Page 12 of Fall for You
His brain gave him a sharp reprimand, and the words tumbled free before he’d even thought them through. “So, where were you when I first got here? I couldn’t find you.”
He could practically hear Antony’s sigh.“Very smooth, bro.”
Bailey would have bristled at the prying question. But Willow, being Willow, just laughed. “Excuse me?” Then she turned to him with a mock scowl and jabbed the wooden spoon into his chest. “Where were you, Miss King? I expected to find you shackled in this kitchen, slaving away over a hot stove.”
“I didn’t sound like that.” Dallas swatted the spoon away, laughing, then forced a shrug. “Just curious is all.”
She shot him a sidelong look but didn’t answer.
“Why?” He nudged her arm with his. “Is it a secret?”
Her brows drew together, and she looked torn between confusion and amusement. “Why would it be a secret?”
“I don’t know. It just seems like you disappear a lot, and?—”
“And you haven’t been here in weeks,” she interrupted with a tinkling laugh. “What are you talking about?”
“Yes, but when I was here…,” he started.
She arched her brows. Waiting.
He sounded like an idiot. Worse, a paranoid idiot.
He scrubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I’m not accusing you of anything.”
“Phew!” She wiped away imaginary sweat. “I was really scared there for a second.”
Okay, this…was not going as intended.
“I’m just checking up on you. As your big brother, it’s my duty.”
“Your duty?” she mocked.
“My privilege.” He quickly corrected himself and winced, grateful she wasn’t looking at him.
“I’m good. I swear.” She rested her hip against the counter as she turned to face him. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m all grown up now, bro. And you don’thaveto do anything but be my friend.”
His eyebrows crinkled, the idea of not being her protective big brother anymore sitting wonky in his chest. There was no way he was just going to give up that role. He’d been watching over her since the day she was born.
He still remembered the first time he’d met her. She’d been all of five hours old. Her father had walked him and Bailey into the hospital room and let them take turns holding the little pink bundle. She’d had no more than soft fuzz for hair and the cutest button nose. When she’d opened her eyes and stared right at him with those bright blue orbs, he’d known right then and there thathe was gonna keep his baby sister safe no matter what it cost him.
And just because she wasall grown updidn’t mean he was suddenly going to relinquish that responsibility.
He clamped his teeth against letting that all spew out and settled for “So…nothing’s wrong?”
“Nope.” She popped thepjust in case it wasn’t abundantly clear that she was humoring him.
He narrowed his eyes, playing up the suspicious older brother act. After all, he’d come this far. Might as well lean into it, remind her that they were gonna stick with the big brother/little sister status quo. “Are you dating someone?”
In all honesty, he’d been kidding. So it was a shock when her cheeks turned pink and she stammered, “W-what?”
Wait, had he been onto something?
A rush of protectiveness had his earlier teasing tone evaporating. “Who is he? Do we know him? Does Bailey know that?—”
“No!” Willow’s cheeks were still pink, but now her eyes blazed with irritation.
He’d never been one to be put off by negative emotion and met her glare head-on. “No, we don’t know him, or no, Bailey doesn’t know?—”
