Page 2 of His Secret Gift

He starts unpacking plastic containers. “Weh’s Palace.”

“Oh, no.” I completely forgot we had dinner plans. I erroneously thought the finale was on Thursday, and not today. It was chance that I just happened to be watching on the right day of the week. “I’m so sorry.” As much as I don’t want to admit this to him, as he already makes fun of me for my reality television obsession, but I also don’t want him to think I just ditched him.

“It was the finale ofYacht Life. I must have… forgotten to let you know.”

He clicks his tongue. “It is what it is.”

I walk over and give him a hug. “So, you forgive me?” I’m still holding him but looking up at his face.

He sighs and meets my gaze briefly before responding, “I guess.”

“Thanks, Collin.” My arms release him, and my hands go on the small of my back, and I kind of swing. “What’s for dinner? Sweet n’ sour shrimp?”

“Duh!” He looks at the containers to find the right one, grabs a white box of rice, a packet of chopsticks, and hands all of it to me.

“Thank you. What do I owe you?”

He flicks his wrist at me. “Don’t worry about it.”

After sitting on the couch again, I’ve already dug into the food. “Collin, come on.” My mouth is full, but I’m sure he could make out what I was saying.

“What, Kayla?” He’s leaning on the counter with one hand at his hip.

“I—” I already know what’s coming. I hate having these conversations with him.

“What happened to you?”

My heart sinks, and I look at the shaggy carpet.

“You were top of the class, but after you graduated—with honors, mind you—you just decided that you didn’t have any ambition anymore. What gives with that?”

His words sting because they’re true. But I don’t want him to see just how badly they make me feel.

In the swirl of events that unfolded when I thought he was a strange man trying to rob me, I didn’t think to pause my show, but I lean over to the remote on the coffee table and do so. Then, after straightening my back, I say, “First of all, I didn’t ask for your opinion on what I should or shouldn’t do with my life.”

He rolls his eyes. “Someone has to watch out for you, Kayla.”

That’s an attack toward our father. His excessive smoking led to his early death.

“Really?” I ask as I set my food down. “We’re doing this tonight?”

“Well—”

He sits down next to me.

“Well, what?” I demand even though I already know what he’s going to say.

Pushing his glasses up on his nose, he says, “You have no plan, sis.”

I sigh. “That’s not true.”

He finally turns to me with his eyes wide. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, let’s hear it then.”

“I—” I glance down at my twiddling finger before looking at the paused TV. “I’m going to work on a yacht.”

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