Page 77 of Limbo

Connor assists Cate down the steps into the water. “Same, man. You play sports?”

“Lacrosse when I was younger.”

“A sport for those who can’t keep up in basketball.” He sends Cate skimming across the water toward us. “Why did you stop?”

Jordan catches her. “I wasn’t playing for the right reasons.”

They continue passing her between them, talking about anything and everything. My brother rarely opens up to anyone other than me, and even I need to force him to tell me what goes on in his head at times. But he chatters away like he’s known Jordan his entire life.

Once Cate grows bored, we participate in various activities for her entertainment, such as handstand contests and holding our breath. After a while, she chooses Jordan as her favorite and banishes Connor and me to the hot tub.

I switch on the jets while Connor floats on the other side, listing off information about a summer basketball league starting in May. He tells me the leftover money from buying his shoes will cover both the registration fee and the entire cost of swimming lessons, meaning we can cut our parents out of the equation entirely. Always the preferred solution.

His chin rests on the ledge, a protective eye on Cate as Jordan twirls her around in the water. “I vote we keep him.”

“He’s not a puppy, Con.”

“Obviously, but you make decisions based on what’s best for us. So, I’m letting you know, we like him. Plus, if you’re busy with him, you won’t be up my ass about school and girls as much.” He cranes his neck around and grins.

The fake expression resembles mine more and more, much less obvious than when he started using it a few years ago. To anyone else, he would appear to be a cocky teenager making a joke, but I recognize the difference in his eyes. The spark is gone. He’s worried. Not about Jordan, but about what changes with him added to the mix. If I stop being the one person he can trust to be there for him, no matter what.

I smile, a real one. “I promise, I’ll always be up your ass about something. It’s one of the few joys of having a little brother.”

“Right, because having an older sister is full of them.” He flicks water at me, and in a moment of ultimate maturity, I stick my tongue out. He chuckles, at ease again as his gaze travels back to the two in the pool.

I watch Cate dole out torture for a few more minutes before I climb out of the hot tub. The second I stand up, Jordan’s glare lands on me. It follows me as I obstinately walk around without a towel. I wait until I’m out of his sight to retrieve one from the linen closet in the hall and head up the stairs.

Shayna tosses her book to the side and pouts out her lip. “He won’t stay out of the water long enough for me to get a good look.”

“Want me to parade him around a little?”

“Yes, please.” Her chair wheels around as she retrieves a set of keys. She slaps them down on the counter. “I presume you’ll be winning our bet today?”

I stare at her, no idea what she’s talking about.

“Our bet about who would have sex in the steam room first?”

“You still haven’t?” I ask in disbelief.

She shakes her head, raising her eyebrow. “Do I need to reissue the challenge? It’s not like you to need encouragement.”

I ignore the attempt to provoke me. “I’ll drop off the money for swim lessons tomorrow before I leave.”

“No need. Jordan already paid.”

“What? When did he…” When he said he forgot his phone. God, I adore him. I sigh, snagging the keys off the counter. “Has anyone been in there since you last sanitized?”

She grins. “Nope, and I wiped down everything.”

How romantic.

“Well,” I say, “I’m sure it’s cleaner than the back of what’s his name’s pickup.”

Her eyes bug out, and I dash for the stairs, a box of tissues narrowly missing my head.

“We don’t talk about that,” she calls after me.

I laugh, and it echoes on my way down.

---