Page 99 of The First Time
"Let's invite Joel and Kit." I keep my voice even, like inviting Kit means nothing to me. I'm not sure what it means right now. He hurt me running off like that, but I still want to be around him. "Make Ethan jealous."
Mal nods.
"You bought me a suitcase."
He chuckles. "I did."
"Because..."
He takes a sip of his coffee. "Because."
I stare at him.
He stares back with a smile.
I'm losing this staring contest. Badly.
I have to know. I set my coffee on the counter and clap my hands together. "Malcolm Strong, explain yourself!"
"We're doing a festival tour in Europe in late August."
He can't mean...
"You should come." His voice brightens. "You've worked hard. You deserve it. And it will be fun."
"But you always say the road is no place for an impressionable young woman."
He shoots me some serious side eye. "Have I?"
I nod. Okay, maybe he didn't use those exact words, but I got the gist.
"It's three weeks. Ends just before school starts. I've booked you a separate hotel room for all our stops."
A separate hotel room.
For three weeks in Europe.
I have to hug Mal again. I have no choice.
"Am I your favorite brother yet?" he teases.
"You're neck and neck with Ethan."
He chuckles. "Tough competition."
"You could buy me a new car, race into first."
He shakes his head. "How about I make dinner reservations for eight on Friday?"
"You're not winning yet."
"I'll learn to live with that."
* * *
Friday night,I step into the restaurant with my shoulders back and my head high. I look cute. Not slutty cute but appropriate for dinner with my brother cute. My navy dress—the one I wore for high school graduation—flatters my less than ample curves and shows off just enough leg. The strappy black heels help.
My smoky eye is blended and sharp. My lips are just the right shade of pink.
