Page 50 of Seven of Hearts

Kylie pulled into the driveway to meet Bryan as I jogged down the porch.

She got out and teetered on her heels as I dragged her to my car. “Geez. What the hell, Lo?”

“Get in,” I said as I ripped the passenger door open and shoved her inside.

Kylie spat out a mouthful of her hair. “But I told Bryan I was?—”

“He’s been informed you’re being kidnapped until you have a fucking attitude adjustment. Buckle up.”

Kylie glowered as I hopped behind the wheel and backed out of the drive, but she didn’t open the door and tuck and roll to get away.

“You’d better be feeding me,” she snapped. “I’m starving.”

I pulled the ready-to-eat PB&J from my pocket that I had pilfered from the freezer on my way out the door and threw it at her.

“Spend time with your brother,” she mewed in a sarcastic, high-pitched voice as she pulled the plastic wrapper open. “You don’t get to see him enough.”

Kylie pouted in the passenger’s seat as I made my way to Jokers—the bar that had been in the same gravel lot since before I was born. It looked a lot better now that Chase and Bridget, Kristin and Will’s friends, had taken it over a few years ago.

I pulled into a parking spot, opened Kylie’s door, and death-marched her inside. “Let’s go.”

“Well, hey,” Bridget said with a bright smile when Kylie and I walked into the dimly lit bar. “What can I get for you kids?”

“Water for me, and an old fashioned with an orange slice for Ky,” I said.

“And chicken fingers and fries, please,” Kylie said.

Bridget nodded. “You got it. I’ll bring it over to y’all in a sec. Make yourselves at home.”

We weaved through the pool tables and across the dance floor to a high-top table in the back corner by the dart boards.

“Sit,” I ordered as I pulled out her chair for her.

To my surprise, Kylie sat without me having to WWE body slam her into the chair. Bridget waltzed over with a tray piled high with fried food. She dropped the plate between the two of us, the water in front of me, and the cocktail in front of Kylie.

As Bridget disappeared to check on the rest of the barflies, Kylie reached for her old fashioned. I snatched it away. She made a move for the chicken fingers, but I pulled the plate over to my side.

“You can have these when you pull your head out of your ass,” I said.

Kylie crossed her arms. “I should’ve known this was coming.”

“Good. Since we’re on the same page, what the fuck is your problem?”

She huffed. “My brother and my best friend lied to me for months. I’m supposed to get over that?”

“Yeah. You are. Because you’re a fucking adult and Leah needs you. I need you,” I snapped as I tossed a fry into my mouth.

Kylie reached for one, and I swatted her hand away.

“I’m not mad at Leah,” she admitted. “I’m hurt that she didn’t tell me. But that’s between the two of us.”

Okay. That was progress. I could work with that.

“In my defense, I found out a week ago.”

Her face fell. “When I mentioned it to you at your birthday?”

I nodded. “I did the math. Figured it out. Had to go see her and make sure she was okay.”

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