Page 39 of Rebel Secrets
Laughing, I fell back onto the bed again.“Your brother’s not that bad, you know.”
“I know.He’s got things he needs to work through, but he’s working on himself, too.Guys just take longer to develop critical thinking skills.Some of them anyway.”Rain got off the bed to pick up the Chanel and hold it against herself, standing in front of the full-length standing mirror that at one time had belonged to the original owners of the building and should probably be in a museum somewhere.“So, you and Rebel are good?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Good.I really think you and I need to go on a shopping trip to New York City.I gotta get me one of these.I think Brian would definitely like to see me in something like this.”
And for a brief second, I wondered what Rebel would think of me in that dress.
ChapterEleven
Rebel
“So, um, hey, Rebel.”
“Ian?”
“Yeah.Hi.It’s me.How’s it going?”
I put down the rake I was using to weed the garden bed in front of my home.Living in the woods was great, away from nosy neighbors in town who watched your every move from their windows.Until you realized the woods didn’t give a fuck if you had a little stone wall around your beds to keep the forest out.That meant yardwork, which I didn’t hate.It got me out of the house doing something physical.I didn’t sit well.
I’d taken my phone outside with me, expecting a call from Brian about Rowdy’s bachelor party this weekend, so I’d answered without looking at the screen.It took my brain a second to make the switch from the expected to the unexpected.But when I did, I heard something in Ian’s voice that made my brain snap to attention.
“Ian, what’s wrong?”
I was pretty sure I heard him sigh.
“Um, so… Well, nothing’s wrong.It’s just…um…”
I waited, knowing him well enough to know he’d spit it out eventually.If you interrupted, it just took him that much longer to get out what he wanted to say.
“Well, my place for the summer fell through, and I need somewhere to stay for a while.Just a week or two, just until?—”
“Sure.When are you coming?Do you need a ride?”
Silence from the other end.
“Ian?You still there?”
“Yeah.I just… I didn’t… Really?You don’t mind?”
Okay, this didn’t sound like Ian.
“No, I don’t mind.I’ll text you my address unless you need a ride.I can come get you.I could be there in an hour or so.”
Another silence.
“Ian?”
“Yeah, no.I mean.Nah, I’m good.I’m all packed.”
Behind me, I heard wheels on gravel, which meant someone was pulling into my driveway.I turned to see who it was as I pulled the phone away from my ear and put it on speaker.
“I’m gonna text you my address and some directions.Let me know when you leave, and I’ll make sure I’m home when you get here.”
“I don’t wanna be any trouble.”
My dad stopped his golf cart a few feet away and shut it off.I lifted my chin in greeting.
