Page 86 of Sunsets & Slow Dances

Hoodie’s phone lit up and vibrated in his pocket, so I reached in and grabbed it before I released my arm, and he crumbled to the floor, holding his neck and choking.

I was walking away when I heard him asking, “Hey, what about my phone?”

My adrenaline was pumping as I turned the corner and saw Chloe standing there. “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“I told you to wait in the truck.”

She didn’t respond. Neither of us said anything as we walked past all the teenagers partying on the beach. When we got to the truck, I opened the passenger door for her, then went around to the driver’s side.

On the drive home, she stared out the window. I knew that she was furious at me. This was going to be just like the time when Nadia told me about her science partner or one of thedozens of other times she said I overreacted and should have let her handle it. I couldn’t help it. I had to protect the people I loved. And Chloe was mine to protect. I knew that she was probably going to say that I embarrassed her and that she didn’t want to live with me.

It sucked because we had been doing better, and now this was going to be such a huge setback. Before we got home, I wanted to talk about this. I didn’t want Matty to hear us and get upset or Felicity to think she could put her two cents in. When I saw a parking spot on the side of the road along the beach, I pulled over. I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned toward her.

She was still facing away from me, but I took a deep breath and said, “Listen, Chloe, I’m sorry that I?—”

Before I could say another word, she turned and threw her arms around my neck. For a second, I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do. But then, I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back. I just held her, rubbing her back, not sure if she was actually mad at me and just scared, or if she was mad at me and was just really quick to forgive me, or if she wasn’t mad at me at all.

After about five minutes, she sat back in her seat and wiped the tears from her eyes, and I realized she’d been crying that whole time. My shoulder was completely wet from her tears.

“So, are you mad at me?” I asked tentatively, trying to figure out how I should proceed.

She let out a little laugh. “You’re such a dork.”

“They’re still saying dork. Okay, good. I’ll make a note of that.”

She rolled her eyes. “I only said that because you’re ancient.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I appreciate it.”

She took a deep breath and then exhaled. “No, I’m not mad at you. I never had a dad or a brother. No one has ever stood up for me the way you did today. I thought you were mad at me becauseI shouldn’t have even been down there with those guys in the first place. It was stupid. I know better than that.” She shook her head, and I could see that she was upset and beating herself up for putting herself in that position.

“Why were you? I thought you were at Kendall’s.”

“I was. We went down to the pier, but then she got an audition; and she had to go home and film. She’s an actress. Anyway, I was going to go home, but I saw Matty and Felicity; they were with a wedding planner and…” Tears started filling her eyes again, but she straightened her shoulders and sniffed them back. “I’m sorry; I know that she’s Matty’s mom and you love her, but…It doesn’t matter…she was talking about the wedding, and Matty asked if I was going to be in it, and she said no, and then he said that I had to be because I’m family, and she said…whatever I don’t even care?—”

“What did she say?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter. I got upset, and I went down to the caves. I saw Brian, and he said he had wine coolers. I know he’s like a walking red flag, but I just didn’t want to go back to the farm becauseshewas there, and I couldn’t go home because I don’t have one, and I just…”

“I’m so sorry, Chloe.”

“I told you, I’m not mad at you.”

“No, I know you’re not mad at me.” I blew out a breath and scrubbed my hands over my face. “That’s not why I’m apologizing. I’m sorry because I really fucked this up. All of it. You’re right; you didn’t have a dad. He died when you were three. But you did have a brother. I’m your brother, and I should have been acting like that from the momentI found out about you. I’m sorry that you even had to question for a second anything that Felicity said. Yes, she is Matty’s mom, but you’re wrong; I don’t love her. And whatever she said, I can promise you, she’s wrong. She is notmyfamily. You are. You have ahome. I’m your home. Matty is your home. My mom is your home. Buzz is your home. The farm is your home.”

Chloe’s eyes were filling with tears again, but I hoped this time they were good, not bad. Before I could find out, a loud vibration sounded, startling us both.

We looked down and saw it was coming from Brian’s phone, which I’d tossed on the console. He was getting a text.

“Why did you take his phone?” she asked.

“Because fuck him, that’s why.”

She smiled.

“Are you really going to go talk to Chief Dawson and his dad?”

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