasty sip of her tea, then winces. “I’m gonna get some ice.”

She hops up before I can offer to get it for her, returning a minute later with a cup full of frozen cubes. She plops two in her mug, then offers it to me.

I take one, then stare at the rapidly melting blob bobbing on the surface. “My brother is a drug addict.”

A sentence I’ve never said aloud before. I’ve never talked about Sean with anyone at Holt, and everyone back home already knew everything. Hard to keep something like that a secret in a small town.

“It started in high school, with oxy. He broke his leg playing hockey. Had a rough recovery and too much downtime. It was all downhill from there. With school, with sports, with drugs. I barely recognize him anymore.”

“I’m so sorry, Hunter.”

I try a sip of the tea. It’s good. Minty.

“I grew up known as Sean Morgan’s little brother. I was always trying to be exactly like him. Dress like him, which was easy wearing his hand-me-downs. Act like him. Sean was popular and smart and charming and a hell of a hockey player. He’s the only reason I started playing.” My eyes remain on my mug, rolling the ceramic cylinder between my palms. “My parents and I have done interventions. They’ve paid for rehab three times. Nothing sticks. It’s like knocking on a front door and no one’s home. He…he only calls me when he’s high, in the middle of the night. I should probably stop answering, but…”

“But he’s your brother.”

I glance at Eve. She’s holding her mug, knees tucked up under her chin now. She looks sad—and sympathetic—but there’s no sign of the pity I’m greeted by every time I go home. “Yeah, exactly. But he’s my brother.”

“I’m sorry, Hunter,” she tells me again.

I get that helpless feeling of not knowing what to say. There’s no easy response to hard situations.

“Thanks.”

She doesn’t break eye contact. Neither do I.

“Do you have any siblings?” I ask.

Her lips twist in a grimace so slight I almost miss it. “Uh…yeah.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

Eve plays with the string attached to her tea bag. “My dad and his wife have two kids. My mom and her boyfriend had a baby right before I left for college. Her boyfriend, John, has a daughter from a previous relationship that he has full custody of. So I have four siblings, I guess, but I sort of feel like an only child. I’m not close with any of them. In age or…otherwise.”

“I’m sorry, Eve.”

“Yeah. It sucks, sometimes.” She leans forward and tilts her mug toward mine. “Cheers to messy families.”

For some reason, I’m certain she’s thinking about the last time we did acheers.

It makes me smile, a feat that’s normally impossible after a call from Sean. “To messy families.” There’s a soft clink when the ceramic connects. “Sorry for waking you up.”

“You didn’t. I’m having to redo a painting project, so I’ve been in the studio really late the past few nights. I’m on a wacky sleep schedule.”

I glance at the painting by the bookcase. She’sreallygood. I don’t know shit about art. But Eve’s work is striking. Creative and compelling. The sort of sight that stops you in your tracks.

“Why are you redoing a project?”

“It didn’t turn out right the first time. I was…indecisive.”

I nod, then drain the rest of my tea and grab my phone. “I should, uh, probably get going. Since I’m already up.”

Before falling asleep, I set my alarm for seven. Neither Aidan nor Conor were home when I stopped by after the library before coming here. They must have gone to the lax party, so I doubteither of them will be up early, but I’d rather not have to explain where I spent the night.

I’m not ready to tell them about Eve. I don’t even know what there is to tell. We’re graduating in a matter of weeks. I haven’t decided where I’ll be headed in the fall. And it feels massively presumptuous to ask Eve if she’s open to a long-distance relationship after one night together. Now that I know she’s not back together with her ex, that they’re notgoingto get back together, it feels like I have a little more time.

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